Robert's Market Report

Piazza: Week Two

The farmer's market at The Piazza at Schmitt's held its second session today with 18 vendors, including 10 farmers and four bakers.

The market, directly sponsored by the rental apartment complex's developer, Tower Investments, is the only farmer's market in the city I know of which not sponsored or affiliated with either Farm To City or The Food Trust.

Kyle Perry, a hospitality industry veteran who has volunteered with The Food Trust for the past three years, thinks the easy availability of free off-street parking, across Germantown Avenue from the Piazza, should help it become a "destination" as well as a neighborhood market for Northern Liberties and Fishtown residents.

Root vegetables, of course, dominated at the produce stands, but leaks could still be obtained, also, at Livengood's and Culton's Organics. Earl Livengood, who hangs out the Reading Terminal Market and Clark Park during the season, said he's still got two rows of leeks to harvest back at farm on the outskirts of Lancaster, so expect to see them at least for another week, maybe a bit longer. Storage apples were also available from a number of the farmers, along with some cold weather greens. Culton was also pushing his organically raised quails.

Other produce, meat and dairy farmers who showed up today included Griggstown Quail Farm (though most of their items were their pot pies), Shellbark Hollow for goat cheese, Landisdale Farm (which also had a stall at Clark Park today), Natural Meadows Farms (poultry, meat and eggs), Savoie Farm (potatoes), Birchrun Hills Farm (cheese, veal), Highland Orchards, and M& Farview Farm (beef, lamb, goat, pork and dairy products). Bakers were Big Sky, La Baguette, Wild Flour and Market Canele (which shared a stand with Joe Coffee). The other vendors included Northern Liberties' own Penn Herb, Just Dogs Gourmet, Beautiful Blooms Boutique and Summer Salsa.