Spring and Farmers' Markets

It's Spring! And soon my garden will be producing some of my favorites including snap/sugar peas, a variety of tomatoes and basil. It's also time to start thinking about local produce and with the warmer weather brings plenty of Farmers' Markets throughout my area of Placer county and the rest of California.

Last Tuesday I headed to Whole Foods at The Fountains in Roseville to check out their Farmers Market (which actually is one of the few that runs year-round) to see what they had to offer. Lots of fresh produce, of course, but also breads, baked goods, sauces, locally roasted coffee and even live music.

As Placer County's seasonal Farmers' Markers are about to launch, PlacerGROWN is having a contest and I hope that a few of your are able to win some of the great prizes.

From May 19-30, 2014, PlacerGROWN will be giving away the following items on Facebook:
5 – $25 gift cards to Foothill Farmers’ Markets
5 – Bottles of wine
1 GRAND PRIZE – 8 Newcastle Cooking Classes for two groups of four

On another note if you want to go to the farm, check out Placer County's Sinclair Family Farm on June 8 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for their "Day on the Farm" event in Newcastle. They will have hourly sheepdog demonstrations, guests can learn about sheep shearing and wool spinning, plus view animal exhibits including cattle, sheep and pigs. For more details check out their website. 
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Press Release from PlacerGROWN
TAKE IT OUTSIDE TO THE PLACER COUNTY SEASONAL FARMERS’ MARKETS
Beginning May 22nd, 11 Foothill Farmers’ Markets Will offer the Season’s Freshest Fruits, Vegetables and More

AUBURN, Calif.—The countdown is on, and the Placer County Foothill Farmers’ Markets will start sprouting on May 22nd. In addition to two year-round markets in Old Town Auburn and at the Fountains in Roseville, nine certified seasonal farmers’ markets will open, offering a wide variety of local, farm-fresh fruits, vegetables, flowers, nuts, honey, eggs, locally roasted coffee, herbs and more.

“The demand for local, farm-fresh goods is higher than ever,” says Foothill Farmers’ Market Association and PlacerGROWN Executive Director Carol Arnold. “Whether you live in the area or are simply headed up to Tahoe for the weekend, a trip to one of our Foothill Farmers’ Markets is the ideal venue for delicious produce, eggs and meats.”

The Placer County seasonal Farmers’ Markets play a vital role in the region’s food scene with one open nearly every day of the week. Stay updated with the Foothill Farmers’ Market 2014 schedule below:

SATURDAY
Auburn: Old Town Courthouse Parking Lot
Auburn-Folsom Road at Lincoln Way
OPEN YEAR ROUND, 8:00 a.m. - Noon

Rocklin: Blue Oaks
RC Willey at Blue Oaks Center
6636 Lonetree Blvd.
June 7th - Nov. 22nd, 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

SUNDAY
Granite Bay: Quarry Ponds Town Center
5550 Douglas Blvd.
June 1st - Sept. 28th, 8:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

TUESDAY
Roseville: Whole Foods Market at the Fountains
Galleria Boulevard and East Roseville Parkway
OPEN YEAR ROUND, 8:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Truckee: Truckee River Regional Park
10500 Brockway Rd. off Highway 267
June 10th - Oct. 14th, 8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

WEDNESDAY
Auburn: DeWitt Center
Bell Road and First Street
June 4th - Oct. 29th, 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Foresthill: Main Street
June 4th - Aug. 13th, 4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

THURSDAY
Rocklin: Finnish Hall
Rocklin Road at South Grove Street
May 22nd - Sept. 25th, 8:30 a.m. – Noon

Tahoe City: Commons Beach
Commons Beach Road and North Lake Boulevard
May 22nd - June 19th; Aug. 28th - Sept. 25th, 8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Tahoe City: Tahoe Lake Elementary School
375 Grove St.
June 26th – Aug. 21st, 8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Truckee: Donner Pass Near the Train Station
Dates and times to be announced. Check placergrown.org/farmers-markets/ for updates.

For more information on the Foothill Farmers’ Markets 2014 farmers’ market schedule, visit FoothillFarmersMarket.com.  To find information on Placer County farm-fresh food, wineries, and agricultural events, visit PlacerGROWN.org.

ABOUT FOOTHILL FARMERS MARKET ASSOCIATION:
For 24 years the Foothill Farmers' Market Association has been hosting farmers' markets in Placer County, California.  The Foothill Farmers' Markets are certified purveyors of local farm-fresh fruits, vegetables, flowers, nuts, honey, eggs and nursery items.  For more information on the Foothill Farmers' Market Association, visit FoothillFarmersMarket.com.

ABOUT PlacerGROWN:
Supported by Placer County, PlacerGROWN is the information source dedicated to educating residents about the freshest agricultural products the region has to offer.  Through its website, social media channels and other outreach programs, PlacerGROWN connects community members with the farms, orchards, ranches, wineries, nurseries, farmers’ markets and specialty food stores in one of the most diverse growing areas in Northern California. To discover the bounty of agricultural products produced by farmers who call Placer County home, or for more information about PlacerGROWN, visit PlacerGROWN.org.

RELATED LINKS:
Foothill Farmers Market website
Foothill Farmers Market on Facebook
PlacerGROWN website
PlacerGROWN on Facebook
PlacerGROWN on Twitter
PlacerGROWN on Pinterest

I was not compensated for this post, but was invited to a lunch by PlacerGROWN in October 2013.