Happy Holidays

From everyone at the Indy Winter Farmers Market we wish you the happiest of holidays and all the best for the new year.

The IWFM is CLOSED Saturday December 26th and OPEN again on Saturday January 2nd. We look forward to seeing you back in the new year!

Thank you for making the IWFM such a huge success in 2009. We look forward to watching this vibrant community grow around good food and great relationships in 2010.

Happy Holidays!

1st Raffle Green Travel & Green Trivia Winners!

Last week was the fourth week and thus time for the first Green Travel and Green Trivia Raffle Drawings. And the winners are...

Congratulations to Kelly B., who won the GREEN TRAVEL MONTHLY RAFFLE (and a gift certificate to Comedy Sportz). Many thanks to Kelly and all of the other dedicated individuals who either rode their bike, walked, carpooled, or took public transportation to reach the Market. The founders and staff at the IWFM (and we’re sure many of you) feel that the Market is more than just a way to connect consumers to local farmers and fresh food – we also hope to create a community based on conscious living that supports individuals, businesses, the greater Indianapolis community, the environment, and ultimately the globe in more sustainable and peaceful living. Encouraging and participating in Green Travel is just one of many ways to accomplish this.

The monthly raffle starts over this Saturday and with it your chances of winning. The next raffle prize is a five class package to Cityoga (located in the former IWFM home at 2442 N. Central Ave.) So bundle up and keep visiting us by foot, pedal or public transport and remember to enter your name and contact information at the Market Information Table when you travel without your car!

So, bundle up for the colder weather

Congratulations to Nicholas, the winner of GreenPieceIndy’s GREEN TRIVIA MONTHLY RAFFLE, who correctly guessed the Green Tip. He won a reusable bag and a Green Savings Indy coupon book. The raffle starts over this Saturday, so be sure to check out the 1st clue of the 2nd series and submit your guess on the wall outside of the restroom. Thanks to Renee at GreenPieceIndy for all of her hard work and dedication to educating us on sustainable living!

^{1st Series Clues & Tip:}

^{Clue #1) There are 6 lbs. of these for every 1 lb. of fish in some parts of the ocean.}

^{Clue #2) The oil to make 14 of these could power one car for one mile.}

^{Clue #3) In the US we use approximately 380 billion of these in one year.}

^{Answer: Plastic bags}

^{The Green Tip? Bring a reusable shopping bag.}

Friday Night! INDIEana Handicraft Exchange at 901 N. East & Mass Ave Holiday Hoopla

The INDIEana Handicraft Exchange will occupy the IWFM space (901 N. East St.) as part of the Mass Ave Holiday Hoopla on Friday December 4th, 5-9 p.m. (The IWFM will be open normal hours Saturday December 5th, 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. It's bring a friend to market week!)

The Mass Ave Merchants Association has invited the IHE to participate in their annual First Friday Holiday Hoopla. In conjunction with the gallery openings, sales, parties and other events on Mass Ave, the IHE will have 46 vendors, live music and raffles at the Chatham Center, located just three blocks off of Mass Ave, at the corner of 9th and East.

The way from Mass Ave to the Chatham Center will be lit by the beautiful white rainbarrel luminaries commissioned by King Park Area Development Corporation last December. Folks can make the quick walk over from Mass Ave to our building, or they can catch the FREE Holiday Hoopla Shuttle service, and be dropped off directly in front of the Chatham Center. There is also plenty of street parking on East St. and in the lot directly south of the building, for those who drive there directly.

The event will run from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. and is FREE and open to all ages. This is a great chance to finish holiday shopping early, and to make sure you get unique, high-quality, handmade gifts. You'll purchase directly from the artist and will be able to ask questions about the materials and methods used in their creation. Many artists also accept custom orders, so don't hesitate to inquire if you don't see exactly what you are looking for.

Bundle up and bring the whole family. We will provide a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Hope to see you there! And then of course back Saturday morning for your IWFM shopping. Bring a friend along to enjoy the fun. It's bring a friend to market week!

The Best Bite of King Park

King Park is the area in which Fall Creek Place is located, as was thus the first year home of the Indy Winter Farmers Market on Central Ave. We are delighted to share this fabulous food-based King Park fundraiser event announcement with you!

Register at http://www.kpadc.org/index.php/best-bite or show up at the door!

Thank You & Thanksgiving

Wow! We could not have hoped for a more fantastic opening day. The weather was sunny and warm, our friend Tim "Tree Boy" Bush was there to visit and broadcast live on WTHR, and we estimate around 1,500 people came to check out our 45 opening week vendors. Congratulations to everyone, as it takes all of us - including everyone of you who is supporting our farmers and producers by buying their goods.

This week we will introduce six new vendors:
Balanced Harvest Farm
Burton's Maplewood Farm
Dickinson Furniture
Farming for Life
Harvest Cafe Coffee
The Wee Ewe

Please sign up for the IWFM e-newsletter to receive a list each week of vendors scheduled to attend.

Remember, this is the week to shop for all your Thanksgiving food needs. Schacht Farm will have pre-ordered turkeys for pick-up. If you have not pre-ordered, Goose the Market has informed us they have a few remaining for last minute pick-ups. It would be wise to call ahead. What a better way to celebrate the bounty of harvest Indiana has to offer, and to give thanks for the pleasures and blessings we all receive day to day than in sharing a wonderful meal of good food from the good folks.

IWFM is delighted to bring together top farmers and producers from Broad Ripple Farmers Market, City Market Farmers Market, 38th St. Farmers Market, Carmel Farmers Market, Binford Summer Farmers Market and certainly some new faces with wonderful new products as well. After sharing your great market goods with friends and family on Thanksgiving, you can bring them with you on November 28th to experience the market first hand!

Isn't it fun and satisfying when your food has a story that you can associate directly with a person or family! Share the fun & tell your friends.

We look forward to seeing you this Saturday for another great day of good food, great conversation and community fun!

Grand Opening November 14th!

We are less than one week from opening our second season (November 14th), and we are super excited! We will are expecting more growers and producers all season this year than we had in our highest attendance weeks last season! There will be more variety and more quantity of everything from fresh produce to meat to baked goods, as well as useful and interesting items for daily living!

It also means that we need YOU and your neighbors, friends, co-workers, to be regular and loyal patrons to support all the fabulous growers and producers bringing their products to market. We’ve work hard to bring the market back for a second season in a fabulous new location, and to bring in a wonderful group of vendors. Our growers and producers have worked hard to grow, raise and otherwise plan to supply the market through the winter. Now it is up to you, as the true success of the market is determined by the strength and breadth of the customer base! With out you, there is no marketplace for the market.

The Frequent Shopper Card will be back for a possible two chances to win a $50 market goods “basket.” Remember to pick one up at the Market Information Table on Nov. 14th! Also, each week that you walk, bicycle or ride the bus, you can enter your name for a monthly prize drawing!

Please share this information with as many people as you can, and we look forward to seeing you on November 14th!

What: Indianapolis Winter Farmers Market

Where: The Chatham Center, 901 N. East St.

(Parking on both sides of East Street, in the parking lot just south of the Chatham Center @ 9^th & East, and in the parking lot of the Church of Christ @ Park & 10^th St. Bicycle/stroller parking on rack at the front door.)

When: Saturdays 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

November 14, 2009 – April 24, 2010 (closed Dec. 26^th)

Why: Because you’re not going to find this many Indiana growers and producers, with such quality product anywhere else in town! Because you’ll see lots of old friends and make new ones! Because you never know what your might discover!

Who: This year the market will feature the following vendors, though not all of them will be available each week. We will effort to keep you updated week by week. If there is someone you hope to see on the vendor list for the future, please let us know.

Growers and Grower Producers – meaning these folks are farming, and some are making products using what they grow when possible.

Big City Farms

Burton's Maplewood Farm

Doud's Orchard

Farming for Life

Fields Farm Fresh

Fields of Agape

Harvest Moon Farm

Heartland Family Farm

Hobbit Gardens

Homestead Growers/Local Folks

KGAcres

Yeager Farms Produce

Seldom Seen Farms

Stout's Melody Acres

Valentine Hill Farm

Wild's Apple Farm

Willowfield Lavender Farm

Animal Products – These folks are raising livestock for meat, dairy, honey, and natural fibers.

Brown Family Farm

Circle L Bison

Schacht Farm

Simpson's Farm Market

Skillington Farms

Trader's Point Creamery

Vogel Organic Dairy

The Wee Ewe

Wildflower Ridge Honey

Producers & Bakers – These folks are making food products. Some consider themselves food artisans, and are expected to be working toward using locally produced ingredients as possible.

Brotgarten

Circle City Sweets

Country Mouse City Mouse

Daina's Petite Pies

Farm to Kitchen Foods

Feast

Lena's Meditterrean Kitchen

New Day Meadery

Nicole Taylor's Pasta

Rene's Bakery

All Natural Soaps, Body Care and Household Cleaning Products – These folks are making these products to keep harmful chemicals out of your home and body.

Body Eclectic Skin Care

Flower Child Aromatherapy

Independence Natural Skincare

TraceyClean

Specialty Food Products – These folks bring specialty, non-local products to the market, which involve some level of local production or preparation.

Artisano's Oils & Spices

Endangered Species Chocolate

Harvest Café Coffee Roasters

Peace Leaf Tea

The Oak Mamre Eritrean Foods

Other Specialty Products – These folks bring specialty, handcrafted or cottage industry goods to the market.

Dale's Doggie Delights

Dickinson Furniture

Green Savings Indy

Paper or Plastic

We are working on getting a full web site up and running. Until then, please continue to consult our blog, www.indywinterfarmersmarket.org for market information and events of interest.

Spirit and Place 2009 – Inspiring Places

Don’t miss the many wonderful Spirit & Place events happening in Indianapolis this week. Here are the IWFM top event picks not to miss, all of which are FREE to attend:

Bill McKibben: Pursuing Prosperity and Local Sustainability - Lecture, Q & A Session with the author of Deep Economy

Monday, November 09, 2009 4:30 PM - 6:00 PM

IUPUI, Campus Center, CE450, 420 University Blvd., Indianapolis, IN 46202

Can Local Food Feed Indiana and the World? - Discussion, Panel, Q & A Session

Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2009, 10:30-11:45 am

White Auditorium, Indiana State Museum

(This is not a Spirit & Place event, but it is one not to miss. Farmers Market favorite and president of Slow Food Indy, Todd Jameson will be one of the panelist in this conversation with Bill McKibben, author of Deep Economy.)

Market as Place - Discussion, Panel, Q & A Session

Wednesday, November 11, 2009 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Christian Theological Seminary, Common Rm., 1000 W. 42nd St., Indianapolis 46208

(IWFM founder Laura Henderson is one of the panelists, bringing discussion of farmers markets as marketplace to the table.)

Neighborhoods: Inspiring Place, Improving Health - Discussion, Display, Lecture, Q & A Session

Thursday, November 12, 2009 6:30 PM - 9:00 PM

Indiana State Museum, 650 W. Washington St., Indianapolis, IN 46219

Pecha Kucha: The Next Indianapolis – Twelve Inspiring Ideas compete with words and images for $10,000!

Thursday, November 12, 2009 9:00 PM - 11:00 PM

Indianapolis Museum of Art, The Toby, 4000 N. Michigan Rd., Indianapolis 46208

(Sure to be the event with the most at stake, twelve inspiring ideas for “The Next Indianapolis” will be presented. At the end of the night, the one idea will be awarded $10,000 to transform idea into reality. IWFM Founder Laura Henderson will present on behalf of Slow Food Indy, the White River State Park, Big City Farms and Urban Earth Indy the idea for the Slow Food Edible Garden at the White River State Park. Don’t miss the fun; you are certain to leave inspired!)

Bill Hudnut and John Fetterman: A Public Conversation - Discussion, Film/Video, Panel, Performance, Q & A Session

Sunday, November 15, 2009 3:30 PM - 5:30 PM

St. Luke's United Methodist Church, 100 W. 86th St., Indianapolis, IN 46260

Local Food Trends: Growing Community, Economy, Mutual Delight - Dinner, Discussion, Panel, Q & A Session

Sunday, November 15, 2009 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM

2442 N. Central Ave., Cityoga School of Yoga & Health, formerly the Indianapolis Winter Farmers Market, Indianapolis, IN 46205

Presenter(s): Janine Betsey, Neal Brown, Laura Henderson, Matthew Jose, Marc McAleavey, Gail Payne, David Wu, Chris Eley, with dinner conversations led by others pursuing food as place project in Indianapolis.

Free but pre-registration required. Call 317-985-5523 or e-mail gail@thegoodslife.com to register.