Wet Start to Belmont Farmers Market Season

Shoppers dodge the rain to fill bags with strawberries, bread, lobsters and frozen treats.

Raining and cool weather isn't the most ideal time to sell ice pops but for Cambridge's Dewey Cyr, the owner of Real Pops, the wet conditions didn't damper her enthusiasm selling paletas, a Mexican version of the good ol' Popsicle on opening day of this season's Belmont Farmers Market.  "I'm excited that I had people who didn't mind the rain and came over," said Cyr, who came to the market on Claflin Street a bit unprepared for just how cool the weather would be (a friend did come by with a coat later.) Cyr, who got her business going by raising approximately $7,700 from 200 donors through a Kickstarter challenge, sat by her trike that she rides around ("It's surprisingly difficult to steer," she said) her ice case that keeps her pops – …

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Belmont's Farmers Market 'Rings In' New Season Today

The 8th season for the all-volunteer organization.

They will be ringing the ceremonial "market bell" today at 2 p.m. as the Belmont Farmers Market will reopen for its eighth season. With the traditional brass fanfare from Nathaniel and Leah (and possibly Benjamin) Meyer – followed by a brass quintet composed of the Meyers and David Schwartz – Dan Tanabat, owner of the Thai restaurant Patou Thai, will cut the ribbon and ring the bell to start the season. Tanabat shops at the Market for the restaurant, hosts our annual Market dinner at the end of the season and brings out hot tea for vendors and volunteers on chilly fall days.  The market is located in the Claflin Parking Lot behind the stores in Belmont Center and will run until 6:30 p.m. in the summer. The market will remain open until …

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Belmont Farmers Market Opens Thursday, June 13

New collaborations with Belmont Public Library and Beth El Temple Center.

They will be ringing the ceremonial "market bell" next Thursday as the Belmont Farmers Market will reopen for the season June 13, at 2 p.m. The market is located in the Claflin Parking Lot behind the stores in Belmont Center and will run until 6:30 p.m. in the summer. The market will remain open until late October. The all-volunteer organization – named a Best of Boston winner by Boston Magazine – now in its eighth year features local fresh produce, cheeses, meats, fish, wine, baked goods, preserves, pasta, dips and teas.    This year the Farmers Market is partnering with the Belmont Public Library to host "Storytime at the Market" for children from two to five years old. Listen to a new story every week at 3:15 p.m. in the Market's event …

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Belmont Farmers Market Set to Open June 13

Belmont Food Collaborative will also hold a traditional ravioli making class on Town Day, May 18.

It's official: the award-winning Belmont Farmers Market, part of the Belmont Food Collaborative, will open for the 2013 season on Thursday, June 13, at 2 p.m. It's located behind the Belmont Center shops, in the municipal parking lot at Channing Road and Cross Street. Sign up for our weekly e-Newsletter to keep up with market news during the season atbelmontfarmersmarket.org, or e-mail belmontfarmersmarket@gmail.com. The Food Collaborative is also sponsoring a spinach and cheese ravioli-making class on Saturday, May 18, 3 p.m. to  6 p.m., at the First Church, Unitarian Universalist, 404 Concord Ave. Florence native Anna Tommasi Nathanson will lead the class through tasting the final product. Class size limited to 12. Fee: $40. Visit …

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Belmont Food Collaborative’s Fourth Annual Pomona Project Now Underway

Part of the effort to encourage Belmont residents to grow their own food.

With a blizzard prepares to leave the ground and Belmont gardens under up to two feet of snow, what better time then now to start thinking about what to plant into the soil come spring. The Belmont Food Collaborative, the parent organization of the Belmont Farmers Market, is sponsoring the fourth annual Pomona Project, which encourages residents to grow edible fruits and berries.  Varieties of strawberries, blueberries, currants, blackberries, raspberries and figs are on offer. New for this year will be sweet potatoes and herbs.  The Collaborative sells these easy-to-care-for edible landscaping plants at wholesale prices. The goal is to encourage people to learn about gardening and grow their own food so the Collaborative does not realize …

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Life in Belmont

On a High (Temperature) Note

Belmont High School's Julia Lenef performing at Belmont Farmers Market last Thursday.

No one would consider last Thursday afternoon at the Belmont Farmers Market to be the optimum conditions for playing a string instrument as the heat and humidity was rising to its own crescendo by 4 p.m. But for the market's shoppers and sellers, Julia Lenef brought relief from the oppressive heat by performing a series of selections for solo violin. The Belmont High School 11th grader played a number of recognizable works including The Humoresque No 7 in G Flat Major by Dvorak.

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Patch Facts

5 Things You Need to Know Today: July 5

Free evening concert at First Church, Farmers Market and pop up books released.

1. Come enjoy an evening of classical music by Brahms, Mozart, Debussy, Dukas, and Beethoven performed by faculty of Powers Music School’s summer chamber music program, Music on the Hill at 6:30 pm, at First Church in Belmont, Unitarian Universalist, 404 Concord Ave. No reservations are required for this free event. For more information call (617) 484-4696. 2. The Belmont Farmers Market will be held in the Claflin Street municipal parking lot behind Macy's from 2 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Occasional vendors Nutting Farm maple syrup, Wild Acres Inn (flowers, herbs, produce, plants), Something Sweet Without Wheat, Buttergirl Baking Co, Soluna Garden Farm (herbs, spices, teas) and Belmont's Janique's Madeleines will be there. Jazz guitarist and …

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Photo Gallery: Market Day! The Opening of Belmont's Farmers Market

Now in its seventh year, the season opened with wine, lobsters and music.

With the sound of the trumpet call from Beethoven's opera "Leonore" reverberating through the Claflin Street municipal parking lot, Belmont marked the return of Market Days. "Welcome to the seventh annual opening of the (Belmont) Farmers Market," proclaimed former Selectman Angelo Firenze as he cut the ceremonial strawberry ribbon Thursday afternoon, June 14, with the help of the Market's tomato mascot, Madeline Kitch who is entering the Chenery Middle School this September. And with the ringing of the market bell, the Belmont Farmers Market was open for business under a sunny sky and warming temperatures. There was a number of returning businesses, Belmont home-grown vendors and new merchants including a seafood and lobster enterprise, …

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Belmont Farmers Market Opens Today

New vendors including a fish monger will highlight new season.

The seventh season of the Belmont Farmers Market will get underway at 2 p.m. today, June 14, in the back of the Belmont Center parking lot. The award-winning market, a project of the Belmont Food Collaborative, will be officially opened by former Selectman Angelo Firenze as the opening bell will ring in the new year. This season will see many new vendors including C & C Lobsters and Fish from Hull. It is the first time the market has included a seafood vendor, doing so after the closing of Belmont institution Frankie's Catch of the Day. In addition, new to the market will be Dan's Brick Oven Bread of Richmond, NH, maple syrup from Nutting Farm of Montgomery, VT, Pat-O's Pickles of Groton, Something Sweet Without Wheat, gluten-free baked …

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Patch Facts

5 Things You Need to Know Today: Sept. 15

Big Band dance at the Beech, Chenery back-to-school night, a love fest at the Farmer's Market.

Five Things You Need to Know Today is a Patch column that provides readers with essential, daily information at a glance. Check back later for more, and let us know what you think of the new feature in the comments section. 1. Al Natale and his Classic Swing Orchestra return to the Beech Street Center as the Belmont Council on Aging celebrates the second anniversary of the opening of the Center with music and dancing from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Vocalists Sandi Bedrosian and Jim Bramante will join the orchestra performing music of the Big Band era. For reservations and questions, the phone number is 617-993-2970. 2. It's Back to School Night for 7th and 8th graders in the Upper School at the Chenery Middle School beginning at 7 p.m. Come visit! 3…

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