"A Farewell To Farms"

We need your help to spread a very important message. The Farmers Market sets up in Market Square for its final 2011 appearance this Thursday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Which is why we need your  help in a couple of ways. First of all, we want everyone to crowd the Square to help us bid "Happy Winter" to all our good friends who've treated us to some of the best, freshest and most delicious locally grown and produced veggies and fruits, dairy products, meats, wines, desserts and other garden and kitchen delights. But the end is near. Very near. Which is why we need your help to get out the word that the Farmers Market's last day is here.

So, right now, grab your smart phone, press the home button on your iPad or just start pecking away on your computer. Because we need you to tweet, e-mail, text or reach out to your 100 very best Facebook friends forever so that they don't miss the Farmers Market 2011 curtain call this Thursday. Okay, you can hit the send button.

While the Farmers Market is packing up for the year, you can stock up on ingredients for all those cold-weather, comfort food meals that will be on your menu in the months ahead. For a quick and easy dinner after a long, winter's day, there's nothing faster than dried pastas and tomato sauce. You see, there's a little bit of something for everyone and every taste at the Farmers Market. Beets, carrots, potatoes, onions and other hearty veggies will keep for a long, long time if stored in a cool, dry, dark place. And beans, peppers and brussels sprouts keep their just-picked flavor even when you pop them in the freezer for a few months (just blanche first in boiling water).  It's a great way to enjoy the tastes of summer way past the season.

Let's talk about holidays. The Farmers Market is the perfect one-stop, shopping spot for your turkey day dinner table. From a smoked salmon appetizer to so many varieties of squash for side dishes, there's a cornucopia of choices to celebrate the many blessings of family and friends. Choices that will keep! If you're looking for an alternative to turkey, you can pick up a couple lamb steaks to toss on the grill. And if you're planning for holiday festivities a little further down the road, don't forget to take home some ground lamb for a slow-cooked pot of chili — topped off with some kicking goat cheese (it freezes great!) — for your New Year's Eve party. And while you're reaping the last of the season's harvest in the Square, fill up your reusable shopping bag with a true Pittsburgh favorite — peirogies! And, yes, it's the very last chance to satisfy your sweet tooth with some of the city's absolutely tastiest, freshest dessert table delights from All-American fruit pies to authentic Greek pastries.

So, bring a big bag, maybe a freezer bag (or run to CVS) and join us in the Square this Thursday for the last call for the 2011 edition of the Farmers Market. And get ready to serve some local bounty this holiday season!

Farmers Market In The Square Extended

Let's just say that the Farmers Market in Market Square has a way of growing on you. Which is why we're really happy to tell you that the bounty of fresh foods — plus bushels of pastries, Greek treats, pierogies and other goodies — will continue to take root in Market Square through the end of the year.

After talking with the vendors we added another six weeks or so to the selling season. Some of you may remember that the year before construction we went through December too, with one of the longest outdoor market seasons in the City.  Last year we cut it short due to construction in the Square, but this year we're back!  And that means you'll be able to stock up on supplies for Turkey Day and other special occasions throughout this holiday season.

Speaking of the holidays, friends of the Farmers Market might just notice that a few special festive touches in the Square as work crews begin installing the 143,268 lights that will twinkle, blink and dazzle everyone who visits the Square during our very first Market Square Season of Lights extravaganza, funded by Colcom Foundation. The amazing LED display will flash and sparkle and add an extra-special glow to the Square — with synchronized shows every evening — through the holiday season and into the new year.

Now, we're certainly basking in  this week's hot spell and even spotted more than a few folks dining al fresco in the Square during lunch. But keep in mind that after this Wednesday, our Clean Team will be moving most of the tables and chairs from the center of the Square to the storage room to make way for Light Up Night festivities on November 19 and 20. After that, a few of the tables and chairs will return for the winter, so you still have a brief escape from the office and good people watching!

So whether you're looking for some local veggies for the holiday dinner table or an afternoon treat to satisfy your sweet tooth, the Farmers Market in the Square is where you ought to be.

Second Helpings Of Square Meals

If you didn't catch last week's Toyota Farm to Table caravan during its stop in Market Square, we're hoping you stop by today during the Farmer's Market for a taste of what you missed.

Because so many people told us how much they enjoyed the Farm to Table feast in the Square we decided to cook up something special for you. Why not bring a chef home with you!  Well, in spirit, at least.  Via the recipes you sampled last week!

Today you'll have the chance to cook like Bill Fuller, executive chef of Big Burrito Restaurant Group —  the savvy restaurateurs who run Mad Mex, Eleven, Casbah and so many other great eateries around town.  Treat friends and family with a healthy and delicious gaspacho a la Casbah and astonish your coworkers when you pull out your brown bag lunch of Thai Melon Salad.  They'll say, "Oh, leftovers from Soba?" And you'll say, "Oh this? Just a little salad I whipped up with some things I picked up at the farmers market. I like to eat local."


Of course, you don't have to limit your palate pleasures to the recipe of the day. Each week the Farmer's Market delivers a harvest bounty of fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, herbs and spices and cheeses — plus a smorgasbord of hot, prepared foods that Pittsburghers love. And top it all off before you head back to work or home, don't forget a little desert in the form of pastries, homemade fruit pies or a slice of yummy cake.

So if you're hungry today for some of the freshest, most delicious food in Downtown — prepared by one of the city's best chefs — stop by Market Square for the Farmer's Market. We'll see you there.

PS   a heads up on today's concert schedule: the Star 100.7 and KDKA is sharing the spotlight with a local foundation that works with youth in our community.  Local blues band Billy the Kid will perform 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. followed directly with the MGR Foundation's Youth Rally.

A Bumper Crop In The Square

You already know that local farmers set up their stands in the Square every Thursday through the summer and early fall. But yesterday's Farmer's Market delivered an especially abundant harvest of wholesome, natural goodness when the Toyota Farm to Table Tour rolled into the Square. This treat was extra special because Pittsburgh was selected as just one of the 11 cities on this exclusive, cross-country celebration of those who toil in the fields to put outstanding fresh food our tables, and the chefs that spread the good word of locally grown food.

It was a great way to shine the spotlight on local farmers and on the chefs that celebrate local food in their restaurants everyday. The chefs whipped up special dishes made with the freshest ingredients gathered from the familiar faces you see each week in the Square. If you were there, you know this alfresco feast served up something for nearly every appetite from the zesty, refreshing gazpacho to the oh-so yummy sweet potato pierogies.  We're certainly taking some of those ideas to heart. Who would think to pair smoked salmon with gouda and berry compote?  Delicious! Or to put warm, crispy, locally-smoked bacon on top of a refreshing summer salsa? Whether you got ideas for your next dinner party or put a new restaurant on your "must try" list, it was a day of sweet possibilities!  And underlying it all was the knowledge that shopping locally is good for our regional economy and good for the environment.  What's not to love?!

In between bites, the lunchtime crowd signed up to take a spin around the Square in a 3rd generatio Toyota Prius (due out in 2011), a hybrid Camry or a hybrid Highlander SUV. Earth friendly to be sure, these vehicles also are easy on the budget too, thanks to a combination of gas and electric engines that save on fuel on the road and at the pump. Even better, everyone who took a test ride got to take home a special gift — a John Boos cutting board. A favorite of professional chefs around the world, the Boos boards sell for hundreds on dollars in stores and online. Even if you're not ready for your own show on the Food Network, a Boos board can make you feel like a star in your own kitchen.

After tasting the glories of local chef + local food, the Toyota staff passed out fresh herbs just right for keeping a little bit of the market on your kitchen window sill. When you think about it, that's a great gift for those of us who are all thumbs — and none of them green — when it comes to gardening.

Sure, the food was great. And Prius and Highlander rides were fun. But what really hit the spot for us was when one happy lady from Pleasant Hills stopped us to say this was one of the best times she's had Downtown in a long time — and that she would be back for second helpings of the Farmer's Market in the Square soon.

Market Square Farmers Market
Farm to Table Tour

If you loved tasting all that local food, you won't want to miss PASA's 100% Grass Fed Beef Cook Off this Saturday.  Tickets for non-members are only $20.  What better way to spend a gorgeous weekend than hanging out at a beautiful farm, meeting local chefs and foodies, and feasting on the bounty of our region!  (And when you return you may have some great ideas for the grass fed beef available at our market!)

Farm to Table - Local Chefs and Local Food Tomorrow!

By now you know that a little bit of "Green Acres" comes to the Square every Thursday when the Farmers Market rolls into Downtown. But tomorrow's food fest brings an extra special harvest to Pittsburgh when the second annual Toyota Farm to Table Tour parks itself in the Square from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Along with all the familiar faces you'll see at the Farmers Market selling fresh produce, Greek goodies, fantastic flowers and more, the Tour will bring out some of the city's top chefs so that you can sample some of the most delectable dishes to come out of their kitchens — made with ingredients from our market. The menu du jour features these culinary masters:

• Kate Romane of the Enrico Biscotti Company
• Mark Swomley from The Carlton
• Ted Jude from The Fairmont Hotel's Habitat Restaurant
• Jason Capps of Market Square's Bella Sera Urban Trattoria
• Sonja Finn from Dinette
• Andrew Hebson of the Somona Grille
• Keith Fuller from Six Penn Kitchen
• Bill Fuller of the Big Burrito Group

And to make this mid-summer bounty of tasty treats even  more enticing, you can test drive one of Toyota's three hybrid models and take home a special John Boos cutting board.  They will also be giving away locally-grown fresh potted herbs to add a little zest and zing to your home cooked meals.

Check out the details at Toyota's Farm to Table site or at our site.

To tempt your palate: Market Square Weekly Farmers Market returns soon!

Your lunch break is about to get a lot more delicious... The Thursday Market Square Farmers Market is returning this June for its sixth year in the new Market Square.

Starting Thurs., June 3, Market Square will be bustling with local vendors selling all things tasty from the center terrazzo -- fresh produce, smoked meats, authentic salsas, decadent baked goods and even flowers and wine to keep on hand for a romantic weekend.

The farmers market will be a great time to stop by and check out Pittsburgh's newest public space -- stroll over, pick up some pierogies and baklava, and enjoy your international lunch in a piazza with a truly international feel (the whole place is oriented to pedestrians rather than vehicles). 

The Market Square farmers market will be open each Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. all summer and into the fall -- the market doesn't wrap its season until Nov. 18, the week before Thanksgiving.

The Thursday Market Square Farmers Market will feature all your favorite vendors from last year.  See the full list of vendors on our website, DowntownPittsburgh.com.

And a new addition this year for you fromage fans: Clover Creek Cheese Cellar, which sells artisan cheeses made with Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture-Certified grass-fed raw milk. Customers will also be able to special order grass-fed beef.

If delicious food is not enough to get you to the new Market Square, there will also be live music, brought to you by Star 100.7 and KDKA Radio. So you've got no excuse not to check it out. We'll do a special blog post next week with this summer's performers. 

And keep in mind, you don't have to wait until June 3 to find farm-fresh foods Downtown. The Citiparks Farmers Market opened last Friday, May 14 at the City-County Building on Grant Street. It runs 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Friday.

For up-to-the-minute updates on all things Pittsburgh, follow Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership on Facebook and Twitter.

Last Day for Farmers Market

Today is your last chance this year to visit the Market Square Farmers Market!

We'd like to take this opportunity to thank this year's sponsor:

Right By Nature

Locally owned and operated, Right By Nature is a full service natural foods store.  They make healthy, natural, and organic food available at its freshest and at the lowest prices possible. They secure as much product as possible directly from the source, be it the ranch, farm, bottler, or preparer and they do it with in house staff which limits overhead and builds strong community relationships.

In addition to the Market Square Farmers Market, Right By Nature sponsors several locally based charities with donations of food, time, sponsorships, and by supporting events such as, Earth Day, the Pittsburgh Marathon, and Pittsburgh Bike-a-thon. On Tuesdays they host Neighborhood Nights where we invite a particular Pittsburgh neighborhood into the store for a talk centering around natural foods and offer those members of that neighborhood a 5% discount on their purchases.

As the holiday season begins with Thanksgiving next week, it's the perfect time to visit Right By Nature and treat your family!  To learn more about their fresh local products, view their cafe menu,  or to download their weekly sale circular, visit their website at http://www.rightbynature.net/.

We thank Right By Nature for supporting the Market Square Farmers Market and providing the Downtown community with a nearby option for fresh, local, natural foods.

Discounts & Gift Certificates!

RAFFLE
1902 Landmark Tavern and Bella Sera on the Square gift certificates

Enjoy the gorgeous weather and visit the Farmers Market!  The brussel sprouts have finally arrived (Come on, its not just me! Someone else out there must be excited about that, too!).  You can even see how they grow on their stalks, although their fluffy top leaves have been trimmed for transport. 

Each time you buy from a vendor you get a raffle ticket.  Winners picked this afternoon.  So get some pierogies, kielbasa and pie to finish off your brussell sprout meal! I know the Port Authority Construction just changed but pedestrian access is exactly the same as its been all summer.  So visit the market and take a saunter under the trees in Gateway Plaza on this gorgeous fall day.

COUPONS
Only 2 weeks left to use the Construction Coupon for Market Square merchants.  You can download it here.

And Dunkin Donuts has a new coupon up on the Market Square pages of the PDP website (scroll to the bottom).

Win the Good Stuff!

Fall Favorites: squash, sweet potato pierogies, pumkin bread, unusual varieties of apples, and more!

BONUS: Just to say thank you, when you buy from a vendor you get a raffle ticket! All through October win prizes just by shopping.  Last week Tina and Nina won gift certificates to Bella Sera on the Square, the City's first green-certified restaurant, opening in Market Square at the end of the month.

This week's prizes are donated by Franktuary, a gourmet hotdog shop located in the heart of Downtown. You can support your local food providers even in the middle of winter by grabbing a Locavore. The Locavore is a grass-fed, nitrate-free, all-beef frankfurter from Ron Gargasz Organic Farm of Volant, PA. When you order, you just ask for a Locavore and pick your style dog (maybe a Pittsburgh Locavore, with smooshed pierogie and coleslaw). Other local products you'll find at Frantuary: soda from the Natrona Bottling Company, pretzels from the Southside Pretzel Shop, and Miller's Mustard.

Thanks to Bella Sera on the Square, Franktuary, and 1902 Landmark Tavern for supporting the Market Square Farmers Market!  Remember, the more vendors you visit, the better your chances of winning!

Raffle at the Farmers Market - all through October

Win a gift certificate just by shopping like you normally do!

For the rest of October, every time you buy something from a vendor at the Market Square Farmers Market, you get a raffle ticket.  Buy from five vendors and you get five tickets.  At the end of each market day we will draw two winners.  Prizes will be gift certificates to various Market Square and Buy Fresh, Buy Local restaurants Downtown.

Todays prizes are donated by Bella Sera on the Square. 

Slated to open at the end of the month, this will be the City's first green certified restaurant!  Lunch will be fast and casual, with sandwiches, soups, pastas, etc.  In the evening the lights go down and the music goes up, with a great wine and beer list, throw-back cocktails with a twist, and the delicious appetizers Bella Sera and Greco's Catering is known for.

For more info on the vendors at the farmers market, check the market out on the PDP website.  Other Buy Fresh, Buy Local information can be found through PASA and the Good Food Neighborhood.

So get out of your building and enjoy all the great fall products at the market, while the sun is out and the air is brisk and refreshing!

Quick reminder for Thursday: Market moved!

Due to construction, the farmers will spend the rest of the season in Gateway Plaza (next to The Hilton Pittsburgh).

Come gather up summer's bounty!

Farmers Market Moves to Gateway Center Today!

All your favorite vendors, just in a new spot...only 2 blocks away from Market Square!

We will continue in this temporary location through mid-December. Next summer we'll be back in the newly renovated Market Square!

Temporary Home for Downtown Pittsburgh Farmers Market

We understand that construction can be frustrating to Downtown workers, residents and visitors but despite the barricades, road closures and machinery, it's all part of improving Downtown Pittsburgh. If you haven't already noticed, renovations have commenced in Downtown's historic Market Square. While there will be some inconveniences due to construction, all your favorite Market Square merchants are still open for business! Just remember, temporary inconvenience = long-term improvements Downtown.

Due to the construction in Market Square, the Farmers Market will have a temporary home at Gateway Plaza (near Three Gateway Center and The Hilton where the Three Rivers Arts Festival Artists Market happens) beginning Thursday, Aug. 20. Same time, same great merchants! Come out and enjoy fresh homemade pies, salsa, wine, gourmet foods, over 50 varieties of produce, beautiful flower arrangements and more!