North Castle Farmers Market

Drugs... Prescription Naturally!!!

2010-06-12T17:26:00.000-04:00

Market Lady was asked since you care about what you eat what about drugs, do you take any drugs? Prescription naturally?

My first answer is a definite no. Here comes the but...we are however realistic about the time and need for a prescription drug. Market Lady knows that there are times when it is necessary to take an antibiotic although I haven't had the need to in 20 years. And she also knows that it was a drug like Plavix (a blood thinner) that kept my Dad alive the last 10 years of his life.

Let me tell you a little story about Mom. Just five months ago we thought that any day or hour or minute we would be saying good bye to my 88 year old Mom. Dad died last year and she became very depressed. The doctor said she needs an anti-depressant and for that touch of dementia she will need to see the neurologist. One doctor said dementia the other said intermediate Alzheimer's. So which was it? Off to the pharmacy to fill those prescription's for those oh so dreaded drugs. Very difficult task for me since I treat myself with natural things and once again with-in reason. The big brain doctor said your mother needs to be on Nemenda. I said OK what will this do for her. Will she have a better memory? Will her thoughts be more clear? His answer was

"we really aren't sure that it helps and it may even have a negative effect". Oh great now what.
so as day one came for those dreaded drugs to begin I felt myself feeling sicker and sicker. As the days went on Mom became so tired she couldn't even sit up, walk, get to the potty or know who anyone was. So I took the time to order all of the necessary in home hospital equipment. So many thoughts went through my mind , am I ordering this to make my life easier or to make Mom more comfortable. I wasn't sure. I was on automatic and just did what I thought right at the time. The doctor said the drugs had to build up in her system before she levels off .. Now in my very complex brain that is always working in the over-drive mode I just couldn't accept this level off thing. What did he mean level off? Would she snap out of this Zombie like mode. She was nasty, angry and down right mean to me, Market Lady the care giver. Then I started to read all of the warnings, things like can cause thoughts of suicide and liver damage and an entire host of things. I lost sleep that night. So I took matters into my own hands and began the weening off process of the Nemenda and the Lexapro after three months building up in her system. Eight days passed oh yes, I forgot to mention how her appetite went from great prior to the drugs to eating every third day an living on one Ensure a day. Well on day eleven of the weening process she was back to being Mom. Walking, talking, remembering, eating wanting to help out in the kitchen and making her own bed. We had created a Zombie with these drugs. Mom is completely drug free at 88. We give her an Advil for an occasional ache or pain. Think about how many elderly people that have no one to speak up for them or to pay attention. It's all about big business, push the drugs, treat everyone the same and hope for the best. I mean every other advertisement on the TV is a drug commercial. Notice the photo at the top do you think that these pills have FD&C Dyes, you decide.

Please note this is Market Lady's personal experience and is in no way a suggestion on how to treat any illness. This is what worked in my family.

Entertainment At The Market

2010-06-01T15:40:00.000-04:00

Market Lady is so pleased to announce that Doug Munroe will be playing for us on June 10th starting at 3:30. You don't want to miss this.

About DOUG MUNRO : RECORDING ARTIST, COMPOSER, ARRANGER,

PRODUCER, CLINICIAN, EDUCATOR, ADMINISTRATOR

Doug is a critically acclaimed New York jazz guitarist. Since 1987 he has released eleven albums as a leader and has appeared on over 50 recordings as a sideman, producer, and arranger working with a diverse array of artists including Dr. John, Michael Brecker, and Dr. Lonnie Smith. Doug has over 75 original published compositions and over 300 recorded arrangements by the finest players on the scene today. His current CD “Alone But Not Alone” is Doug’s first solo recording. Doug continues to actively perform with close to 100 live dates per year.

In the recording field Doug has received two Grammy nominations and two NAIRD awards. Amazon.com picked Boogaloo to Beck , on which Doug performed, arranged, and co-produced, as one of its Top Ten Jazz CD’s of 2003. Doug also did orchestration work on the Oscar winning documentary When We Were Kings.
Doug has written three books on jazz improvisation for Warner Brothers Publications, including one entitled, From Swing to Bebop, that won the Music and Sound Retailers instructional book of the year award in 2000. He has just completed his first book for Alfred Music entitled The Total Latin Guitarist.
As an educator Doug created and was Director of the Jazz Studies Program at The Conservatory of Music at Purchase College from 1993-2002. He continues to teach there as Director Emeritus. This esteemed jazz program boasts a faculty that includes John Abercrombie, Todd Coolman, Jon Faddis, Eric Alexander, John Riley and many other top jazz performers.
Having worked with a veritable Who’s Who of Jazz and Soul artists Doug has garnered high praise from both his fellow artists and the press.

“Doug Munro…well he can flat out play!”

Dr. Lonnie Smith
"Doug Munro is a tremendously talented guitarist and composer who deserves the ears of a larger audience"
Steve Khan
“Doug Munro is one of the finest Guitarist I've heard perform. His music is great to listen to, very entertaining, funky, danceable, not to mention his straight ahead groove. Doug is just GREAT!!!”
Melvin Sparks
"Doug Munro plays in the tradition, but he has his own voice, combining elements of mainstream jazz guitar, Brazilian bossa nova and classical music. He has a great sound and swings with authority. I always enjoy playing with him."
John Stowell
" In sum, Munro displays a hip musicality where discipline, audacity and an ebullient sense of joie de vivre co-mingle with devilish glee. Great Stuff!"
Chuck Berg
Jazz Times

Additional information and links to Youtube and My space are available at Doug's web site :
www.dougmunro.com

Come Enjoy Music By ...

2010-05-24T19:28:00.004-04:00

Andrew Cataldo, a senior at Byram Hills High School will be the featured entertainment at the farmers market this Thursday. Andrew looks forward to attending the University of Massachusetts at Amherst in the fall of 2010 in hopes of pursuing something in either music or the culinary arts. He began playing guitar within the last two years, but has always had a passion for music. Along with the guitar Andrew will play harmonica as well as sing for our shoppers. Andrew enjoys music from all different genres and generations, all the way from B.B. King to the Black Eyed Peas "I feel there is something to learn from each artist" he says. OK so Market Lady can totally relate to B.B.King but the Black Eyed Peas sounds like something you would find at the veggie table. Gosh I must be getting old.

So be sure to join us this Thursday rain or shine for tunes by...Andrew himself

Beets, Beets, Beets

2010-05-23T11:18:00.000-04:00

Market Lady took home beets from the market on Thursday and decided to cut them in half season them place in a cast iron skillet on my favorite old Weber charcoal grill yes, charcoal not gas. They were so tasty I added a drizzle of white wine and that was that. Easy simple and delicious. OK so I'm a bit over the top we don't use a gas grill at our home simply because I don't believe in placing my food on top of the grill with the propane fired coals or even natural gas. Now that doesn't mean that I wouldn't love an invitation to a back yard BBQ and yes I would most certainly be gracious and enjoy the prepared food by the Host & Hostess even if prepared on their four burner Weber Gas cooking surface, I would even help clean up when it's over.

But all in all Market Lady and her hubby will only cook out doors on the old time grill. So now you must be thinking do they use lighter fluid (All Chemicals) to get this antiquated BBQ going, do they use match lite coals (All Chemicals) NOPE. Believe it or not we use the hot iron from days gone by with "All Natural Real Lump Hardwood. While pressed charcoal briquet's can have additives and "off" flavors, real lump hardwood charcoal gives just pure, natural wood flavors. You can also easily add chips or chunks of smoking woods to add particular flavors like mesquite, hickory, maple or others.

Lack of Wood Smoke - Gas grills in and of themselves do not create any wood smoke flavor to enhance your food. In fact, some people even feel that the gas gives some strange flavors to the food like me. Not to mention the old carbon foot print. The intense heat and grill grid do help create the nice caramelized golden surface on your grilled foods which adds flavor, but if wood smoke flavors are what you desire, the gas grill does not have it. The solution to this problem is getting a metal smoker box (included on many gas grills) which allows you to add lumps of smoking woods which give off rich smoke to flavor your outdoor cooking food. While this is not quite as good as a real wood fire, it does the job pretty well.

Enjoy BBQ Season. Eat Healthy, Eat Local, Think Green

Market Lady

To Dye Or Not To Dye...Maket Ladys Say's

2010-05-23T08:09:00.003-04:00

Put those power drinks down.... the color red, blue where does it come from? For those of you that don't know FD means food & drug; C means for cosmetics.
It's in maraschino cherries. A coal tar dye called Red Dye #40 is artificially added to the fruit. There are over 40 of these Red Dyes; they are very suspect of causing female breast cancer; they also seem to cause other serious problems; Ladies, your husbands love you. Mothers love their daughters. Remove the cherry when you eat sundaes. Avoid anything with FD&C Red Dyes including those power drinks.

This is what Wikipedia, gives as a defination of coal tar.

Coal tar is a brown or black liquid of high viscosity, which smells of naphthalene and aromatic hydrocarbons. Coal tar is among the by-products when coal is carbonized to make coke or gasified to make coal gas. Coal tars are complex and variable mixtures of phenols, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and heterocyclic compounds. Do you even know what these words are can you even pronounce them?
Being flammable, coal tar is sometimes used for heating or to fire boilers. Like most heavy oils, it must be heated before it will flow easily.
Like pine tar, it can be used in medicated shampoo, soap and ointment, as a treatment for dandruff and psoriasis, as well as being used to kill and repel head lice. Imagine this is your skin we are talking about remember your largest organ. When used as a medication in the U.S., coal tar preparations are considered an OTC (over-the-counter drug) pharmaceutical and are subject to regulation by the United States Food and Drug Administration. Name brands include Denorex, Balnetar, Psoriasin, Tegrin, T-Gel, and Neutar. When used in the extemporaneous preparation of topical medications, it is supplied in the form of Coal Tar Topical Solution USP, which consists of a 20% w/v solution of coal tar in alcohol, with an additional 5% w/v of polysorbate 80; [2] this must then be diluted in an ointment base such as petrolatum. Coal tar is also used to synthesize paracetamol (acetaminophen). Coal tar was formerly used as one of the primary ingredients of asphalt pavements. Today, petroleum derived binders and sealers are more commonly used. These sealers are used to extend the life and lower maintenance cost associated with asphalt pavements, primarily in asphalt road paving, car parks and walkways.
Tar is used in treatment of the skin disease psoriasis, where coal tar is the most effective. Petroleum tar was also used in ancient Egyptian mummification circa 1000 BC.[3]
Tar was a vital component of the first sealed, or "tarmac", roads. The streets of Baghdad were the first to be paved with tar from the 8th century AD.[4]

According to the National Psoriasis Foundation and the FDA, coal tar is a valuable, safe and inexpensive treatment option for millions of people with psoriasis and other scalp or skin conditions. [5] Coal tar concentrations between 0.5% and 5% are safe and effective for psoriasis, and no scientific evidence suggests that the coal tar in the concentrations seen in non-prescription treatments is carcinogenic. The NPF states that coal tar contains approximately 10,000 different chemicals, of which only about 50% have been identified [6], and the composition of coal tar varies with its origin and type of coal (eg: lignite, bituminous or anthracite) used to make it. This is what they call SAFE, 10,000 different chemicals, I call it BIG BUSINESS. You decide. Market Lady say's loose the cherry on the sundae and stay away from the power drinks.

Let's Talk About Paula

2010-05-21T19:31:00.003-04:00

Paula is the proud owner of Thornwood Farms our resident chicken farmer at the market. Paula makes a three hour journey to get down to Westchester on market days just so we can share in the fruits of her labor and do I mean labor. I know after the market ended on Thursday Market Lady was oh so tired right down to the bottom of my feet. Maybe that was because I felt it really important to wear my new very fancy no arch flip flops. My husband told me not to but I answered by saying it hurts to be beautiful honey. But could I really complain after hearing about Paula's day. At the close of market, Paula had to make her three hour journey back home only to find out that when she arrives back at the farm she then has to round up 600 pasture raised chickens and get them back into their sleeping quarters. This task takes about two hours. Yikes... can you just imagine all so we can enjoy those very orange yoke eggs. She takes this task very seriously as last year she lost 1000 birds to predators in broad daylight. She says no slacking the task must be done. All of this is not because Paula is making tons of money but because of her passion and I do mean passion to promote healthy eating. She was lucky enough to be awarded a grant, and once again because of her determination and diligence in pursuing this to help with the cost's on the farm. So if you visit the market be sure to say Hi to Paula and maybe even thank her for the fruits of her labor. Try those eggs, try her meat I guarantee you will not be disappointed. Market Lady is tired just thinking about all of this. Sweet dreams all I'm going to sleep. Nite all.

Wow... All I Can Say Is Thank You

2010-05-20T21:35:00.003-04:00

Does North Castle have the best residents? You bet it does. Market Lady wants to thank all of the residents that came out on opening day to support the market. It was my pleasure to get a chance to talk to so many of you and hear your thoughts on the market. So many positive things were said and it was wonderful to listen to your comments and in some cases your ideas. Please remember that in just a few weeks the fruits and veggies will become so plentiful and plush and the selection will grow by leaps and bounds. Kessman will have their much sought after corn this summer if Mother Nature does her part. We will be adding some new vendors if space permits us to do so.
We hope we delivered to you a Farmer's Market that you can boast about and please tell your friends and neighbors. Remember while your in town shop in your local stores, eat in your local restaurants and support Main Street. We are hear to be good neighbors. So once again Market Lady sends her heart felt thanks and see you all next week. Till then Eat Healthy, Shop Local & Think Green

Market Lady having a blast...

2010-04-22T16:49:00.005-04:00

OK... so I know that saying "having a blast" is really a phrase from the past and I'm sure that I'm giving away my age but I couldn't resist anyway. Market Lady is having such a good time these past few days shaping up the last minute details for the North Castle Farmers Market. Finally so many businesses have called Market Lady to see how they can help, if they can help, or if they can make a donation or how to sponsor an event at the market. We are even blessed to have a secret Santa in our town that has offered to pay for opening day music. So it's time for Market Lady to give thanks.

Be sure to visit the table provided by Metes & Bounds Realty, Gail Lombardi Norris has graciously offered to provide a beautiful "Basket Of Bounty" filled with LOCAL products from the Hudson Valley and our own North Castle Farmers Market. Be sure to stop by her table and purchase a raffle ticket and you may be lucky enough to go home with this wonderful epicurean delight. Gail will be donating the proceeds to The North Castle Farmers Market to help with our operating costs. Thanks one again to Gail and Metes & Bounds Realty.

Another special thanks goes out to Chris Carthy an Armonk resident and owner of
Pools Of Perfection, Inc.523 Main Street Armonk, NY http://www.poolsofperfection.com/ Chris has been a devoted proponent of the farmers market and organized the "Friends Of The Farmers Market:" with the help of his wife Laura and his family. Chris will be donating the balloons to kick off opening day (thank you) and he does have some special entertainment that he has organized to help make our opening day a success. I will keep the details a secret.

Thank you once again to Chris & Laura and to all of the Friends of the market.

Let's hear it for the boys let's give the boys a hand (how many of you will hum this song all day now?)....the boys (actually men) are from Copies Unlimited on North Broadway down in North White Plains. They have donated flyer's & posters for our worthy cause. They put up with Market Lady and all her middle of the night ideas, and believe me there are many of them. They just let me be the women that I am, forever changing her mind. They always smile and thank me for coming by. Can you imagine? I love these guys. Be sure to shop local and support them for all of your print needs.

Another special thanks to Stop & Shop in North White Plains for donating re-usable Market Bags to give to our valued customers on opening day. Supplies are limited so get there early.

Does North Castle have a Secret Santa? You bet it does. Opening day music by Mat Taylor a high school student from Pawling will grace us with his amazing sound and our own secret Santa will pay for Mat's tunes. This Santa has been a good and and valued friend of the farmers market. "It's not very often, one will go out of their way, by being nice. It's something, one should do often and not have to think about twice". Our Santa did not have to think twice. Market Lady offers a heartfelt thank you.

If you would like to be a Business Sponsor, you help support regional agriculture while encouraging local customers and area visitors to shop in the Town Of North Castle
Let me once again underscore the power of food, the need for food security and building a healthy family table.

Market Lady

Market Lady Says....Remember To Wash Those Market Bags

2010-04-18T19:38:00.000-04:00

In a recent study 64% of 25 used, reusable grocery bags tested were contaminated with bacteria. Make sure to wash your cloth bags weekly. Even though I really don't like the word plastic (Yuck) it is the best alternative for bringing home your meat, poultry and seafood.

North Castle Farmers Market....Salute To Our Seniors

2010-04-14T08:43:00.002-04:00

“Living Longer, Growing Stronger”
A Salute to Our Senior Citizens

On opening day at the North Castle Farmers Market we ...Salute The Senior Citizens in our community and offer a 10% courtesy on all products sold at the market. It’s one small way for the market to give back to the community.

This offer is for May 20th opening day only

2010-03-28T19:07:00.001-04:00

Another free picture collage by Smilebox

North Castle Farmers Market...Sneak Preview

2010-03-27T17:57:00.003-04:00

How awesome to these radishes look they were gone before noon at the Scarsdale Market today. They were grown in the black dirt region of Orange County. Just a sneak preview of what's coming to Armonk. No Pesticides!!! Oh and the spinach was amazing . Just put a little EVOO in the bottom of your skillet and put your greens in, place a lid on top. Turn off the heat. It cook's in three minutes. Yum!!

North Castle Farmers Market...Ingredients To Watch Out For

2010-03-26T09:04:00.003-04:00

So Market Lady just wants you to be "a more aware consumer". I am by no means saying that you need to be over the top about all of this but...Be sure to read your labels and make informed decisions

And ladies try and take the natural route with cosmetics, chemicals found in cosmetics don't cause obvious immediate signs of toxicity, but slowly poison us through repeated use.
ere are some ingredients to watch out for.

.Aluminum - Thought to contribute to Alzheimer's Disease. Found in almost all
antiperspirants. Works by blocking pores so sweat cannot be released by the skin. Watch what you put under those arms
Artificial Colors - FD&C, derived from coal tar. For example, Azo dyes are a risk to asthmatics, eczema sufferers and people sensitive to aspirin. Causes hyperactivity in children, severe headaches, blurred vision and itchy/watery eyes and nose
Benzoates - Benzoates Benzoic acid, sodium benzoate or parahydroxy benzoate.
Used as a preservative in cosmetics and fizzy drinks. Causes gastric irritation, numbing of the mouth and aggravates asthma ()
DEA, MEA, TEA - Causes allergic reactions, irritating to eyes and dries out hair and skin
Dibutyl Phthalate - Found in all persons tested by the CDC (Center for Disease Control, USA) in a 2000 Fall study. Highest levels were found in women of reproductive age. Causes birth defects in animals, and damaging to the male reproductive system (ABC News, Internet Ventures 2000). Used in cosmetics to assist the absorption of other ingredients.
Formaldehydes - A preservative. Causes skin reactions. Imidazolidinyl urea is the second most identified preservative causing contact dermatitis. Some other names that are related to this preservative are: DMDM hydantoin, Quaternium 15, Diazolidinylurea, 2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1, 3-diol
Fragrances - Can contain up to 200 undeclared substances Major cause, in addition to artificial colours, of skin irritations and allergies. May cause dizziness, skin irritation and hyperpigmentation Dibutyl Phalate can be hidden in synthetic fragrance and you'll want to be sure to avoid that.
Isopropyl Alcohol - Drying agent, from petroleum.
Methylisothiazolinone - Causes allergic reactions and irritations
Mineral oil - petrochemical emollient. Watch for some derivatives like petrolatum, glyceryl stearate and cetyl alcohol. Although the later two can be also found in natural form. Make sure you know first before you buy.
Parabens Petroleum product. Triggers skin irritations and may be an xerestrogen. May play a role in falling sperm counts and rising breast cancer ratesUsed in 99% of all cosmetics and in many so-called 'natural' products.
Parraffin - Derived from petroleum. In the form of wax, mineral oil or petrolatum. Comedogenic, i.e.blocks pores.
Propylene Glycol - When derived from petroleum. Increases the amount of acid in the body, resulting in metabolic problems. Large amounts are needed to produce this effect (Agency forToxic Substances and Disease Registry or ATSDR, 2003).
Sodium laureth sulfate, sodium lauryl sulfate - Forms carcinogenic nitrogen compounds when combined with specific ingredients. Irritating to eyes, skin and lungs Harmful if swallowed and may cause damage to eyes
Tallow - Animal fat. Not suitable for vegans, and may be a skin irritant.

"Reading labels and recognizing problematic ingredients are necessary skills for a consumer who intends to choose products that are completely natural.

North Castle Farmers Market...Free Range Or Free Range Pasture? Does It Matter?

2010-03-23T16:23:00.003-04:00

You bet it does...With the Easter Bunny coming right around the corner I thought it would be a great idea to talk about EGGS. Actually choosing the right eggs. Do you know what free range means?
The USDA defines “free-range” as meaning “allowed access to the outdoors.” Unfortunately, for many “free-range” birds, this merely means that the factory farm leaves a tiny hatch on its shed open to a bare outdoor concrete yard for a certain number of minutes each day, yes I said minutes an “opportunity” the chickens have likely never even learned to take advantage of.

“Organic” refers solely to the certification of the birds’ feed and while it is certainly marginally better to buy factory-farm organic eggs than not, organic feed does not a healthy, happy chicken (or egg) make. You want to look for eggs that are “pasture-raised” from a farm near you. Pasture-raised is pretty much what it sounds like — they are eggs laid by hens that are raised with wide open access to pasture where they can scratch, peck, bask in the sun, eat and run around.

The eggs you will buy at your local farmers market will be fresher and more nutritious for you and your family, you will be supporting your local farmers and your local economy, and
the carbon footprint of your egg-consumption will be lower since they only have to be transported a short distance to reach you. You will be planting your dollars close to home. It doesn't get better then that.

North Castle Farmers Market...What Are Essentional Oils? My Favorite On Day Seven

2010-03-23T07:46:00.002-04:00

Welcome to Market Lady's seven days of those oh so good for you Essential Oils -

They are fragrant natural botanical extracts that possess many healing properties on both the physical and emotional levels, used in the ancient art and science of aromatherapy. An oil is "essential" in the sense that it carries a distinctive scent, or essence, of the plant. Essential oils do not as a group need to have any specific chemical properties in common, beyond conveying characteristic,. So what is Market Lady's favorite oil? I'll tell you on day seven.
Notice these lovely bars of soap. They are made with 100% natural ingredients using only the finest EO's. Market Lady knows because she makes her own soap. Don't these bars give you this strange urge to chomp down with massive, joy & lit delight. Can't you just imagine some swirly tops of blue lavender whip cream and a thick honey comb wedge of butter on the side...yesh I better snap out of it. I mean, I know it's just soap, but how gorgeous can you be? This is the kind of "soap" (remember the key word here is soap ) you want to use on your skin.
Unfortunately, a lot of beauty products, skin-care products, candles, and other products are improperly labeled with the term aromatherapy. This is especially common in products not purchased from a knowledgeable and reputable aromatherapy vendor. Some products labeled with the word aromatherapy contain fragrance or perfume oils or other synthetic ingredients. Always check the ingredients listed on the item you wish to buy. If the ingredients aren't listed or if it contains synthetics or perfume oils and you want a true aromatherapy product, don't buy it

Day One EO's....Neem Oil - Azadirachta indica - tree native to India, used extensively in Ayurvedic medicine, commonly referred to as the "village pharmacy", antiviral, antibacterial, antimicrobial, analgesic, anti fungal, anti-inflammatory, insect repellent, kills parasites, helpful for treating acne, dandruff, eczema, psoriasis, herpes, cold sores, ringworm, fungus, itching, diaper rash, skin cancer, wounds, and sunburn; use only organically grown neem

Market Lady uses this to ward off those pesky bugs while I watch my grandson play baseball, it really works and keeps my skin smooth at the same time.

The information presented here is for educational purposes only and is not meant to diagnose or treat any physical or emotional condition.

North Castle Farmers Market....Lavender For Fleas And Ticks Are You Kidding

2010-03-22T18:42:00.004-04:00

Market Lady says's Nope I'm not...In case you haven't figured it out Market Lady is passionate about "all natural products". So when it comes to my pets my passion spills right on over into their little lives I use only "all natural products". And please make no mistake there are natural products by law and then their is 100% natural. I choose not to front line my pets for fleas & ticks and yes I am very aware of Lyme Disease and how dangerous it can be. Never the less I use lavender essential oil to ward of those pesky critters. I just can't see taking that little tube of front line or advantage (all chemicals) and putting it directly into their blood stream. After all as a seasoned Gardner I have come in after a day in the garden with a tick on me and I wouldn't inject a chemical into my blood stream. So for my darling little pets I take the all natural way out. I use a cloth almost like a cloth diaper and keep soaking it with the lavender oil. Kinda of like your favorite dust cloth with furniture polish soaked into it. Then everyday from March to October I rub the cloth over their fur. No fleas and once in a blue I will find a tick but you will find a tick or two or three even when you use those nasty chemicals. I store my delicious smelling flea/tick cloth in a brown lunch bag and it stays nice and moist. Plus my dogs always smell wonderful.
Be sure to stop by and meet Ellen from North Winds Lavender Farm in Pawling NY when the market opens on May 20th.
North Winds Farm is situated on twenty-four secluded acres overlooking the Harlem Valley of New York, the Litchfield Hills of Connecticut, and the Berkshire mountains of Massachusetts. The unique location and higher-elevation micro climate is conducive to growing several varieties of lavender in a setting of natural beauty and sweeping views. North Winds Farm is a family owned lavender farm established in 2005. Their plan is to grow additional varieties every year, work with less hardy varieties in their greenhouse.

Ellen even cooks with lavender. I'm sure she will be happy to provide you with some wonderful culinary delights. Just ask her.

Watch for Market Lady's Seven Days Of Essential Oils and their benefits.

North Castle Farmers Market...Think About Adopting A Special Needs Pet!!!

2010-03-19T17:58:00.001-04:00

Hi, my name is Hammer.... I exist because someone, unintentionally or deliberately, allowed a Merle-to-Merle breeding. I am considered a "Lethal White" Australian Shepherd and I am not alone! I am blind and deaf. There are so many others just like me, everywhere. Most of the others, you will never see since they have already been put to death at pounds in every state because they were deemed "unadoptable", dropped off by owners who realized that those "pretty blue eyes" will never see. I, too, was considered unadoptable and scheduled to die. Fortunately for me, someone decided I was worth saving. That would be my new Mom, some call her Market Lady. I am safe now…but many others are not!

When two merled Aussies are mated together, the puppies will inherit either merled genes or nonmerled genes from their parents. Some puppies will inherit a nonmerled gene from each parent, resulting in a solid-colored puppy. Other puppies will receive a nonmerled gene from one parent and a merled gene from the other parent, resulting in merled puppies. The remaining 25 percent of the litter (one out of four puppies) will receive two merled genes, one from each parent. When Aussie puppies inherit two merled genes, the result is a double (defective) merled white. These puppies are almost white in appearance and may or may not have a few merling spots or diluted speckles. These individuals can have defective organs, and their hearing and sight are almost always impaired. In some cases, the eyes are not completed formed or the puppies have no eyes. The eye rims, lips, nose and pads are without pigment except where some merling is present. The defective merled whites occur in approximately 25 percent of the litter.

So won't you please open your hearts and home to a puppy or grown up dog like me. They call me special needs but I don't know what everyone is talking about. I eat, I run, I play, I love to walk on a leash, I give lot's of kisses and most of all I love to hang out by your side. Oh yeah, that potty thing that everyone worries about. Well I nailed it in no time flat, just like a sighted or a hearing dog. So now my name is Hammer, I live in NY and I'm loving life. Hope to see you (well maybe not see you, but feel your kind touch) at the market this spring. Mom says lot's of canine friends will travel through the market. Be sure to stop by the watering hole at the market for a mutt-ga-rita (it's really just water but we can wish can't we?) and say Hammer sent you. Happy almost spring everyone.
Please remember to spay and neuter your pets. Animal shelters exist because of irresponsible owners.

North Castle Farmers Market..What's In Our Kids Lunch Boxes?

2010-03-18T19:12:00.001-04:00

If this country is going to improve kids' health and turn the obesity epidemic around, it must start by serving more healthful meals in schools, where more than 30 million kids develop eating habits that will last a lifetime. That means scaling back high-fat, high- cholesterol foods linked to type 2 diabetes, obesity and heart disease and increasing consumption of higher fiber and nutrient-rich fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes. where do you find this food? You guessed it at your LOCAL FARMERS MARKET!!

Enough with the pizza, fries, tater tots, hot dogs and chicken nuggets. Serve your most precious possessions the real deal. Healthy food, shop local and support your local farmers.

Remember "Farm To Table Eating" do the right thing.

Shop Local Think Green

The North Castle Farmers Market...Parsnips Very Under-rated

2010-03-16T09:27:00.001-04:00

The parsnip is richer in vitamins and minerals than its close relative, the carrot. It is particularly rich in potassium with 600 mg per 100 g. The parsnip is also a good source of dietary fiber. 100 g of parsnip contains 55 Calories (230 kJ) of energy.
You can get this very under-rated veggie all winter long it loves the cold. Try em. Yum

North Castle Farmers Market...Be A Savvy Shopper

2010-03-16T09:19:00.001-04:00

Be A Savvy Shopper Know What You Buy...By Local

Deciphering PlU's ...What does the number on a fruit sticker mean?
Price Look-Up codes, commonly called PLU codes, PLU numbers or PLUs, are identification numbers affixed to produce and other products in grocery stores and supermarkets to make check-out and inventory control easier, faster, and more accurate.The code is a four or five-digit number, identifying the type of bulk produce, usually including the variety.
These little codes are used to identify fruits and veggies at the check out They tell you all you need to know about the produce you are buying. You will find 4 or 5 digits on the sticker. This is called a price look-up code. If you are a really a savvy shopper then you know that you can use these numbers to tell you how this produce was grown. It's very simple. If the number is for example 3112 a papaya or 4225 is a grapefruit this tells you that the produce/fruit is conventionally grown meaning that some type of fertilizer or pesticide was used during the growing season. When there are 5 numbers and the leading number is an 8 this would indicate that this product has been genetically modified. The FDA has yet to test these genetically modified and possibly human consumers. When there are 5 numbers and the leading number is a 9 we shout from the roof tops this means the product is an Organic grapefruit.
So Remember Be A Savvy Shopper
For conventionally grown fruit, (grown with chemicals inputs), the PLU code on the sticker consists of four numbers. Organically grown fruit has a five-numeral PLU prefaced by the number 9. Genetically engineered (GM) fruit has a five-numeral PLU prefaced by the number 8
It's that simple folks.

As always please remember to spay & neuter your pets , shop local & think green

Market Lady

North Castle Farmers Market...Market Lady Asks..What Is A Locavore?

2010-03-16T09:15:00.001-04:00

Definition: Someone who exclusively (or at least primarily) eats foods from their local or regional foodshed or a determined radius from their home. By eating locally, most locavores hope to create a greater connection between themselves and their food sources, resist industrialized and processed foods, and support their local economy. The majority of locavores do not give themselves a strcit radius from which to eat, but instead buy as much of their food as they can from farmers, growers, and sellers with whom they have a relationship or whose growing or producing practices appeal they want to support.

Many locavores give themselves several exceptions to their local diet. Commonly excluded items include coffee, chocolate, salt, and/or spices - although locavores tend to try and find local coffee roasters, chocolate producers, and spice importers when they can

Welcome From Local Market Lady.....It was a long tough road but we did it.

2010-02-23T13:23:00.039-05:00

We are now fortunate enough t0 have a Farmers Market in the Town Of North Castle beginning this spring.
We will be located in the parking lot behind Main Street on Kent Place in Armonk, NY
Our opening day will be Thursday May 20th at 3PM Rain Or Shine. We will be open every Thursday through October (maybe longer weather permitting.) Our hours will be Thursday's from 3 to 7PM

Be sure to set aside Thursday afternoons to gather with friends and neighbors and shop for locally-produced fresh food; stock up on seasonal fruits and vegetables, enjoy fresh-baked breads, pies, jams and other epicurean delights; or simply enjoy the social atmosphere of an outdoor market. Afterwards, be sure to stroll along Main Street and visit the many restaurants and shops that the charming Village of Armonk has to offer.