Celebrate the Holidays with the Farmers' Market!
Santa Claus To Visit Market
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| Photo from Patch.com |
Christmas Trees For Rent!
Ever wondered what happens to your Christmas tree come New Year's when all the ornaments have been removed and it's been sent out to rest on the curb? Now you don't have to kick it to the curb and wonder because we've partnered with Scotty Claus of The Living Christmas Company to rent out fresh potted trees. Rather than head over to your nearest corner lot to get a cut tree, you can come to the market and get a locally grown, live potted tree in many varieties such as: spruce, pine, and cypress that will be yours for the holiday season. Living Christmas Company will even come and pick it up after you're done enjoying it and you may even get that same tree back again next year! Each tree is bar-coded, grown and trimmed with care, and will live on to be enjoyed many more years to come. Scotty Claus was featured on ABC's "Shark Tank" for this brilliant eco-friendly business idea. Living Christmas Company also offers eco-friendly gift wrap and fair trade recycled handmade ornaments. You can check out tree rental prices and varieties at Living Christmas Company, but we recommend you come and see for yourself at the farmers' market.
Want Fido on Your Holiday Card?
Come to the market and get a holiday pet portrait with Susan Werner Photography. Susan has a portrait booth complete with all the props, dress up, and a quiet space to stage your pet's portrait against a green screen, with your choice of themed background added later. Susan's many years of experience working with animals will coax a happy face out of any pet, so de-stress this year's card shopping and make your pet the star of the holidays.
In addition to the Holiday Pet Booth, Santa is coming to town! Santa is riding a holiday float into the market so get your cameras ready! Bring the kids to see Santa on 12/18 between 12-2pm. Face-painting and balloons too! We'll also be joined by carolers singing holiday tunes for us. Don't miss it!
Holiday Cooking with Chef Rona
Join us 12/18 at 12:30 in the Community Quad, for a holiday themed cooking demonstration with Chef Rona Lewis. Rona is a celebrity fitness and lifestyle coach, as well as a healthy foods gourmet chef. Rona is also author of Does This Cookbook Make Me Look Fat?, a fun and entertaining cookbook with healthy low-fat and low-card recipes that are actually easy to make! Rona will be signing books at 1:15pm at Bella Beach (227 Manhattan Beach Blvd) and then cooking a few of her recipes from 1:30-2:30pm, also at Bella Beach. Don't miss it!
Farmer Spotlight: Ha's Apple Farm
This time of year, the new season's apples are at their crispest and crunchiest, and we're lucky enough to have one of the best apple growers in the state! Ha's Apple Farm, located in Tehachapi, is a well-established orchard of 30 years that features irresistible organic fruits, spreads, vinegars, and syrups. It seems the Fuji apple is the most popular variety in the U.S., and owner David Ha has devoted 35 acres just to supply its demand. They have over 300 acres of fruit trees including apples, pears, and pomegranates. Trees are consistently nurtured and the Ha's Family approach to apple farming guarantees fruit to be delicious! Come say hi and get your apples.
Did you know in some cultures its tradition to gently wrap a fresh piece of fruit to place on the Christmas tree on Christmas eve for a morning yummy surprise? And whoever said apples weren't a wonderfully sweet stocking stuffer too!
Recipe of the Month: Rona's Kale Salad with Lemon Dressing
Ingredients:
4 cups finely chopped kale
3 tbsp dried cranberries or cherries
2 tbsp toasted pine nuts
freshly shaved parmesan to taste
Dressing:
1tsp dijon mustard
1 small lemon, juiced
1 garlic clove, grated (omit if you're not into raw garlic)
1/4 tsp sugar
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
pinch of salt and pepper
Directions:
In a small bowl, add dijon mustard, lemon juice, garlic and sugar, whisk together. Slowly add in olive oil and whisk. Season with salt and pepper. Store leftovers in an airtight container in fridge.
Combine kale with a few tablespoons of lemon dressing to taste. Combine well and if time allows, let kale "marinate" in dressing for 10 min to help soften leaves. Stir in dried fruit, pine nuts, and top with shaved parmesan before serving.
Volunteer Alert!
We're always looking for volunteers to help us on our mission to empower folks to eat healthfully and choose local fresh foods. In return for your superb community service, we love to reward you with freshly-grown goodies. Hit us up on Facebook or send us an email. Better yet, stop by the market on Tuesdays and chat with us in the Information Booth.
Happy holidays and we'll see you on Tuesday!
-Manhattan Beach Certified Farmers' Market
Did you know in some cultures its tradition to gently wrap a fresh piece of fruit to place on the Christmas tree on Christmas eve for a morning yummy surprise? And whoever said apples weren't a wonderfully sweet stocking stuffer too!
Recipe of the Month: Rona's Kale Salad with Lemon Dressing
Ingredients:
4 cups finely chopped kale
3 tbsp dried cranberries or cherries
2 tbsp toasted pine nuts
freshly shaved parmesan to taste
Dressing:
1tsp dijon mustard
1 small lemon, juiced
1 garlic clove, grated (omit if you're not into raw garlic)
1/4 tsp sugar
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
pinch of salt and pepper
Directions:
In a small bowl, add dijon mustard, lemon juice, garlic and sugar, whisk together. Slowly add in olive oil and whisk. Season with salt and pepper. Store leftovers in an airtight container in fridge.
Combine kale with a few tablespoons of lemon dressing to taste. Combine well and if time allows, let kale "marinate" in dressing for 10 min to help soften leaves. Stir in dried fruit, pine nuts, and top with shaved parmesan before serving.
Volunteer Alert!
We're always looking for volunteers to help us on our mission to empower folks to eat healthfully and choose local fresh foods. In return for your superb community service, we love to reward you with freshly-grown goodies. Hit us up on Facebook or send us an email. Better yet, stop by the market on Tuesdays and chat with us in the Information Booth.
Happy holidays and we'll see you on Tuesday!
-Manhattan Beach Certified Farmers' Market
