Celebrating Chinese New Year at the Market

This Sunday we celebrated Chinese New Year at the market. With the year of the Rabbit approaching on Thursday, February 3, we had kids that came by the info booth creating and designing paper plate rabbits and multi-colored paper lanterns. Paper plates, googly eyes, puff ball tails, and all of the crayons and markers were used for a blistery and successful day at the market.

Coming up- February 13, our Visiting Chef Series returns to the market with Chef Rich Sweeney from R-Gang eatery. He will base his menu on what is available at the market and show everyone how to prepare a tasty Valentine's meal for two! Come by the info booth next Sunday, February 6 for more details.

Stay Fresh! And as always, visit www.hillcrestfarmersmarket.com for all of your market information!

Sunday, January 23

Another beautiful Sunday to be at the market!

This week we used recyclable materials to teach market-goers fun ways to reuse things they already have at home and create fun projects. Using an easy template from the internet, the kids that came by the Information Booth used thick paper shopping bags from various grocery stores to make party hats. We used the art supplies that we've collected over the past months- crayons, markers, feathers, stickers, and secured the hats with twine, tying a bow under each persons chin as they finished decorating their hats.

Next week we'll be celebrating the new year (again) by ringing in the Chinese New Year- The Year of the Rabbit. Come to the Info Booth for fun facts about the new year, and create your own good luck charm.

As always, for everything else Hillcrest Farmers Market related, be sure to visit hillcrestfarmersmarket.com

Sunday, January 16th

What an awesome day! It was one by far one of the warmest and most beautiful days to be at the Hillcrest Farmers market this year!

We kicked off on Sunday with Arts & Crafts at the Info Booth- paper doll chains. Kids (and a few parents) used foam with a sticker backing to design outfits, along with crayons, markers, colored pencils, stickers, and even a few feathers.

Coming up soon at the market:

Sunday, January 30 - Chinese New Year Arts and Crafts. Come visit us at the Info Booth and help ring in the New Year.

Sunday, February 6 - Super Bowl Sunday at the Market! Pass through the Info Booth and let us know who your vote for the winning team is!

For everything else Hillcrest Farmers Market related, be sure to visit hillcrestfarmersmarket.com

Artist at the Market

Hillcrest hosted a live art demonstration and mini gallery last Sunday at the Farmers Market. The local artists that were featured were twin sisters, Nicole and Roxanne Mather. Nicole and Roxanne received their Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees from the University of California, San Diego. Their technique consists of acrylic and oil paintings on canvas and wooden material. This dynamic duo is community-oriented, beautifying local private and public spaces. Roxanne’s artwork will be featured in Hillcrest’s newest nightclub, Eden; available for your viewing pleasure at the club’s grand opening.

Our artists entertained us with their inspiring talents during a live art demonstration that took place throughout the entire market day. On-lookers stopped to watch them paint three creative and fun artworks and were able to look through their entire collection, they had plenty to choose from!

If you are interested in more of their work, contact Nicole or visit Roxanne's website!

Freshening Up The New Year @ The Market!

The Hillcrest Farmers Market kicked off 2011 with New Year’s resolutions arts and crafts. Both children and parents took part in creating a photo and frame of their New Year goals. They got to choose from Popsicle sticks, metallic dried noodles, fuzz balls, pipe cleaners, and more. Some goals included living freely, eating healthier, exercising more, and eating more pasta! It was a Happy New Year from the Hillcrest Farmers Market!

New Vendors at the Hillcrest Farmers Market!

There are a few new faces at the Hillcrest Farmers Market that you’ll be seeing each week. From seafood to cheeses these new vendors are sure to satisfy your taste-buds.

Poppa’s Fresh Fish Company, headed by Mark, offers delicious ready-to-eat treats such as shrimp and fish tacos, fresh sea urchins, and homemade ceviche. All prepared food is made with Poppa’s fresh seafood and fresh ingredients from other farmers market vendors. Alongside their prepared food Poppa’s offers fresh, never frozen, fish filleted right before the market. Dedicated to increasing the population of local seafood lovers, Mark is willing to give any market patron a quick tutorial on how to cook any piece of fish and recipes that work well. If you’re looking for a specific piece or type of fish Poppa’s also takes special orders. To learn more about Poppa’s Fresh Fish Company visit their Facebook page!

SonRise Ranch brings free-range chicken, beef, and pork to the Hillcrest Farmers Market. With many cuts available visitors are sure to find what they want. All the beef products have been one-hundred percent grass-fed from start to finish and all products have no antibiotics or hormones. The ranch prides itself on its self-sustaining, rotational feeding model where the different animals are put to roam at varying times in the same pastures.

TASTE Artisan Cheese will be providing the Hillcrest Farmers Market with an assortment of cheeses each week. Mary, who runs the booth, warns not to come expecting a certain cheese as the product offering will change each week. To see what cheeses will be offered each week join the TASTE mailing list on their website. The two cheeses that Mary does promise to have in stock every week are ricotta and burrata. Wondering how you will get your cheese before it sells out and needing time to shop further at the market? No worries, TASTE provides a “Park your Cheese” service where they will keep your purchased cheese cool until you have finished the rest of your shopping.

Make sure you visit these and all the other vendors at the Hillcrest Farmers Market each Sunday from 9am-2pm!

Hillcrest Streetcar Proposals

The Hillcrest Farmers Market welcomed a group of UCSD Urban Studies students this past Sunday in order to hear proposals of bringing a streetcar to the Hillcrest area. With their presentation set up along the walkway in front of the information booth plenty of market patrons stopped to hear about what a streetcar could bring to the the neighborhood. Alleviating traffic and parking issues, allowing for a convenient way to reach downtown, and adding some interest to the area were all cited as some reasons why a streetcar could be beneficial to Hillcrest.

While parents looked at the students' research, children were able to create pictures and drawings of what they thought the streetcar design should look like.

Check out upcoming Holiday events occuring at the Hillcrest Farmers Market at: www.HillcrestFarmersMarket.com!