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

Link to Weaver Street Market's Home Page

Local Producer: Vollmer Farm
by Elizabeth Friend, Contributing Writer
As the sun was setting on North Carolina's tobacco industry in the 1990s, John Vollmer took stock. Three generations had grown tobacco and grain on the family farm in Dunn, but the future seemed uncertain. Searching for a way to keep the farm productive and profitable, Vollmer started looking into organic farming. With assistance from scientists at North Carolina State University, John began to make the transition from tobacco to organic strawberries. He remembers that period of change as challenging, but ultimately very rewarding. "They say you can't teach an old dog new tricks, but that's not true," he laughs. More

Jazz Brunch!
Carrboro Day
Earth Action Day
Community Non-Profit Day
WSM Job Fair

Hillsborough Store Update

Farmers' Markets
Why we garden
Tar Heel 10 Mile

May Wine Dinner
Art Reception

Weekly Produce Specials
Weekly Meat Specials

Value Recipe: Orecchiette with Sausage, Tomatoes and Zucchini



Vollmer Farm continued
Now Vollmer Farm boasts the state's only certified organic pick-your-own strawberry fields, and for the past four summers has supplied Weaver Street Market with the finest organic berries on the market. As he puts it, "I don't focus on yield as a benchmark for growth. My goal is [to] focus on flavor, aroma, and beauty. You don't have to buy ugly strawberries." Buoyed by the success of the succulent strawberries, the Vollmers have begun to diversify into other organic crops, including pumpkins, lettuce, and, most recently, an acre and a half of blueberries that should be ready for harvest by next summer. Organic agriculture has breathed new life into this family farm, and John hopes that future generations of Vollmers will follow in his footsteps. His son Russ and daughter-in-law Mary grow the pumpkins for the fall, and already the grandchildren are eager to help out. "I am enthusiastic about the next generation on the farm. They're young; they've got a lot of energy and a lot of time." In the meantime, John Vollmer has no plans to retire, so you can look forward to sweet juicy Vollmer strawberries at Weaver Street Market for many summers to come.

Weekly Produce Specials - THESE SALES ARE EFFECTIVE WEDNESDAY, April 23 through TUESDAY, April 29.


	Seedless Red Grapes	$1.99 lb	save 79¢ lb last of the season
	New crop, Organic Packham Pears	$1.69 lb
	Organic, Tommy Atkins Mangoes	4/$6.00

Weekly Meat & Seafood Specials

	Local Pork Country Link Sausage	Mild or Hot $3.99 lb	All natural save $1.00 lb
	Carolina-Style Crab Cakes	$2.99 each	save $1.00
	Niman Ranch Sirloin Steaks	USDA Choice $7.99 lb	All Natural save $2.00 lb
Read more about other Weaver Street Market Specials.


Value Recipe: Orecchiette with Sausage, Tomatoes and Zucchini

INGREDIENTS: • 4 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil (This Month's Co-op Advantage Special: Zoe Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil $7.99, 1 liter, reg. price $10.99) • 7 cloves Garlic, whole smashed slightly • 1 pound link Sausage, skins removed and meat crumbled (This week's WSM special: Local, all natural pork Country link Sausage, mild or hot, 3.99/lb, save 1.00/lb!) • 1 cup dry white Wine (This season's WSM's special: Alcion Chardonnay Wine $3.39, save 60¢!) • 1 cup vegetable or Chicken Broth • 1/2 of 28 oz. can diced fire roasted Tomatoes (This Month's Co-op Advantage Special: Glen Muir Canned Fire Roasted Tomatoes sale $1.79, 28 oz can, save $1.10!) • big pinch Red Pepper flakes • Salt • 1/2-1 lb of Zucchini (This week's Manager's choice special: Organic Zucchini, 1.59/lb, save 20¢!) • 1/3 box of Orecchiette Pasta • Parmesan Cheese DIRECTIONS: 1. In a heated saucepan, add oil, garlic and 1 Tablespoon of water. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently until garlic begins to turn golden. Add the sausage and cook, stirring until sausage begins to brown. When using tomatoes, drain the juice from the can. Add tomatoes to sauce pan. Cook until heated through.Meanwhile, cook the orecchiette in well-salted boiling water. 2. Add the wine and broth (and red pepper flakes if using) to the sausage pan and raise the heat to medium high. Continue to cook until the liquid has almost reduced by half. Then add the zucchini and cook about 2 minutes. Keep warm until pasta is finished. When pasta is al dente (just cooked), toss immediately with sausage and zucchini and serve. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Serves 5.
Find more recipes here.



Jazz Brunch!

Sunday, April 20 11 am - 1 pm Jazz & More Brunch at Weaver Street Market is here! Hot food, with cool tunes is 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. April 27 - Chris Reynolds Swing 'N Jazz - Playing and singing Jazz, Blues, and Broadway show tunes. Our Program on Apr. 27 will include music by Basie, Ellington, Monk, Rodgers and Hart—plus a Tribute to New Orleans.
View schedule to date here.
View more Weaver Street Market events here.

Carrboro Day

Sunday, May 4 1 pm - 7 pm Town Hall Commons Join neighbors and friends to learn and celebrate the unique qualities that make our town special. Enjoy old Carrboro stories and photos, poetry readings, music and dancing, interactive field games, crafts and family activities! Bring a chair or blanket, picnic for dinner and bask in all that's good about Carrboro!
Learn more about Carrboro Day here.

Earth Action Day

Saturday, April 26, 2008 11 am - 4 pm The Town of Chapel Hill Parks and Recreation Department will present a new Earth Day Celebration on the plaza atop the James C. Wallace Parking Deck. Earth Action Day on the Plaza will bring Earth Day to a Chapel Hill downtown shopping and entertainment destination. A free event for the whole family, Earth Day on the Plaza will provide local residents and visitors an opportunity to learn about the various environmental issues that affect the Orange County region.
Learn more about Earth Action Day here.

Community Non-Profit Day

Sunday, May 4, 10 am - 2 pm on the lawn in Carrboro Every first Sunday of the month, May through October, from 10 am - 2 pm, Weaver Street Market will host nonprofit groups from our community. Local, non-profit groups will have informational tables where you can find out about the good works of our local charitable groups. Come prepared to learn, to donate, and maybe find a group you'd like to volunteer with! If your organization would like to attend: Space is limited and assigned on a first come basis so we ask that you sign up at least a week in advance and limit the number of times you sign up to three (3) per year. Also, your group must be a 501(c)(3). To apply, please email Cat Moleski at marketing@weaverstreetmarket.coop or call 919-929-0010 ext 132. Your request will be confirmed by email or phone. Come out and let everyone know what your group is doing in the community!!

WSM Job Fair

Saturday, April 26 10 am - 1 pm at the Hillsborough store, 228 South Churton Street, Hillsborough Tuesday, April 29 9 am - noon and Wednesday, April 30, 1pm - 4pm at the Employment Security Commission, 601 Valley Forge Road, Hillsborough (phone no. 644-1051.) Driving directions to the Hillsborough Store: From 85 or 40, take the Hillsborough exit and turn north onto Churton St (Old 86). After crossing the Eno River Bridge, take the first left onto N&K Street. Parking for Weaver Street Market is on the left and the store is the first floor of the Gateway Center.
Learn more about working at WSM here.

Hillsborough Store Update

Weaver Street Market in Hillsborough opening soon!
by Ruffin Slater, WSM General Manager
Anchoring one end of Hillsborough's downtown, our new store is a handsome addition to the streetscape. It has a substantial feel, as if it has been there a while, and will be a good base for our efforts to add to the vibrancy of downtown Hillsborough. The County offices upstairs are already open, and we plan to open our store at the end of May as soon as our new Food House is up and running to supply our prepared food products.

The Hillsborough store is the same size as our Carrboro store. It features all of our produce, dairy, meat, and grocery products as well as a full assortment of products from our own kitchen and bakery. It has an indoor café on the Churton Street side and ample outdoor seating space and gathering space out front. Alice Lamson is moving from store manager in Carrboro to be the manager of the Hillsborough store.

The community support for our new Hillsborough store has been outstanding. Over 500 new owners have joined the co-op to support the Hillsborough opening, and co-op owners have invested over $800,000 in owner loans to help capitalize the store. The Hillsborough store is the first facility that we own instead of rent. We are purchasing the first floor of the three-story building using a financing package that includes federal tax credits in addition to the investment of our owners.

The store is part of redevelopment project that will eventually include a new county library and office building in addition to a parking deck and our building. Our store will also be a gateway to the new Riverwalk along the Eno River.

NEW FOOD HOUSE OPENS SOON

In May we will move into our new Food House—our expanded kitchen and bakery facility in west Hillsborough. The Food House will prepare baked goods, deli items, and packaged meats for twice-a-day delivery to our stores, similar to the way our Carrboro store has been supplying our Southern Village store for the last six years.

The Food House is a fabulous facility. Two old warehouses in the Hillsborough Business Center have been transformed into open workspaces with large windows and skylights surrounding an outdoor courtyard. New mechanical systems provide ample air conditioning, fresh air exchange, and filtered water. Energy-saving systems automatically adjust light levels based on outside light, and refrigeration is supplied by a glycol refrigerant that doesn't deplete the ozone.

Moving to the Food House from our cramped space in Carrboro will allow us to increase our production capability. Our first priority is to eliminate out-of-stocks in our current product lines and to supply our new Hillsborough store. Eventually we will add many new locally-produced deli, bakery, and meat products. The Food House will improve food quality and safety by providing better sanitation and temperature control. Having a more efficient facility will allow us to pay staff better: all hourly staff moving to the Food House will receive a $1 per hour raise, in addition to an annual pay increase that will average 6%.

The Food House facility will include a warehouse that will give us the capability to buy directly from small producers. It will also be the new home of our administrative offices.

The Food House is a cornerstone in our strategy to provide more Authentic Food to our community. As the natural food industry becomes more consolidated and more and more products come from distant factories and factory farms, the Food House provides a local alternative. The Food House allows us to maximize quality and freshness by producing products in our own kitchen and bakery with local ingredients using artisan production techniques—a major step in building a local food system.



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.

Why we garden—A conversation with Ken Moore

9th Annual Evelyn McNeill Sims Native Plant Lecture Sunday, April 27 2 - 4 pm, at the Carolina Inn Hill Ballroom Join the North Carolina Botanical Garden for a very special conversation with Ken Moore, retired assistant director. Honoring Evelyn McNeill Sims's love of gardening and native plants, Ken plans to engage his audience in active conversation about the individual visions and passions that inspire people to garden. In leading this conversation, Ken reflects on his four-decades-long evolution as a gardener, his past year of creating weekly "Flora" columns for the Carrboro Citizen, and his favorite gardening book, Jim Nollman's Why We Garden. Be prepared to share your own passions for gardening and expect some surprises from Ken along the way. Ken Moore became the first full-time Botanical Garden employee in 1971. For more than 30 years he collaborated with Garden directors Ritchie Bell and Peter White, and with a group of dedicated staff and volunteers, to nourish the small opening in the woods along Laurel Hill Road in Chapel Hill that became a nationally recognized center for conservation and native plant gardening. Following his 2003 retirement, Ken served for two years as part-time teacher for kindergarten through 5th grade students at a nearby nature school and camp. In addition to writing his weekly "Flora" column for the Citizen, he continues to lead field trips for adults and elementary school groups and occasionally substitutes at a local charter middle and high school.
Directions/map to the event 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.


May Wine Dinner

Wines of Germany Monday, May 19 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm Join us for a tasting of wines from the wonderful regions of Germany. From the Mosel in the west, to Franken in the east, and of course some Rhein wines in the middle; we'll explore all the amazing wine styles this country has to offer. We'll showcase small production, hand-crafted wines from some of Germany's top producers. With amazing fruit and minerality, German wines are extremely versatile and are often the best matches to a variety of foods. We'll taste estate-grown wines from Germany's foremost wine regions with fabulous dishes created by Panzanella's 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.