Two clicks and your vote can help the Market!

The Power of Community – Phoenix Style!  Help create sustainable living practices in our community: Arizona Homegrown Solutions (AZHS) http://azhomegrownsolutions.ning.com/ has been selected as one of 41 finalists across the country for a chance to win $20,000 through a grant from Tom’s of Maine. The funds would allow AZHS to install 4 water harvesting cisterns at area non-profits, including the Phoenix Public Market. The grant would also provide green job training for underserved populations and free water harvesting classes for the public. 

There will be only five winners, chosen by popular demand. So AZHS needs YOUR help now please to vote once each day (on any internet devices you have access to!) until Sept 10th so they can win. Go HERE to vote: http://www.tomsofmaine.com/community-involvement/living-well/finalists-overview/poll and scroll down to Arizona Homegrown Solutions, Phoenix Arizona. Every vote counts and will help make sustainability more accessible for everyone.

More voting opportunities: This one ends Aug. 31. Vote for your favorite market: The Phoenix Public Market is Number 15 in the country – large market category thanks to you! http://action.farmland.org/site/PageNavigator/Americas-Favorite-Farmers-Markets/best_local_farmers_market_vote

Wednesday Market: Stop in the Urban Grocery and Wine Bar for a wine tasting featuring Canelo Hills, Rancho Rossa and Oak Creek Vineyards. Market vendors include Relish This, Especial Tuna, Short Dog Hot Dogs, Torched Goodness’ crème brule, Crow’s Dairy feta and chevre, and more. Eggplant, okra, beans, squash, cucumbers, melons, fresh-cut herbs and flowers, greens, peppers and potatoes, plus the season’s first gala apples are in at our farm stalls.

Saturday Market: Live music by Acoustic Desert. Chili Acres has gluten-free “Cheesy Bites”

stuffed with savory or sweet goat cheeses, new gluten free English Muffins, and Barn Goddess has “Fig-a-li-cios” Goat Cheese with delicious Chili Acres Figs. Jack Meharian has some beautiful pots planted with cool-looking plants for home and garden. Rhiba Farms offers sprouts, tomatoes and their famous ‘ugly salsa’ and ‘ugly pesto.’ Mi Catering is bottling their salsas – habanero & tomato/tomatillo; roasted chile de arbol and more, plus their tasty burritos! Check out the new flavors of hand-rolled goodness at the Tamale Store, and the hand-rolled incense at Essence of Paradise. Raw flax crackers at Raging Raw, bagels and European-style breads at the Arizona Bread Company and the cream puffs at P&M Pastries are some can’t-miss taste treats this week.

Need motivation to exercise this time of year? Challenge yourself to join the Downtown Phoenix Fitness Walk / Jog every Saturday morning at 7 a.m. at Central and Pierce – south corner of the Market at Central Ave. It’s free and parking is free on the Market lot – east side of the alley. Bring water, friends and get more details at www.mileclubchallenge.com

Urban Grocery summer wine and beer specials:

Tuesday: buy 1 bottle, get 2nd bottle half price
Wednesday: $1 off 6 packs of beer (local and regional artisan beers available individually, 6-pack or build your own 6-pack)
Thursday: $1 off wine flights
Friday: 25% off 6 bottles of wine or more
Saturday: $2 off bottle of wine with purchase of artisan cheese plate
Sunday & Monday: closed
Everyday Recycling program: Bring in 12 empty wine bottles, receive $3 coupon to spend at the Market

Phoenix Permaculture Guild: Please check www.phoenixpermaculture.org for class location and more info.

Arizona Homegrown Solutions: Please visit http://azhomegrownsolutions.ning.com/ for upcoming events, interest and action groups.

Phoenix Permaculture Classes – Please visit Phoenix Permaculture for class location and more info.

Join us now on Twitter at http://twitter.com/PHXPublicMarket 

and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/phoenixpublicmarket 

The leadership of the CFC board – Dan Klocke, President, Pamela Hamilton, who coordinated the silent auction and the raffle along with Rhonda Jobe, Melissa Magyar, Luane Rosen and Maya Dailey, with great help from volunteers Jody Ryan and Catrina Knoebl, Lynn Violanta, Nancy White, Cindy James, Katie Rose, and Hands On Greater Phoenix volunteers coordinated by Rachel, and the expertise of Downtown Phoenix Partnership staff Samantha Jackson and her Ambassadors including Curtis and Ashley, Sylvia, Kristi, Michael, and CEO Dave Roderique and COO Terry Madeksa, are a huge part of the reason things came together so well.

We’d like to recognize also the extra efforts by John Scott of One Windmill Farm to bring his antique tractors, flowers by Maya, behind the scenes help from Sally LaPlace, photos by John McIntosh and his friend Dave. And the kind donations of Pillsbury Wine Company, Dos Cabezas Wine and Old World Brewery, PastaBar, Nine 0 5 Restaurant, DeCio Pasta, Crave Ice Cream, Arizona Cheesecake Company, Simply Bread, Grady’s Barbeque, The Tamale Store and Chef Elizabeth Milburn. And the men who made the music – Alan Jones and Dan Sell.

Here are a few links with stories, photos of the Market Store for you to follow:

• Slower food at Phoenix Public Market
• Phoenix Public Market Urban Grocery and Wine Bar opens
• http://www.azcentral.com/ (go to Community tab, 4th row)

And, folks, it’s here – Royal at the Market’s coffee bar is now open Monday – Saturday 7 a.m. to ???. Be sure to stop by for a fresh and local latte!

Many thanks to those of you who participated in the grand opening celebrations for the Market’s Urban Grocery and Wine Bar!