Keep on Snackin' at the Worthington Farmers Market

February is National Snack Food Month

Did you know that February is a month-long opportunity to celebrate your favorite snack foods?! Yep - February is National Snack Food Month, and I for one will be celebrating by incorporating a variety of new and healthier snacks into my routine.

The Veggie Spy, Dr. Matt (The Wellness Doctor) and Dr. Jen (Walk with a Doc) have all discussed the nutritional values and benefits of incorporating microgreens into a healthy diet. And, with a variety of microgreens available, year-round, at the Worthington Farmers Market, I decided to give 'em a try.

Dan, at 9N Farm, had sunflower and pea shoots available last week. And, he's always willing to offer you a sample to taste. I preferred the earthy flavor of the pea shoots which I found to be reminiscent of fresh, raw green beans...one of my favorite summer-time snacks. In addition to enjoying them straight out of the bag, I made a Chinese chicken salad for dinner this week, and the flavor of the pea shoots provided a savory complement to the sweetness of the carrots and red bell pepper in the salad.

I had plenty of microgreens to enjoy as a snack while making dinner, to use in my salad, and also as a sandwich topper, replacing lettuce, for my lunches the rest of the week. And, I'm already imagining new ways to incorporate these sprouts into more of my recipes. I encourage you to also give microgreens a taste, find your favorite variety and share how you include them in your meal prep.

So, how about YOU? What's your favorite snack from the Market? Send me a note at worthingtonfarmersmarket@gmail.com with your favorite snack, which Market vendor carries it and why you like it or how you enjoy it and it may be featured on our Facebook page for National Snack Food Month!

Snack on!

Fresh Picks from our Veggie Spy

Fungi are Fantastic!

Our Market is fortunate to have TWO mushroom vendors: Blue Owl Emporium and Tiger Mushroom Farms! They have shiitakes, oyster mushrooms and other varieties you just can't find at the big groceries.

Some fun fungi facts:

- Mushrooms are the fruit of a fungus, and the majority of a fungus is underground in the form of a mass of thread-like structures call mycelium

- Fungi are not plants; they have their category. And fungi DNA is closer to human DNA than plant DNA is.

- The largest fungus in the world takes up over 3 sq miles in an Oregon forest and is thousands of years old!

- Mushrooms are a great source of Vitamin D & have more protein than most fruits & veggies.

- Fungi form huge networks under forests & play a critical role in forest health.

- Psychedelic mushrooms are being studied to treat anxiety, addiction, and depression.

And if you REALLY love mushrooms, you can buy a mushroom log at Blue Owl Emporium and grow your own! The logs come inoculated with shiitake spores and are easy to grow.

The following producers expect to have fresh produce this week:

9N Farm

Blue Owl Emporium (mushrooms)

Franklinton Farms

Gillogly Orchard

Jorgensen Farms

Rock Dove Farm

Tiger Mushroom Farms

Tilley Farmstead

Our Versatile Vegan is also thinking about mushrooms and happens to be craving bacon too! What's a vegan to do?

Try this recipe for vegan shiitake bacon: https://www.healthyseasonalrecipes.com/vegan-shiitake-bacon/

It's perfect as a salad topping, especially when you can get a variety of salad greens at 9N, Franklinton Farms, Jorgensen Farms and Rock Dove.

And with Valentine's Day coming up next week, the Versatile Vegan is determined to be immensely decadent. You won't miss out on any chocolate delight when you make Dark Chocolate Chipotle Sweet Potato Fudge or Silken Tofu and Avocado Chocolate Fudge The Tofu and Avocado fudge calls for maple syrup, which you can find at the Market at Pleiades Maple Products!

What will YOU discover at the Worthington Farmers Market this week?!

#getfreshwithus #weproduce #worthingtonfarmersmarket #inworthington

Musicians Wanted

Sign-up, plug in and play at the Worthington Farmers Market. Musicians are always welcome to share their talents at the open mic performance area, located near Panera, at the south entrance to the mall.

During our indoor season, performances are scheduled from 9am-11:30am. Just visit the open mic stage, sign-up for a time slot and then you can use our microphone and sound system to accompany your repertoire.

Performances are always free and you are welcome to encourage listeners to tip or sell your latest album during your performance.

We truly appreciate all of the unique artists whom we've met through our open mic performances! Thank you for providing our Market soundtrack each week!

Please note: Busking is not permitted inside the Shops at Worthington Place.

Save the Dates

Happening This Week! Thursday, February 13 - Old Worthington Chocolate Walk

Tickets are available for the sweetest stroll in Worthington! With your $20 ticket, you will receive vouchers to redeem for treats at least 15 businesses throughout historic Old Worthington. Each business thoughtfully prepares a chocolate treat for you to experience their business in a unique, yummy way.

Tickets will not be available at the door, so please do purchase yours in advance.

Purchase your tickets here: https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause_pdetails/NzM0MjE=?fbclid=IwAR3a059C4Ki4ZeLIqt5pkN6PcN6M1vmqG1vaTGh9xWsnHLUV4nyy4Bf6_Z4

And, next week...

Saturday, February 15 - Walk with a Doc at the Worthington Farmers Market

Bring your sweetie, gal pal or just yourself and join us on the first and third Saturdays as Worthington Family Medicine doctor, Dr. Jen Hetrick, hosts a walk and talk, inside The Shops at Worthington Place. Walk with a Doc is a national, grassroots, non-profit organization with the goal of establishing a healthy lifestyle through movement and community.

Walk with a Doc (Worthington) will meet at 8am, near the Panera, inside The Shops at Worthington Place. In honor of American Heart Month, Dr. Jen Hetrick will lead a discussion and answer your questions about the importance of emotional heart health (think connectedness, community and purpose) and then participants will walk, stroll and roll, inside the mall, at their own pace.

Free and all ages and abilities-friendly! No sign-up needed. And, you'll be just in time for the opening bell of the Market at 9am!

Indoor Market Map

Plan you visits to our producers with this interactive Market map!

This Week's Producers

Our producers for Saturday, February 8 included (in both alphabetical and numerical order):

Sorted alphabetically:

25 9N FARM

2 A Few Of My Favorite Things...

63 Allergy-free Bake Shop dba Soodles Bake Shop

65 Baileys Drive Inn Donuts

11 Blue Jacket Dairy

9 Blue Owl Garden Emporium LLC

1 Brown Bros. Farms, LLC

42 Chuck Evans' MONTEZUMA Brand Sauces & Salsas

15 Colette & Frank's Gluten Free Goodness, LLC

5 Columba's Mexican food

55 The Crazy Cucumber

58 Curly Tail Organic Farm

7 Dan the Baker LLC

52 Dana Lee's Bakery & Catery

57 Fired Up Pizza

36 Florentine Legacy, LLC

31 Foraged & Sown

13 Franklinton Farms

37 The Fromagerie, Inc.

50 Gillogly Orchard

51 Gillogly Orchard

10 Gourmet Candy by Karen

46 Growlers Dog Bones

62 Honeyrun Farm

60 JNA BREAD BAKERY

54 Jorgensen Farms

18 Kennedy Farms

53 Kingdom Fish

47 Kombucha Bob's Kombu Tea

24 Lucky Cat Bakery

35 Market Sharpener

6 Mayhem Foods LLC

30 Michael’s Artisan Chocolates

3 Native Cold Pressed

19 North Country Charcuterie

61 Ohio Bison Farm

30 Ohio City Pasta

33 Ohio Farm Direct

44 Oink Moo Cluck Farms LLC

26 Onederings Lavender Farm

17 Patisserie Lallier

67 Procter Center Farm

48 Rainbow Bee

14 Ramble Coffee

28 Raven Rocks Initiatives

64 Red Moon Ranch LLC

20 Rock Dove Farm

32 Root23

16 SaraBee Pure Honey

27 Scoop O' Granola

43 Silver Bridge Coffee Company

59 Simple Times Mixers

18 Sippel Family Farm/Kokoborrego Cheese

34 Spotted Salamander Soap Company, LLC

4 Stonefield Naturals

49 Sweet Thing Gourmet

12 Tiger Mushroom Farms

40 Tilley Farmstead

66 Tulip Cafe

29 Up the Lane Farm

8 Waffle Hub, LLC

21 Weed Knob Acres

Sorted by stall number:

1 Brown Bros. Farms, LLC

2 A Few Of My Favorite Things...

3 Native Cold Pressed

4 Stonefield Naturals

5 Columba's Mexican food

6 Mayhem Foods LLC

7 Dan the Baker LLC

8 Waffle Hub, LLC

9 Blue Owl Garden Emporium LLC

10 Gourmet Candy by Karen

11 Blue Jacket Dairy

12 Tiger Mushroom Farms

13 Franklinton Farms

14 Ramble Coffee

15 Colette & Frank's Gluten Free Goodness, LLC

16 SaraBee Pure Honey

17 Patisserie Lallier

18 Sippel Family Farm/Kokoborrego Cheese

18 Kennedy Farms

19 North Country Charcuterie

20 Rock Dove Farm

21 Weed Knob Acres

24 Lucky Cat Bakery

25 9N FARM

26 Onederings Lavender Farm

27 Scoop O' Granola

28 Raven Rocks Initiatives

29 Up the Lane Farm

30 Ohio City Pasta

30 Michael’s Artisan Chocolates

31 Foraged & Sown

32 Root23

33 Ohio Farm Direct

34 Spotted Salamander Soap Company, LLC

35 Market Sharpener

36 Florentine Legacy, LLC

37 The Fromagerie, Inc.

40 Tilley Farmstead

42 Chuck Evans' MONTEZUMA Brand Sauces & Salsas

43 Silver Bridge Coffee Company

44 Oink Moo Cluck Farms LLC

46 Growlers Dog Bones

47 Kombucha Bob's Kombu Tea

48 Rainbow Bee

49 Sweet Thing Gourmet

50 Gillogly Orchard

51 Gillogly Orchard

52 Dana Lee's Bakery & Catery

53 Kingdom Fish

54 Jorgensen Farms

55 The Crazy Cucumber

57 Fired Up Pizza

58 Curly Tail Organic Farm

59 Simple Times Mixers

60 JNA BREAD BAKERY

61 Ohio Bison Farm

62 Honeyrun Farm

63 Allergy-free Bake Shop dba Soodles Bake Shop

64 Red Moon Ranch LLC

65 Baileys Drive Inn Donuts

66 Tulip Cafe

67 Procter Center Farm

The Market Wellness Doctor's Weekly Health Tip

Visit Dr. Matt near the East entrance inside The Shops at Worthington Place

Lifestyle Matters. How we eat, move, sleep and manage stress has an enormous impact on health and longevity.

Lifestyle Modification Can Be Effective for Depression

One of the important nutritional benefits of regular consumption of healthy greens, like kale and broccoli that we featured last week, is their anti-inflammatory nutrient richness/density. Chronic inflammation has been shown to be associated with many chronic diseases, including depression. Let's take a closer look at the depression-inflammation connection today.

Inflammation may become chronically elevated for a variety of reasons, and many of them are lifestyle related. Poor diet, sedentary lifestyle, lack of sleep and psycho-social stress have all been shown to be associated with increased systemic inflammation.

Inflammation is our bodies complex response to pathogens, tissue damage and stress. Acute inflammation helps us to overcome these bodily insults. However, when inflammation becomes chronic, then chronic illnesses like depression become more prevalent. In fact, suppression of chronic inflammation is thought to be the most important driver of successful longevity.(1) Also, it is helpful that we can measure biomarkers for inflammation like CRP (c-reactive protein). The risk of major depression has been shown to increase as CRP rises.(4)

What can we do to help decrease the risk of depression? First, eat your greens, daily, as part of a healthy, whole foods diet.(2) Eliminate processed foods, like sugar, and especially refined carbohydrates, like flour and pasta. Regular, moderate intensity exercise (preferably outdoors in the sun) has been shown to be an effective strategy for decreasing the risk of depression, as well.(3) Aim for a minimum of 150 minutes of exercise weekly. And, meditate daily, as this has been shown to stimulate genes that are powerfully anti-inflammatory.(5)

Sweat regularly, either with exercise or sauna, as hyperthermia has been shown to decrease depressive symptoms.(6,7).

Be Well,

The Market Wellness Doctor

Dr. Everett's Integrative Health LLC.

Email me with any questions at mattheweverett84@gmail.com.

None of these statements should be construed as dispensing medical advice ,making claims regarding the cure of diseases,prevention or cure of any disease state.This information is not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any disease. Please consult your physician regarding any specific medical symptoms or conditions.

Sources: 1) Inflammation, but not Telomere Length, Predicts Successful Aging at Extreme Old Age,doi: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2015.07.029

2 )Healthy diet can ease symptoms of depression, Univ. Manchester, Feb.5,2019

3) Long distance ski racing is associated with lower long-term incidence of depression in a population based, large-scale study,Svenssen et al,Pschyiatry Research 218 (2019)112546.

4) Inflammation biomarker in blood may help predict effectiveness of depression drugs,Marianne Spoon, Sept. 4,2018

5) Taming the Monkey Mind—How Meditation Affects Your Health and Wellbeing, February 20, 2014,Dr. Kelly Brogan,mercola.com

6) Sauna Use and Building Resilience to Stress with Dr. Rhonda Patrick,Found my Fitness, Jan.3,2016

7) Whole-body Hyperthemia as a treatment for Depression:sauna,hot yoga and exercise,Charles Raison,Found my FitnessAug.28,2019.

For more information, or questions related to any of our services, please contact us via email at worthingtonfarmersmarket@gmail.com or visit us on Saturday at the Market Information booth!

The Worthington Partnership is pleased to announce that COhatch is furthering its investment in the Worthington community. Together the organizations will continue to drive initiatives to bring positive attention to the historic district, and support professional development and educational seminars for local merchants and business owners. The Partnership also will support soon-to-be-announced COhatch community events geared toward improving the lives of local residents.

COhatch will provide funding, hosting venues and people resources to help design and plan future programs for the community in collaboration with the Old Worthington Partnership. You will also see the COhatch airstream trailer, a multi-purpose office on wheels named "Mobi" at various events.

Thanks to COhatch for bringing energy and resources to Old Worthington! We are thrilled to work even more closely together to enhance the Old Worthington experience.

The Worthington Farmers Market is an event of the Ol Worthington Partnership.