Don't forget: Ice cream at Atherton Saturday

The South End Churn-Off takes off Saturday (as in, tomorrow) at the Atherton Market, sponsored by the market, Charlotte Center City Partners and the Common Market.

This is a contest focusing on homemade ice cream makers, who will start churning at 11 a.m. with tasting and judging beginning at noon. A panel of judges will pick first, second and third, with $150 in prizes at stack. There's also a People's Choice award that tasters can decide.

New hours coming for Atherton Market

The Atherton Market at Atherton Mills, near Tremont Avenue on South Boulevard, has turned into a thriving urban market with local food producers. The only trouble is trying to remember the darn hours: Is it Tuesday mornings/Wednesday afternoons? Wednesday mornings/Tuesday afternoons? And what time does it open on Saturdays?

Manager Lynn Caldwell has heard your cries for relief. Starting Aug. 7, the market will be open five days a week: That's 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesdays and 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday. Some of the vendors, such as Monk's Coffee, Cardais Gourmet and the Simply Local stand, which carries artisan food and dairy products from all over the state, will be there every day. Others may have things stored on site or will choose when to be there.

It's too soon what the busiest days will turn out to be. "At this juncture, we'd just like to see what the ebb and flow will be -- when people want to shop," says Caldwell. She's setting it up so she can expand hours if needed down the road. And these hours will continue through the winter.

If you haven't been by, stop in and see what's happening. You have more chances to do that now.

Don't miss these at the farmers markets

You'd think all that fresh food getting ripe would be enough reason to turn out at a farmer's market. But they're cramming in special events, too. A roundup:

The Matthews Commmunity Farmer's Market will have Tomato Tasting Day on Saturday from 9 to 10:30 a.m. They'll have 30 varieties for tasting and you can vote on your favorites. In other MCFM news, the Tuesday Twilight Market has officially ended, but some farmers apparently to keep coming out on Tuesday evenings at 6:30 for as long as customers keep coming. You know what to do. 208 N. Trade St., Matthews. 7:15 a.m.-noon Saturdays.

The 7th Street Public Market has a whole list of special events: July 28 from 11-2 p.m. is Sweet Saturday, with a focus on sweet treats. Aug. 4, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., is Totally Tomatoes. Aug. 11, they're having a Back to School party, and Aug. 18 from 10-11 a.m. is something called the Great Cookie Crumble.
In addition, they're adding a weekly Thursday night wine tasting at Bond Street Wines from 4:30-7 p.m. Cost is $10 and can be applied toward any purchases.
The Public is in 7th Street Station; parking is free if you take your ticket inside and remember to stamp it.

Atherton Market, 2104 South Blvd., has several things coming up: You need to register in advance to enter the South End Ice Cream Churn-Off Aug. 4. It's free and open to the public, but you have to register by Aug. 1. Get details and an application at southendclt.com.
Also on the hook: Dan Huntley, AKA Dan the Pig Man, will return with a series of grilling and barbecue demos starting Aug. 11. Track Atherton stuff on their Facebook page.

At the Davidson Farmer's Market, Saturday is the third annual Salsa Showdown. Contestants have to buy all their ingredients at the market and then have 90 minutes to make their salsas. Tasting and voting starts at 10 a.m. Winner gets $25 in market bucks. That market is behind the stores on Main Street; to get there, turn right on Jackson Street and look for the parking lots with the red trucks on the signs.

Finally, wouldn't it be great if we had a local winner in American Farmland Trust's annual America's Favorite Farmer's Market Contest? Atherton came in third last year, but we have a lot of worthy contenders. I won't lobby for a market, but I'll lobby for you to vote: Go here. Deadline is Sept. 3.

Atherton Market: Eat pancakes for firefighters

What's better than helping a firefighter? Well, nothing, actually. Supporting firefighters is right at the top of our good-things list. But helping a firefighter by eating pancakes is pretty great, too.

The Atherton Market will hold the second annual Firefighters Pancake Breakfast Saturday morning (as in tomorrow morning, June 16). It benefits the Charlotte Fire Department Auxiliary, a nonprofit that helps take care of firefighters and their families when bad stuff happens.

From 8:30 to 10:30 a.m., you can spend $5 to get an order of pancakes, toppings that will be "as locally sourced as possible," coffee and juice. Firefighters and fire trucks also will be present.

In other Atherton developments, keep an eye out for an announcement on new market hours, coming soon. In the meantime, market hours are currently 3-7 p.m. Tuesdays, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Wednesdays and 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays. And the address is 2104 South Blvd., near Tremont, in the Atherton Mill complex.

Really big news for Atherton Market

It seems like new things are happening every week at the Atherton Market in SouthEnd. With manager Lynn Shanklin Caldwell's energy, something is always in the works.

But this one makes me really, really happy to announce: Starting Tuesday (yes, that's today), the Atherton Market has EBT readers, allowing people with government-issued food benefits (AKA food stamps) to shop at the market.

Maybe that doesn't sound like a big deal, but trust me -- it is. I've reported a lot over the years on food access and food regulation. To get this one, a market has to navigate all the mazes of the USDA, it has to have electricity and infrastructure, and it has to have vendors who agree to work with the program.

But when it comes to solving the issue of food deserts - neighborhoods with little or no access to affordable, fresh, healthful food - having small markets with EBT access is important.

"It was a year and a half in the works," Caldwell said Tuesday when I called to congratulate her on her tenacity. "It took a year and a half for the stars to align." With the Atherton Market's urban location, close to at least two low-income housing developments, it has the potential to get fresh, locally grown food in the hands of people who really need it. As far as I know, the Atherton Market and the Davidson Farmers Market are the only local farmers markets that have the EBT program.

In the meantime, Caldwell is charging ahead with other things at Atherton. In addition to several new stores, including the Spice Market and Simply Local (which now carries low-heat pasteurized milk from Homeland Creamery, btw), they're finishing construction on an expansion and getting ready to announce expanded hours. The market, 2104 South Blvd., is currently open 3-7 p.m. Tuesdays, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Wednesdays and 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday.

To keep up with all the new stuff happening over there, friend the market on Facebook. And if you see Lynn Caldwell, tell her she did good.

Charlotte food news: What's coming up

What's coming up, going on or taking off in Charlotte food in the next few days:

• Get your farmer's market food shopping done this Saturday: Several markets, including Atherton in Southend, the Matthews Community Farmer's Market and the Davidson Market, are closed Dec. 24 for Christmas Eve. UPDATE: The Charlotte Regional Farmers Market, 1801 Yorkmont Road, will be open Dec. 24 until 2 p.m., although some farmers have already announced they won't be there that day. Manager Frank Suddreth says the market also will be open Dec. 31, although it might close early.
  
• Get your latkes on, Saturday at the Atherton Market, 2104 South Blvd. Bill Averbach of the popular Pickleville stand, will do a command demonstration of last year's latke cooking demonstration, at 10 a.m. and noon. Get your food shopping done: The market will be closed next Saturday for Christmas Eve.
• If you're looking for food gifts with a local flavor, the Harvest Moon Grille at the Dunhill, 237 N. Tryon St., is running a mini-holiday market from noon to 6:30 p.m. weekdays until Dec. 23. Look for things like bacon brittle, biscotti, pepper or raspberry jam, sausage, molasses-brined smoked ham and more.

Wilco wants you to help with local food

Chicago band Wilco is supporting the latest Farmer Foodshare Challenge. Farmer Foodshare is a program that started in the Triangle to get donations of money or fresh food to use for community efforts to feed the hungry.

Starting Sept. 24, Wilco will challenge shoppers at 10 markets, including the Atherton Mill and Market in Charlotte, 2104 South Blvd., to donate money to support Farmer Foodshare.

Unfortunately, Wilco won't actually be at the market in Charlotte: They're playing the Raleigh Amphitheatre on Sept. 27, the same day they're releasing a new album, "The Whole Love." But if you donate to Farmer Foodshare at Atherton on Sept. 24, you get a free Wilco tote bag. The market organizers are hoping you'll fill the bag with food and drop it off at the Farmer Foodshare Donation Station at the front of the market. Wilco will donate proceeds from the sale of show posters to Farmer Food Share.

So far, the Atherton Market has 500 pounds of fresh food for Friendship Trays and the Dilworth Soup Kitchen. With the Wilco promotion, the market hopes to double that.

In other Atherton market news, Savory Spice Shop, a franchise based in the Denver, Colo., area, plans to open in the market in November. Savory Spice Shop, which also has a location in Raleigh, carries more than 400 freshly ground herbs and spices, 140 hand-blended seasonings, organic selections and gift sets.

The Atherton Mill and Market, in the former Charlotte Trolley Barn in the Historic South End, near South Boulevard and Tremont, is open 3-7 p.m. Tuesdays, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Wednesdays and 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays.

Share your food at the Atherton Market

If you go by the Atherton Market, 2104 South Blvd., on Saturday, you'll be able to see a new project: The Farmer Foodshare Donation Station.

(And if you go to the Atherton Market today, remember that it'open from 3-7 p.m. Tuesdays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Wednesdays and 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays.)

At the Farmer Foodshare Donation Station, shoppers can donate fresh food bought from the stalls or cash that volunteers will use to buy fresh food. The food will go to Friendship Trays, the Dilworth Soup Kitchen and Urban Ministries.

The Farmer Foodshare program is already operating at Carrboro Farmers Market near Chapel Hill. Since May 2009, farmers and shoppers have provided more than 41,078 pounds of food to feed the hungry.

As a regular farmers market shopper, I have to say this one is a great idea. I'd happily buy two heads of cauliflower instead of one, or an extra bucket of peaches to make sure somebody else's family gets to eat fresh, locally grown food.

To help the program get started, Harvest Moon Grille will host a dinner Monday with Joe Kwon of the Avett Brothers helping out in the kitchen. A percentage of the proceeds will be used get Farmer Foodshare off to a good start. Reservations are strongly recommended. There are no tickets, just the usual cost of dinner entrees, which usually runs from $16 to $25. Get more details here.

Local food fans: Smile and say cheese

There's great food all over this state -- but who can do the driving to gather it all?

LynnErin Tyler of Charlotte has a new idea to take care of it, Simply Local at the Atherton Market in SouthEnd, 2104 South Blvd. The idea is that she'll get locally made foods from around the state and sell them at the market.

She's starting off with cheeses because there is such a demand for dairy products, including Ashe County cheeses, cow's milk cheeses from Holton Hollow Dairy near Statesville (that's a wedge of their cheese above), Bosky Acres and several others. She's also got a few products such as Imladris jams and jellies (fans of Walter, rejoice). She's hoping to add more products and she'll eventually expand from a table near the front to a larger space that the market is building for her.

She also hopes that her stand will enable farmers who can't be at the market for all three days to leave some of their goods with her to handle the sales. She's doing some of the driving to get food herself, and she's also teaming up with services like Leading Green.

"It's like a small retail grocery outlet," she says. "Each day, I learn something new about what's available." Prices for the cheeses range from $5 to $8; a 1/2 pound block of Holton Hollow is $8.

Look for LynnErin and Simply Local at the market, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays, 3-7 p.m. Tuesdays and 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Wednesdays. Elsewhere in farmers market world, this is the last weekend for winter markets at the Matthews Community Farmer's Market, off N.C. 51 in downtown Matthews. Next Saturday, April 9, marks the return of regular hours -- and another step in the market's evolution. There was such a good turnout for the off-weeks this winter that the market is now going to stay open year-round, even in winter. If you stop by tomorrow, you can celebrate by helping Pauline Wood and her crew put up the tents and get spiffed up for next week's return to a full market.