Bohemia Lea Farm's Cal Hurtt to speak at Lewes Farmers Market May 21

After the cowbell rang at 8 a.m., over 1,300 customers helped open The Historic Lewes Farmers Market May 14 for its 11th season.

This Saturday, May 21, the Historic Lewes Farmers Market opens at 8 a.m. at George H.P. Smith Park with 35 vendors selling asparagus, red and green Romaine lettuce, spring onions, strawberries, garden plants, sauerkrauts, flowers, eggs, cheese, yogurt, milk, grass-fed lamb, chicken, pork and beef, freshly baked breads, focaccia, and much more.

At 9 a.m., Maureen Miller, children's librarian from the Lewes Public Library, will read "The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry and the Big Hungry Bear" by Audrey Wood. All children and their adults are welcome to come to Children’s Story Hour, a partnership program between the HLFM and the Lewes Public Library. The Story Hour Tent will be located near the children’s playground at the park.

At 10 a.m., Cal Hurtt, owner of Bohemia Lea Farm, will talk about the history of his farm, and his methods of grazing his cattle and rotating his laying hens and turkeys leading to improved soil. His animals are raised ethically and naturally. He does not use antibiotics or growth hormones, and feed is locally sourced. Inspired by Michael Pollan’s book "The Omnivores Dilemma," and the farming practices of Joel Salatin and other sustainable farmers, Hurtt began Bohemia Lea Farm in 2012. He leveraged his background in engineering to establish a pasture-based, rotational farm on 80 acres in Cecilton, Md. His goal is to share locally raised and processed, healthy delicious food, and allow customers to have confidence in the origins of their food.

This year, the market continues its SNAP (EBT Food Stamps) program. To help lower economic barriers to local, healthy food, the HLFM matches up to $20 each participant each week with HLFM Bonus Bucks. SNAP participants are encouraged to come to the SNAP tent at the market to pick up the bonus $20 in tokens.

The market is open every Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon. The park is located at the corner of Dupont and Johnson avenues and the best parking for the new location can be found at the Shields Elementary School and Lewes School parking lots, just off the corner of Savannah Road and a short walk to the market. In case of inclement weather, the market is sometimes relocated to the Shields Elementary School parking lot.

More information about the market is available at www.historiclewesfarmersmarket.org.