Welcome to summer! This is the time of year when some of the most luscious produce finds its way to the markets- raspberries both red and black, tomatoes, cucumbers! Not to mention grilling season. The markets are not just for vegetables and fruits- don't forget you can also pick up meat for your barbecues! The best part about buying your meat at the farmers' markets is the opportunity to ask the farmer about how their animals are raised, and the comfort of knowing exactly where your meat is coming from. It's possible to find unusual meats, too- A.B.B. Bison has bison meat and Hidden Follow Farms has rabbit and duck at the Tuesday Downtown State College Farmers' Market, while Young American Growers sells goat meat at the North Atherton Farmers Market. Dairy and eggs are also readily available at all the markets.

Don't forget, the American Farmland Trust is currently running its annual contest for America's Favorite Farmers Markets. The Downtown State College Farmers' Market and the North Atherton Farmers Market are both participating this year, and you get to vote! Visit the Farmland Trust's website and search for State College to find our markets and cast your vote! The winning market will receive a shipment of tote bags, a frontpage article on Epicurious.com and other prizes. Have you voted yet? While you're there, you can make a donation to the Farmland Trust or request a free "No Farms, No Food" bumper sticker! As of this afternoon, the North Atherton Farmers Market is in sixth place for Pennsylvania and only needs a few votes to make it to #5. So vote! You don't even have to choose- you can vote for as many markets as you like, once per market.

We've received a lot of good feedback on our newspaper and television ads. If you're new to the markets, let us know either by email or just by telling a vendor- how did you find out about the market? Do you have any suggestions for other publicity we could pursue? Any ideas on how the markets could be improved in general? Let us know! Email centralpafarmers@gmail.com, or leave a comment here.

Have a happy 4th of July- and bring some local foods to your picnic!

What's in season now?

Berries: Raspberries (black and red)
Cut Flowers: Sunflowers
Fruit: Apricots, Peaches, Sour Cherries (still a bit early for these, but they should start showing up later in the month)
Greens: Chard, Kale
Herbs: Basil, Mint
Vegetables: Beans, Beets, Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrots, Celery, Corn (sweet), Cucumbers, Garlic, Kohlrabi, Leeks, Onions, Peas (snap), Peas (snow), Peppers, Potatoes, Radish, Scallions, Summer Squash, Tomatoes, Zucchini


This Week's Featured Recipe: Cucumber Sandwiches with Goat Cheese Tapenade