March on in to the indoor Worthington Farmers Market

Fresh Picks from our Veggie Spy

Let's Laud Lettuce!

Lettuce is probably the most popular green in the world. And why not? With dozens of varieties and almost no calories, lettuce is the mainstay of salads, sandwiches, and more. It is also loaded with vitamins A, C, and K, as well as folates. In ancient Egyptian mythology, Min was god of both fertility AND lettuce. Another great reason to be a lettuce fan!

This week 9N Farms has Salanova , a tender buttery lettuce developed by Dutch seed scientists. Curious about the journey this lettuce took to your shopping bag? We were and to find the answers, we did some detective work to help uncover the story. Read below to Follow the Veggie.

• 9N Farms, located near Washington Court House, purchased Salanova seeds from Johnny's Seeds

• Early September 2019: Started seedling trays in an unheated greenhouse for germination

• October 10, 2019: Transplanted seedlings to an unheated greenhouse in a tilled bed with organic compost and drip irrigation

• Harvested Friday, the day before Market

• Market Day: Ready for customers to purchase and enjoy!

And there are greens galore at multiple vendors this Saturday!

Of course, the Versatile Vegan loves lettuce for salads, but a more creative use is for lettuce wraps. Try this recipe (https://pinchofyum.com/vegan-lettuce-wraps) for Firecracker vegan lettuce wraps made with brown rice noodles, peanut butter, peanuts, tofu, and plenty of spices. It also includes garlic, which you can pick up at Jorgensen Farms! And beware, you'll need plenty of napkins for this delicious, saucy treat!

The following producers expect to have fresh produce this week:

9N Farm

Franklinton Farms

Gillogly Orchard

Jorgensen Farms

Rock Dove Farm

Tiger Mushroom Farms

This week's fresh finds revealed:

- Apples - 5 varieties

- Microgreens

- Greens, assorted varieties, including a limited supply of dandelion greens

- Senposai

- Asian greens, including Yukina Savoy - an Asian green similar to bok choy

- Leaf and Head Lettuce, assorted varieties

- Salad mix

- Kale

- Sunchokes

- Spinach

- Swiss Chard

- Arugula

- Squash - Winter varieties, including Carnival

- Herbs: Sage, cilantro, oregano and parsley

- Garlic

- Mushrooms: Dried shiitakes, French shiitakes, yellow oyster, gray oyster

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

#getfreshwithus #weproduce #worthingtonfarmersmarket #inworthington

Ask Farmer Dan

Hello! And, welcome to the premier of the Ask Farmer Dan column!

I’m Farmer Dan – or more precisely – Dan Woods, owner and operator of 9N Farm. I own a small OEFFA (Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association) Certified Organic produce farm in Greenfield, OH, and I (or my dad, Gene) am a weekly fixture at the Worthington Farmers Market at both the outdoor summer market and indoor winter market.

Ask Farmer Dan was created through a totally organic process (cue farm puns…I’ll do my level best to limit them) that grew out of one of my favorite aspects of working farmers markets – engaging in conversations with curious Market-goers, like YOU! I never know what topics may come up or what questions I may be asked. Sometimes, I have answers, and other times, these conversations have encouraged me to research more or sent me down a path I had never even thought to explore.

This initial article is simply an introduction – YOU, as shoppers and readers, are really going to be the driving force behind it. So, what are YOUR questions? Want to know if red bell peppers and green bell peppers are different plants? Sure! Want to know if two-wheel tractors can replace four-wheel tractors…or if tractors are necessary at all? Let’s discuss! Ever been curious as to astrology, moon phases, and magic being necessary to get from seed to fruit? I don’t know if that’s a thing but let’s find out!

Whatever your question, ask away! You can submit your question at the Market Information booth (located near the fountain, inside the Shops at Worthington Place during your Saturday visit, with me at my 9N market table (I’m usually in front of Paulette’s Princess Parties), send an email with "Ask Farmer Dan" in the subject to worthingtonfarmersmarket@gmail.com or post your question on the Worthington Farmers Market page, tagging the Worthington Farmers Market and using #AskFarmerDan, so we receive a notification of your question. You may just find the answer in an upcoming Ask Farmer Dan column!

Look for the Ask Farmer Dan column periodically on the Worthington Farmers Market blog, in the newsletter and accessible on the Worthington Farmers Market Facebook page.

I’m looking forward to your questions and providing a look into the process that gets the market items you love to you – start to finish

~ Farmer Dan, 9N Farm

Do the Dots!

Do the dots 🔴🔵⚫️⚪️!

Help us continue to learn, grow and improve to better serve you and our farmers!

This month, we want to know: 1) Is today your first time visiting the indoor Worthington Farmers Market? And, if not...

2) How often have you visited the indoor market this season?

Here's how you can help! Visit the Market Information booth (near the large fountain at the center of The Shops at Worthington Place), look for the poster boards and ask a volunteer for a dot 🔴 sticker. Then, dot 🔵 your answer.

That's it! Quick, easy and much appreciated! You'll only need to answer the question once this month.

Even More to do at the Market!

Community Table - Franklin County Clerk of Courts

This Saturday, we welcome the team from the Office of the Honorable Maryellen O’Shaughnessy, Franklin County Clerk of Courts to our Community Table.

Visit them at booth #40, near the toy store, inside the The Shops at Worthington Place, to learn more about their services offered throughout Franklin County.

From our Community Table hosts: "Our mission is to maintain the integrity and accessibility of court documents and motor vehicle titles. With nearly 200 employees located in nine locations in Franklin County, our Office strives to be a resource for our neighbors and community partners. Come by and learn about the services we provide and grab a coupon for a free passport photo that can be used at our One-Stop-Passport-Shop located downtown."

Walk with a Doc and Healthy Habits with Dr. Jen Hetrick at the

Worthington Farmers Market It's the first Saturday of the month, which means it's time to Walk with a Doc, indoors, at the Worthington Farmers Market.

Did you know that March is National Nutrition month and National Colorectal Cancer Awareness month? Bring your questions for Dr. Jenn about how lifestyle and nutrition can influence your GI health, colon screenings and good gut foods.

Free and all ages and abilities-friendly! No sign-up needed. Walk With A Doc is a national, grassroots, non-profit organization with the goal of establishing a healthy lifestyle through movement. Join Worthington family medicine doc, Dr. Jenn Hetrick, on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of each month for conversation, camaraderie and positive change! Meet at 8am, inside The Shops at Worthington Place, near Panera.

And, mid-Market, find Dr. Jenn at her Healthy Habits booth. Tomorrow, she'll be in space #10, near Panera. Did you know that lettuce, our Veggie Spy's Pick of the Week, contains fiber, an essential component for keeping your digestive system flowing smoothly? Do you know that difference between soluble and insoluble fiber and their impact on good gut health? Dr. Jenn has the answers to these and your nutritional and colon health questions.

And, as a P.S. from your Market Manager, in honor of National Colorectal Cancer Awareness month and for my Dad who is fighting his own battle with colorectal cancer, please ask your doctor about the right time for your colon screening and then, schedule it. If caught early, colorectal cancer is treatable. The colonoscopy can be scary and that gallon of liquid tastes awful, but the procedure just may save your life.

Save the Date

Saturday, March 14 - Green Team at the Worthington Farmers Market

Get inspired by the sustainably focused Green Team, a grassroots, volunteer committee of The Worthington Partnership! They'll be hosting a booth at the Market with environmental education activities for kids!

Tuesday, March 24 - 3rd Annual Slice of Worthington - 5:30pm to 7:30pm at The Shops at Worthington Place

At Slice of Worthington, you'll get to taste pies from area pizza shops and vote for your favorite. Even better: 100% of proceeds from your tickets will help feed kids in Worthington. The Old Worthington Partnership is teaming up with Sacred Space Church to promote feedworthingtonkids.org, a program providing weekend meals to food-insecure kids through the Family Mentor Foundation. Your registration will get you samples from each of the pizza restaurants, a water and one vote for the best pizza award. We will also have music by Matt Steidle, activities for the kiddos, and a bake sale! Beer will be provided for sale from Zaftig Brewing Co.

Tickets on sale now at: https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause_pdetails/NzU1MzM=?fbclid=IwAR1ng7qv9965CIEjtJon8vsej7kWbJ5jpvhQVEXavxMmghXtuCs3SFPxfRo

Will you help us become the Columbest?

A BIG thank you to everyone that nominated the Worthington Farmers Market as one of the Best Places to Buy Produce on the 614 Columbest list - 2020 edition! We'd be grateful for your vote in recognition of the work of our amazing, local farmers and produce growers.

Cast your vote here: http://columbest.614columbus.com/start/32170

Indoor Market Map

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

This Week's Producers

Our producers for Saturday, March 7 included (in both alphabetical and numerical order):

Sorted alphabetically:

25 9N FARM

2 A Few Of My Favorite Things...

11 Blue Jacket Dairy

9 Blue Owl Garden Emporium LLC

1 Brown Bros. Farms, LLC

56 BYOB Home Bakery

29 C.A.B.B. Farms

42 Chuck Evans' MONTEZUMA Brand Sauces & Salsas

15 Colette & Frank's Gluten Free Goodness, LLC

5 Columba's Mexican Food

41 Community Table: Franklin County Clerk of Courts

55 The Crazy Cucumber

58 Curly Tail Organic Farm

7 Dan the Baker LLC

52 Dana Lee's Bakery & Catery

36 Florentine Legacy, LLC

31 Foraged & Sown

13 Franklinton Farms

37 The Fromagerie, Inc.

50 Gillogly Orchard

51 Gillogly Orchard

10 Healthy Habits with Dr. Jenn Hetrick

62 Honeyrun Farm

32 Hummavore - Fox Hollow Garden LLC

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

17 Patisserie Lallier

39 Pleiades Maple Products

66 Procter Center Farm

48 Rainbow Bee

14 Ramble Coffee

28 Raven Rocks Initiatives

64 Red Moon Ranch LLC

20 Rock Dove Farm

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

38 Sunny Meadows Flower Farm

49 Sweet Thing Gourmet

12 Tiger Mushroom Farms

65 Tulip Cafe

23 VanScoy Farms

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 Healthy Habits with Dr. Jenn Hetrick

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

23 VanScoy Farms

24 Lucky Cat Bakery

25 9N FARM

27 Scoop O' Granola

28 Raven Rocks Initiatives

29 C.A.B.B. Farms

30 Ohio City Pasta

30 Michael's Artisan Chocolates

31 Foraged & Sown

32 Hummavore - Fox Hollow Garden LLC

33 Ohio Farm Direct

34 Spotted Salamander Soap Company, LLC

35 Market Sharpener

36 Florentine Legacy, LLC

37 The Fromagerie, Inc.

38 Sunny Meadows Flower Farm

39 Pleiades Maple Products

41 Community Table: Franklin County Clerk of Courts

42 Chuck Evans' MONTEZUMA Brand Sauces & Salsas

43 Silver Bridge Coffee Company

44 Oink Moo Cluck Farms LLC

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

56 BYOB Home Bakery

58 Curly Tail Organic Farm

59 Simple Times Mixers

60 JNA BREAD BAKERY

61 Ohio Bison Farm

62 Honeyrun Farm

64 Red Moon Ranch LLC

65 Tulip Cafe

66 Procter Center Farm

The Market Wellness Doctor's Weekly Health Tip

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

The Sunshine Vitamin!

The days are getting longer, and we are beginning to see more sunny days. Hooray! After a few months of grey, dark days, have you thought about your vitamin D levels?

And, is that really that important?

Many people are aware that optimal vitamin D is essential for regulation of calcium, phosphorous and bone metabolism. A less known function of vitamin D is the regulation of nervous system development and function. In fact, studies suggest that vitamin D deficiency may lead to an increased risk of central nervous system (CNS) diseases like schizophrenia and multiple sclerosis.(1) Other studies are confirming this neurodevelopmental connection between vitamin D deficiency and as much as a 45% increase in ADHD. Autism spectrum disorders and bipolar may also be linked to vitamin D levels. Vitamin D regulates the conversion of tryptophan into serotonin. All of these disorders have low brain serotonin in common.

Vitamin D has wide-reaching physiologic effects beyond the nervous system, including regulation of blood pressure, immune function and regulation of cell growth.(2) Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to increased risk for pre-eclampsia, requiring a Cesarean section for birthing, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, type I diabetes, type II diabetes, heart disease, dementia, deadly cancers and infectious diseases per the work of Dr. Michael Hollick.

The major source of vitamin D is skin exposure to sunlight, specifically UVB which results in the production of vitamin D3. The major food sources of vitamin D are fresh, wild-caught salmon, other oily fish, cod liver oil and sun dried mushrooms. Therefore, sensible sun exposure, along with vitamin D supplementation of at least 2000 IU/d for adults and 1000 IU/d for children, is essential to maximize their health. Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin and a simple, inexpensive blood test is necessary to know your vitamin D level. Although most reference laboratories report the normal range to be 20-100 ng/ml, the preferred healthful range is 30-60 ng/ml.(3)

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) Wrzosek,M.,et al. ,Vitamin D and the central nervous system,Pharmacol Rep,2013;65(2):271-8.

2)Rhonda P. Patrick And Bruce N. Ames. Vitamin D and the omega-3 fatty acids control serotonin synthesis and action, part 2: relevance for ADHD, bipolar, schizophrenia, and impulsive behavior. FASEB Journal, February 2015 DOI: 10.1096/fj.14-268342

3)VITAMIN D: A D-LIGHTFUL SOLUTION FOR HEALTH,Michael F. Holick, PhD, MD,J Investig Med. 2011 Aug; 59(6): 872–880.doi: 10.231/JIM.0b013e318214ea2d

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.