Happy Saint Patrick's Day!
*Don't miss the Irish Farm themed recipe at the end of this message.
There are only 91 days and 13 weeks until our Thursday, June 12th,
2008 Opening Day of the third season of the Belmont Farmers' Market.
Our plans are in progress, and it looks to be the best season ever at
the market, especially with your help!

We are looking forward to many of our vendors from last year returning
plus some new ones this year. We have a list of vendors that we are
90% confident about, but not ready to release to the public, so you'll
have to stay tuned to the our newly updated and redesigned website at
www.BelmontFarmersMarket.org and e-newsletter. I can tell you that we
will have a terrific mix of fruits, vegetables, meats, eggs, cheese,
bread and specialty baked goods, honey, sauces, plants, and more!

We are also very excited to recruit volunteers for the season. Our
market is entirely volunteer staffed and without new volunteers we
cannot sustain it. We are especially in need of Thursday afternoon
"market managers" to help with the logistics of market days. You don't
need to have extensive training, and it's a great way to meet new
people! Think about making a commitment for just one day, to see how
you like it. All market managers work in teams, and you only need to
commit to the first or second half of the market day.

Speaking of volunteers, we would like to extend a hearty welcome to
Jane Sherwin who will be taking the helm as editor in chief of our
acclaimed Roots and Sprouts print journal. The Belmont Farmers' Market
Committee thanks Gale Pryor for her two years of service as Roots &
Sprouts editor. Gale established Roots and Sprouts as an eloquent
statement of the Farmers' Market's place in the Belmont community,
with the support of Dee Ippen, designer; and Laurie Levy, copy editor;
and a cadre of talented writers, including BFMC members-Andres
Aguirre, Chris Kimball, Joan Teebagy and Carlha Vickers. Gale has
resigned, given family and work demands, but will continue to
contribute advice and support.

Jane Sherwin is a writer by profession and has a passionate interest
in Belmont's history as a "town of farms." From before the start of
our first season back in 2006, Jane has been an enthusiastic
Farmers' Market supporter and volunteer on Thursday market days.
What can we look forward to from Roots and Sprouts this season?
Newspaper publication is always subject to last minute revision, but
some themes we anticipate include an issue highlighting our
"Breakfast" themed market day, a review of Kitchen on Common a
relatively new restaurant in Belmont with an emphasis on locally
sourced ingredients, an interview with an intrepid localvore with
advice on eating seasonally and locally in New England, and an article
discussing the potential role of Farmers' Markets in providing quality
produce to low income individuals. Another possibility is to feature
an interview with the Head of Food Services of the Belmont Public
school system.

Any of these articles sound interesting to you? Do you have other
suggestions? Would you like to have your voice in print? Contact Jane
through the website, or the Belmontfarmersmarket@... email
address to inquire about becoming a Roots and Sprouts contributor. Or
if it's easier, just reply to this message and I (Chris Kimball) will
pass along your interest.

A Belmont Farmers' Market volunteer time commitment can be low,
medium, or sporadic - we have many ways to help. For detailed
information on the volunteer task descriptions, check the document at
the Belmont Farmers' Market Yahoo Group site which you can access
through the links that accompany this email. Please consider sharing
your creative, administrative, and collaborative talents with the
Belmont Farmers' Market!

In community related news, if you are looking for a sustainable
agriculture related employment opportunity, Community Farms in Waltham
is seeking a new Executive Director. To learn more about this great
organization and their job and volunteer opportunities, please check
their website at www.communityfarms.org.

Finally: an Irish Recipe in honor of Saint Patrick's Day (taken from
the Farmer's Almanac Website at www.almanac.com )
Corned Beef and Cabbage
Yield: 6 servings
* 1/2 cup chopped onions
* 1/2 cup chopped carrots
* 3-pound corned beef brisket (for a vegetarian version try a soy
steak strip substitute)
* 1/2 cup malt vinegar
* 2 teaspoons mustard seed
* 2 teaspoons coriander seed
* 2 teaspoons whole peppercorns
* 1 teaspoon dill seed
* 1 teaspoon whole allspice
* 1 bay leaf
* 3 large onions, cut in wedges
* 1 pound carrots, scraped and cut into 2-inch lengths
* 1-1/2 pounds small thin-skinned potatoes, scrubbed
* 3 pounds cabbage, cut in wedges

In a large stockpot (8- to 10-quart) place chopped onions and carrots,
corned beef and any liquid, vinegar, mustard seed, coriander,
peppercorns, dill, allspice, and bay leaf. Add water just to cover
beef. Cover pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Simmer until meat
is tender when pierced, about 2 to 3 hours. Add onion wedges, carrot
pieces, and potatoes to pot with corned beef. Place cabbage wedges on
top. Cover and return to boil over high heat (8 to 20 minutes). Reduce
heat and simmer until cabbage is tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Using
a slotted spoon, remove vegetables to warm serving dishes. Using tongs
and slotted spoon, remove beef to cutting board; remove and discard
fat, and slice beef across the grain. Serve with coarse-grained Dijon
mustard.