Four Leaf Farm: The Beet, Weaver Street's E-Newsletter

Link to Weaver Street Market's Home Page

Four Leaf Farm:
New to the Piedmont Farm Tour!
by Emily Buehler, Contributing Writer
Want a little more "garden" in your life? Think you're limited by the size of your yard, or your full-time job? Then check out the MacAllers' Four Leaf Farm in Rougemont, ten miles northeast of Hillsborough. "It's a mixed 'farmlet,'" jokes Helga MacAller of their farm, a relatively small property with so much going on, you won't know where to look first. (Although, it helps that it's all "going on" at the rate that plants grow!) Our tour makes a loop around the MacAllers' home, surrounded on all sides by vegetation and growth. We start at the top of the driveway with the nursery—bedding plants, perennials, and herbs—split into shade-loving plants on one side and sun-lovers on the other. More

Piedmont Farm Tour
Farm Tour Kick-off!
Wine Sale
2nd Friday ArtWalk
Jazz Brunch Returns!

Call for Candidates

Farnmers' Markets
CROP Walk 2008
Tar Heel Ten Mile
Maple View Challenge

April Wine Dinner
Local Farms/Local Art

Weekly Produce Specials
Weekly Meat Specials

Value Recipe: Shrimp Pesto



Four Leaf Farm continued
Plant sales were what got Tim and Helga back into farming after a long hiatus: they'd quit when they had children. Six years ago, their son was in the Ag program at Orange High, and they started selling plants at the Hillsborough and Durham Farmers' Markets. They decided to focus on one market and chose Durham. Now they can barely keep up with sales. They grow all kinds of vegetables, in greenhouses through the winter and in the beds surrounding the house. Additional row crops are grown on rental properties—things like potatoes, tomatoes, and peppers that don't require everyday attention. On the way to the greenhouse, we pass the kiwi vine, pruned back for the new season. Recently trimmed, it's just bare sticks poking out from the top of a trellis in the sun. By the end of summer, says Tim, it will be lush and full, with leaves reaching everywhere. The kiwis must be picked at the first frost, and then stored for about six weeks until they ripen. The MacAllers stored the kiwis in the bottom drawer of their fridge, which became a problem in 2006 when they harvested 800 kiwis. We also pass the raspberry patch. This variety produces fruit on new canes, meaning the plants can be easily pruned back every year. When I see them, they are less than a foot tall, bare and leafless, but they'll begin growing soon. The berries arrive in late June and continue until frost. It's warm and bright in the greenhouse. Clustered around the door are potted plants; the back two-thirds of the room is planted with vegetables. I always pictured greenhouse plants in pots, but these are right in the ground. This bed is planted several times through the winter; it's used until the greenhouse gets too hot in early summer. The greenhouse is also the home of Pea Shoot Production: the MacAllers plant ten to twelve pounds of pea plant seed twice a week. This germinates into pea shoots in about two weeks; the biweekly plantings maintain a constant supply. I can see four stages of growth, from dirt and newly split seeds to single green stalks to the fluffy, curly green leaves that are ready to harvest. Half of one tray has been chopped with scissors, leaving even, green stubble. Helga breaks off a shoot for me to try—it's sweet and delicate, more substantial than lettuce, but not tough at all and not spicy like arugula. Outside the greenhouse is a bed of row vegetables: leaks, garlic, fava beans, radish, kale, onions, and rhubarb are what I'm able to write down as Helga lists them. This space will be used two to three times this season; the MacAllers will have the new plants ready to go, as seedlings, not seeds, when the old plants are done. The intense rotation allows them to maximize the production of their small space. Tim pushes his finger into the soil to demonstrate how nice it is: in spite of its redness, it's more like coffee grounds than clay. This is thanks to the compost they've added, much of it remnants of harvested pea shoots. The MacAllers use drip hoses and lots of mulch to keep the weeds out and the moisture in. Where they do use black plastic in place of mulch, it's a biodegradable brand. We head down the west side of the yard towards the woods, passing a metal humming bird hovering over a metal flower. Other pieces of yard art sun themselves on the grass or lurk in the bushes around the house. In the shade behind the house, a gate opens to a path leading down through the trees to the north fork of the Little River, where visitors can perch on a rock to enjoy the peacefulness. Planted along the edge of the trees are native and wild plants. There is a tiny tulip, called a "species tulip," which is the original variety that other tulips came from. Even in the southern heat, this tulip produces flowers year after year. At the far end of the trail, I spot delicate white bloodroot, blooming through the dry leaves covering the ground. The native plants are labeled and many of the varieties are for sale. As we approach the nursery where we began, I can see the shiitake logs, side by side, standing on end and resting on an angle against a horizontal beam. I'm reminded of the primitive lean-to we built in sixth grade, on a "wilderness survival" field trip to an outdoor center. Dusty the cat makes a late appearance, following us with disinterest as we head back to the driveway. The MacAllers know what they're doing. They keep their land and plants healthy, paying attention and planning ahead. Their farm and their home are so well integrated, it's impossible to tell where one stops and the other begins. And when you see how many things they grow in spite of their full-time jobs, you'll be inspired. Piedmont Farm Tour maps and buttons are available at Weaver Street Market.

Weekly Produce Specials - THESE SALES ARE EFFECTIVE WEDNESDAY, April 9 through TUESDAY, April 15.


	California Strawberries	1 lb packs 3/$10.00
	New crop, Organic Red Bartlett Pears	$1.59 lb
	New crop, Organic Gala Apples	$1.59 lb	super low price

Weekly Meat & Seafood Specials

	Niman Ranch London Broil	USDA Choice $5.49 lb	All natural save $1.00 lb
	Coleman Whole Chickens	$1.59 lb	All Natural save 90¢ lb
	Wild Caught, Jumbo, White, Gulf Shrimp	$8.99 lb	save $2.00 lb
Read more about other Weaver Street Market Specials.


Value Recipe: Shrimp Pesto

INGREDIENTS: • 1 pound linguine pasta (you could substitute this with "Gluten Free" pastas available at our stores) • 1/2 cup butter (This Month's Co-op Advantage Special: Organic Earth Balance Buttery Sticks $2.79, 16 oz. box, reg. price $2.99) • 2 cups heavy cream • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper • 1/3 cup pesto (This month's Manager's choice special: La Piana Basil Pesto $4.99/ea, 6.3 oz jar, reg. price $5.99/ea) • 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese • 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined (This week's WSM special: Wild caught jumbo Gulf White Shrimp $8.99/lb, save $2.00/lb!) DIRECTIONS: 1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add linguine pasta, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente; drain. 2. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in cream, and season with pepper. Cook 6 to 8 minutes, stirring constantly. 3. Stir Parmesan cheese into cream sauce, stirring until thoroughly mixed. Blend in the pesto, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until thickened. 4. Stir in the shrimp, and cook until they turn pink, about 5 minutes. Serve over the hot linguine. Serves 8. from http://allrecipes.com
Find more recipes here.



Piedmont Farm Tour

Saturday, April 19 Sunday, April 20 New Hours! 1-6 pm Tickets $30, $25 in advance 35 farms to choose from 5 new farms this year! Maps and buttons available at Weaver Street Market!
Read more about the Farm Tour here.

Farm Tour Kick-Off

Thursday, April 17 6:00 - 8:00 pm on the lawn in Carrboro Meet and mingle with farmers! Enjoy live music, and taste wine by local vineyards on the tour. Buy a button/ticket and pick up a map! Purchase a Farm Tour T-shirt - 100% organic cotton!

Wine Sale

Weaver Street Market's 4th Annual Spring Wine Sale March 28-April 13 This sale will feature a selection of favorite and fine wines from around the world at discounts up to 41% off regular price! 10% regular case discount applies on top of sale price! Hours Weaver Street Market: Carrboro, 7:30 am - 9 pm M-F, 8 am - 9 pm Sat/Sun, 929-0010 Weaver Street Market: Southern Village, 7 am - 9 pm Daily, 929-2009
View the complete list of wines on sale here.

2nd Friday ArtWalk

Friday, April 11 6:00 - 9:00pm This is a perfect opportunity for those of you who enjoy art, entertainment and live music! This community gathering event will be taking place in Carrboro and Chapel Hill on Friday evening. Enjoy a wine and food tasting at Weaver Street Market in Southern Village from 5:00 - 7:00 pm. Admission is free to everyone.

Jazz Brunch Returns!

Sunday, April 13 11 am - 1 pm It's almost time for Sunday morning Jazz & More Brunch at Weaver Street Market! Get ready for hot food, cool tunes and a great way to start your Sunday. Inside, we'll have fresh scones, muffins and sweet pastries in our bake case; fresh, hot coffee and a barista to make that special coffee drink; and an array of eggs, grits, pancakes or French Toast to fill you up! Outside, under the oaks, you'll hear a range of local bands playing Jazz, Americana, Blues, and Bluegrass; keeping everybody happy and dancing.
View more Weaver Street Market events here.



Call for Candidates

For Appointed Member of Weaver Street Market Board of Directors Weaver Street Market Board of Directors seeks an appointed director for a term that begins in July 2008. The Board is seeking to fill this position from an open call for candidates to the membership. Minimum eligibility requirements are as follows: • Must be a Weaver Street Market consumer-owner or worker-owner in good standing for at least one year • Must be regularly available for monthly Board meetings and other scheduled events requiring Director participation and for committee and other work outside of scheduled events • Must be willing to work cooperatively and enthusiastically within the Policy Governance protocols used by the Board The appointed position is for a two year term that runs until June 2010. The board consists of seven members: two elected by consumer-owners, two elected by worker-owners, two appointed by the board from either class of ownership, and the General Manager, who is an ex-officio member. The board meets monthly and full attendance is expected at each meeting. Time commitment expected of directors comprises a minimum of five hours monthly for preparation and attendance at scheduled board meetings together with committee work etc. requiring on average an additional twenty or so hours a year; directors are also invited to attend the national CCMA (Consumer Cooperative Management Association) three-day conference, held in June of each year. New directors are required to attend training at the beginning of their term in accordance with the level of their previous experience in this area of work. Directors are paid a stipend of $1,200 annually in the form of a store credit; conference and training expenses are met by Weaver Street Market; last but not least, benefits include being fed an excellent dinner by Panzanella at the beginning of each Board meeting! If you are interested in the vacant appointed board position, please prepare a letter of application and email it; or mail it to: Board of Directors, Weaver Street Market, 101 E Weaver Street, Carrboro, NC 27510. Letters of application may also be handed to the customer service desk at the Carrboro store. The deadline for the receipt of applications is noon on April 15th 2008. In addition to your full name, contact information and owner number, your letter of application should contain detailed information to support your candidacy. The information you supply will be used to prepare a short list for interview by the Board's search committee and should tell us why you think you would make a good Weaver Street Market Director. In considering applications, the Board will note evidence of: • Maturity of outlook • Good communication skills • Experience in planning and strategic thinking • Experience in consensus decision-making and collaborative workgroups • Experience on co-op or community boards • Experience or knowledge of Policy Governance • A history of effective community involvement You will be excited to learn that this is not the only imminent opportunity to become involved with Weaver Street Market board work. The term of an elected consumer-owner director and elected worker owner director will fall due at the end of 2008, and a call for candidates will be issued for that position this summer.
Sign up for the Board e-newsletter here.

Farmers' Markets

Summer is fast approaching and most of the local Farmers' Markets are opening for the season, or will be soon. The following is a list of the markets we know of.

Carrboro Farmers' Market
301 West Main Street in Carrboro
Saturdays, 7 AM to 12 noon
Wednesdays, 3:30 PM to 6:30 PM starts April 9th!

Southern Village Farmers' Market
On Market Street in Southern Village
Thursdays, 4 PM to 7 PM starts May 1st!

Visit the Carrboro Farmers' Market website here.

Hillsborough Farmers' Market
At the Suntrust Parking Lot at 128 N. Churton Street
Saturdays, 8 AM to 12 noon

241 S. Churton Street just south of the new Cardinal Bank
Wednesdays, 4 PM to 7 PM

Visit the Hillsborough Farmers' Market website here.

Orange County Farmers' Market
At the Public Market House in Hillsborough
Saturdays, 8 AM to 12 noon

The Farmers of Orange's South Estes Farmers' Market
201 S. Estes Drive in the University Mall parking lot outside A Southern Season
Saturdays, 8 AM to 12 noon

Visit the Farmers' of Orange website here.
Learn more about the South Estes Farmers' Market here.

Durham Farmers' Market
In the Pavilion at Durham Central Park on Foster Street
Saturdays, 8 AM to 12 noon
Wednesdays, 3:30 PM to 6:30 PM starts May 7th!

Visit the Durham Farmers' Market website here.

Pittsboro Farmers' Market
At the County Fairgrounds off 64 East in Pittsboro
Thursdays, 3:30 PM to 6:30 PM

Visit the Pittsboro Farmers' Market website here.

Also look for the Fearrington Farmers' Market on Tuesdays at 4 PM to start sometime in April, and the Saxapahaw Farmers' Market on Saturdays from 5PM to 8 PM to begin in May!

Visit the Fearrington Farmers' Market website here.
Visit the Saxapahaw Farmers' Market website here.

CROP Walk 2008

Sunday, April 13th 2008
2:30 p.m.
Registration for walkers begins at 1:30 pm
Carrboro Town Commons/ Farmers' Market (301 W. Main St.)
Participate by inviting your friends, businesses, organizations, and employers to sponsor you with contributions prior to the four-mile walk. Then, bring your money, pets, friends, children and anyone else to the Walk to enjoy this great community event. Students can also get 2 Service Learning hours by participating!

Church World Service, established in 1946, distributes 75% of the money to global hunger education, refugees, disaster relief, and self- help projects in more than 80 countries. The remaining 25% stays in Carrboro-Chapel Hill area to support the IFC's hunger-relief programs. Last year, 350 walkers participated to raise almost $48,000. About $12,000 went to support the IFC's hunger-relief programs: IFC Food Pantry and Community Kitchen.

Learn more about the Interfaith Council and CROP Walk here.

Tar Heel Ten Mile

Endurance Magazine is proud to present a great community-building event in Carrboro during the month of April.

The Tar Heel 10 Miler is a landmark event that showcases downtown Carrboro and the beautiful surrounding area. This event is being held in conjunction with the Franklin 5000 as well the Earth Day celebration on the morning of April 26th. The Tar Heel 10 Miler benefits the Chapel Hill-Carrboro YMCA's Strong Kids Campaign. We're happy to extend a FREE race entry for any downtown Carrboro business.

Endurance Magazine is committed to producing events that are carbon-neutral, and to influencing other businesses to help us build sustainable communities. To learn more about our Race Without A Trace initiative, go to www.endurancemag.com/go-green.

Thanks to Weaver Street Market for supporting our fight against global warming.

Find information about racing, volunteering, or registration here.

Maple View Challenge

Sunday, April 20
Moorehead Planetarium
Race 11:00 am
Register 10:00 am
Ever heard of the Krispy Kreme Challenge, where crazy students at NC State eat a whole dozen donuts? Well this year we are starting Chapel Hill's own home grown version of this whimsical road race. Nourish International, a UNC student-run aid organization, is teaming up with Maple View Ice Cream to put on a race of epic (pro)portions!

Participants will run from the Planetarium on UNC's campus down Cameron Avenue to Carrborro, eat a pint of Maple View ice cream, and race back as quick as they can to compete for prizes including an iPod Touch, $100 to Maggiano's Italian Restaurant, $90 to Rockfish Grille, one full weekend of paddling or camping from REI and many more! Prizes will be given to serious competitors and leisurely walkers too, so everyone has a chance to win. Its like any other 5K, but with Ice Cream to boot!

The race will take place on Sunday, April 20th and is open to anyone interested. Students, Chapel Hill and Carrborro residents, kids, runners, walkers...if you like Maple View ice cream, you can take part! Registration is only $15, and you can sign up this Saturday and Sunday at the Carrboro and Dairyland Maple View Ice Cream locations from 12:00-3:00 or sign up on the morning of the race. So sign up, even the cows are excited!


April Wine Dinner

Australian Wines with Importer, Robert Whale Monday, April 21 7:00 - 9:30 pm For this exciting wine dinner, Panzanella welcomes special guest, Robert Whale, president and founder of Robert Whale Selections, importer of fine Australian wines. With 2 decades of experience traveling and tasting throughout Australia and New Zealand in search of unique, site-specific, boutique wines, Robert has become identified with top-quality wine producers from Down Under. The importer's book represents wines that are food-compatible with balance, structure and elegance. This is an opposite style of many Australian wines, which frequently offer more flavor and oak than elegance and character. Please join us for this celebration of delicious, wonderfully made Australian wines, and meet an importer who dares to be different. Plenty of marvelous food will be prepared by Panzanella Chef, Chris Capron. The cost of this event is $45 per person; space is limited, so reserve early. Please pay in advance and pick up a ticket for this tasting at either Panzanella or the customer service desk at Weaver Street Market in Carrboro.
Visit Panzanella's website to view all menus (lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch).
Sign up for Panzanella's Enewsletter here.

Local Farms/Local Art

A Group Art Exhibit Celebrating the 13th Annual Piedmont Farm Tour Now through June 1, 2008 Public Reception: Monday, April 28, 5:30-7:30 PM This April and May, Panzanella presents a juried exhibit of works based on NC farms. The show celebrates the thirteenth annual Piedmont Farm Tour, which takes place Saturday and Sunday, April 19th and 20th. The exhibit includes painting, drawing and photography created by 26 North Carolina artists. Vote for Art: Now through Sunday, April 27th, Panzanella guests will be invited to vote for their favorite piece in the show. The 3 artists with the most votes will win gift certificates for use at any Weaver Street Market and Panzanella. Prizes will be awarded at the Artist Reception, April 28.