Westfield Farmers Market Newsletter Week of October 13th

With safety in mind, due to rain and expected high winds, the decision has been made to cancel the Market tomorrow, Oct. 13th.  Please come see us and shop at the final Market of the season on Oct. 20th!  Thank you.


For safety reasons, we ask that customers not enter the
Market grounds until the 12 noon opening bell.

For public health and safety, only service animals are permitted to enter the Market.

Parking for the Market
We know that parking has been challenging this season and we appreciate your patience while we work on easing the crunch in the back parking lot.  Market customers may not park in the lot at The Arbors next to the Market. That is private property, and reserved only for staff and visitors of The Arbors.  Any vehicles parked in the Arbors lot without permission are subject to being towed at the owner's expense. 
​ Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

Market Vendors

AeroGreen Urban Farm
Auntie Janet's Gifts
B's Breads
Been's Beans Coffee
​Commonwealth Care Alliance
Dept. of Children and Families
En3rgyUp Organic Juices
Galactic Hobo Hot Sauce
Mark's Clay Creations
Meadow Burn Farm

MSPCC
Pignatare’s Farm 
​Pitchfork Farm
​Plum Island Jams
​Rail's End Crafts
Ray's Family Farm
Relax Rinse Repeat
The Savoy
Sweet City
Sweet JJ's
Vlad's Fired Pizza
West Parish Orchard

Music at the Market

Linda O'Neil and Tom Boido
12pm-2:30pm

The Russellers    2:30pm-5pm

Vendor Spotlight: Vlad's Fired Pizza

​A family-owned business with fresh pizza
hand made on-site.
Vlad's is the talk of Westfield, with delicious pizza made to order.  Buy a slice (or two) to eat at the Market or a whole pie to bring home for supper.  
You can also find Vlad's on Wednesday and Friday
in the lot between the Olver Transit Pavilion and
Church Street Commons.

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     October is the month of painted leaves. Their rich glow  
  now flashes round the world. As fruits and leaves and the   day itself acquire a bright tint just before they fall,
so the year near its setting. October is its sunset sky;
November the later twilight

~Henry David Thoreau, "Autumnal Tints"

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Rachel’s Table provides food via the vendors and patrons of the Westfield Farmers' Market to "Reduce Waste and Relieve Hunger." Market customers may bring unexpired non-perishable items from home, or make fresh produce purchases for Rachel's Table the day of the Market, and bring them to the Market Table, where they will be held until pickup at the end of the day. Rachel’s Table volunteers will deliver to agencies that feed the food insecure in Westfield as well as further into Hampden, Hampshire or Franklin Counties. Your purchases will go far in alleviating hunger amongst our neighbors. 

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Recipe of the Week

Beef Stew in a Pumpkin
Adapted from Taste of Home

Ingredients

• 2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 cup water or stock
• 3 large potatoes,  cut into 1-inch cubes
• 4 medium carrots, sliced
• 3-4 parsnips, sliced
• 1 pound mushrooms of choice, rough chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 large onions, chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons beef bouillon granules or soup base
• 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 pumpkin (10 to 12 pounds)

​Directions

In a Dutch oven, brown meat in 2 tablespoons oil. Add water, potatoes, carrots, parsnips, mushrooms, garlic, onion, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for 2 hours. Stir in bouillon and tomatoes. Wash pumpkin; cut a 6 to 8 in. circle around top stem. Remove top and set aside; set seeds aside to roast later, and loosen fibers from inside.

Place pumpkin in a shallow sturdy baking pan. Spoon stew into pumpkin and replace top. Brush outside of pumpkin with remaining oil. Bake at 325° for 2 hours or just until the pumpkin is tender (do not overbake). Serve stew from pumpkin, scooping out a little pumpkin with each serving.

To roast the pumpkin seeds, preheat oven to 300, then wash off as much pumpkin string as possible, dry seeds with paper towel, and toss in a small bowl with oil (add spices or seasonings if desired.)  Place in one layer in a rimmed baking sheet, and roast for 20-30 minutes until browned and fragrant.  Sprinkle lightly with salt.