A book of verse beneath the bough,
A loaf of bread, a jug of wine, and thou
Beside me singing in the Wilderness –
Ah, wilderness were paradise enow!

It is a perfect time to enjoy farm fresh food and the beautiful surroundings of Bucks County and neighboring areas!  The simplest picnic emulates the French origins of this lovely tradition, dining al fresco on an outspread blanket with a loaf of bread, some local farm cheese, and a bottle of wine or a jug of fresh lemonade.

By Grace Romero
 
The Doylestown Farmers Market is a special place. Only one street block long, but inspired by its big idea - Buy Fresh, Buy Local. Saturday mornings from mid spring to late fall, our community gets the chance to shop here for the freshest harvest and handmade crafts. The turning of the seasons begins with cool spring veggies, root crops, and garden ready plant starts. Later the season brings us colorful bouquets, berries, sun-ripe peaches, squash, tomatoes, sweet corn and so much more. Get a jump on each early harvest of changing seasonal produce. 

Here is a super simple recipe for a special favorite, grilled peaches - local peaches are in-season now and are oh so delicious! 

Grill Season is in full swing! 
Get the top tips for grilling local veggies (abundantly available at your local farm or farmers market) here! Leftover grilled veggies are great reheated in the toaster oven with a lemon squeeze, layered on pizza, made into a wonderful sandwich with cheese, mayo or veganaise, or even blended into a sauce to add to a pasta sauce or marinara of your choice. You can never have too many grilled veggies!

Here is what our grant recipients are saying about the Small Farm Grant Program.

BCFA is so proud to offer farm tours as part of our mission to educate and connect consumers. We have visited over 27 different farms and shared meals and knowledge.  The two farms we have toured so far in 2019 were Tussock Sedge and Fulper Family Farmstead.  Although very different, both farms have cows in common.  

On average retirees between ages 65 and 74 have seven to eight hours of leisure time, according to data from the American Time Use Survey conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. You spend your working years wishing you had more free time, and then get overwhelmed by the bucket loads of free time and space that is dumped on you during retirement. Some spend most of this leisure time watching television, but a number of older adults in Bucks County take up gardening.  A hobby like gardening is ideal because you can alter it to fit you evolving retirement lifestyle. It can also be a way to keep you physically and mentally fit.