Help these folks get their cooking skills up to date! Teach a Cooking Class at Keefe Tech!

FRAMINGHAM, MA - The Joseph P. Keefe Regional Vocational School, (otherwise known as "Keefe Tech"), is looking for instructors for fall/evening adult continuing education cooking classes.

Instructors will teach one or two 1-night classes which will meet Monday through Thursday evenings from 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm between September 26th and December 15th, 2011 at Keefe Tech, 750 Winter St., Framingham, MA 01702.

Courses for almost any type of food preparation will be considered, but they are specifically interested in ...[read more]

Fresh produce from local family farms can be found at the Framingham Farmer's Market on the Village Green in Framingham Centre each Thursday from noon 'til 5:30pm throughout the summer and fall.

Framingham, MA - With a nationwide effort to eat healthier and to support local business and family farms, shopping at the Framingham Farmer's Market helps locals meet these goals.

The market, located on the Framingham Centre Common, (also known as "The Village Green"), will be open each Thursday afternoons from 12:00 noon until 5:30PM from June 9th through October 27th, 2011.

With fruits and vegetables, (some picked just hours before the market opens), local residents and Framingham visitors have a chance to ...[read more]

Shop at Whole Foods Framingham store on Tuesday, March 30, and your purchases also support New England Wild Flower Society's celebration of Earth Day at Garden in the Woods.

5% of the proceeds will be donated to New England Wild Flower Society.

NOTE: Earth Day at Garden in the Woods has FREE admission, special storytelling, Mother Earth, games, scavenger hunts, and more.

Stop by the Society's information table at Whole Foods Framingham on March 30 to learn more about Earth Day and all of the other activities planned by the Society for 2010.

Garden in the Woods Open to the Public April 15-October 31

FRAMINGHAM, MA - MicroTourism Event: Explore the Culture & Food of Brazil -- Saturday November 7th, 2009 starting at the Framingham Public Library come join us and experience a fabulous afternoon with Brazilian music, food and popular culture.

We are going to feature the famous Capoeira a unique mix of martial arts, music and dance at Framingham Public Library at 2pm. You will also learn some useful Portuguese expressions. Then, Brazilian guides are going to take the group on a short walk to visit the Old Station at Downtown Framingham for a blend of Brazilian culture, music and food.

Bring your famly and friends.  This event is FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

Program:
2:00 pm - Introducing the Brazilian Culture

• Learn some Portuguese expressions
• Watch a Capoeira Performance

3:00pm - Brazilian Food & Music

• Visit the Old Station at Downtown Framingham
• Taste some FREE Brazilian food at Cafe Belo
• Listen to Bossa Nova music
• Practice your Portuguese Brazilian

4:00pm  - Guides will bring participants back to the library

• Event ends.

For more information, please visit www.framinghamlibrary.org or call Michelle at (508) 5325570 ¨C Extension 4347.

FRAMINGHAM, MA -- Up until this season, I would have been inclined to think that a lot of rain would be good for such a water-heavy fruit as melons. Unfortunately, the converse is true.

All the early season rain has delayed the growth of melons and we are still watching to see if this will be the melon-prize week. We did have a few melons two weeks ago - that was the first crop's yield. The second crop, I'm told, will be larger and more satisfying - but when they will be ready for picking depends on the next few days' weather.

The farmers won't pick them if they are substandard - they only want to bring premium produce to the farmers' market. If a field taste determines more time on the vine is needed, then we will need to wait patiently for another week or so. In addition to melons, keep a lookout for another harvest of prune plums. Those should also be coming soon - hopefully this Thursday or the next.

Last week several of us panicked when the 12:30 opening holler came and went with no sign of our Hmong farmers. They did finally arrive, about 45 minutes later, bringing with them a fine selection of pea tendrils, watercress, mustard greens, amaranth, taioba, maxixe , thai basil and, my favorite - lemongrass. For those who missed them last week, rest assured that they plan to return with plenty more this week...and they're not expecting any further traffic delays (of course).

In addition to copious amounts of tomatoes, peaches, zucchinis, summer squash, beans, greens, eggplants, peppers, ground cherries and tomatillos, we'll also have our full, varied selection of cheeses, breads , baked goods, flowers and kettle corn. See you this Thursday!

Ernie Update: Ernie is still in the throws of harvest season but as he completes the harvest of first plantings, he is harrowing the finished fields and planting winter rye. This is a very busy time of year for him as he keeps up with the picking, plucking and pulling while tending to soon-to-be-harvested kohl crops and planting winter enrichment crops.

(Contributed by: Elizabeth Aurilio, Market Manager)