March 7th, 2020

Dear Shoppers,

We went back and forth all week about how to properly address the COVID-19 situation. We want to strike a balance where we are acting cautiously in accordance with county and federal recommendations and also not fuel alarm. We will open as scheduled tomorrow with all of our scheduled vendors, whose livelihoods depend on our shoppers.

We hope to see you tomorrow.

We are sad to say that Matt Soldano is shutting down Southtown Farm and will no longer be at the Market. The land that Matt leases is being sold and he has decided to shut down operations in order to pursue a career that gives him more time and energy for his family. He thought he would be with us through April, but has notified us this week that his inventory is too low to continue with markets. You can read his announcement here.

We want to publicly thank Matt for his years of labor and love and for providing our families with meat that was produced humanely and sustainably. Good luck Matt!

In one of his final acts as a beloved HFM farmer, Matt connected us with a neighboring farm — R&M Farm of Wantage, NJ. Ryan and Matt share the same commitment to raising beef, poultry, and pork in ways that are good for the animals, the earth, and consumers. Ryan was set to start in June but has graciously agreed to step in this spring to make sure we have enough meat and eggs for our shoppers. We hope you'll stop by his table and get to know him. We're certain you'll come to love his as much as you loved Matt. It's important, now more than ever, that we arm our bodies with the food fuel and nutrients they need to thrive. Head to Sun Sprout Farm's table to stock up on kale, which is chock full of nutritious Vitamin A, fiber, calcium, and more. Kale is also very filling, especially in a salad like this. The key to any kale salad is massaging it. I might sound ridiculous but it makes all the difference. It's easy-just scrunch, release, scrunch, and release for about 30 seconds. If you're in the mood for something a bit warmer, grab some potatoes and sausage from Letterbox Farm Collective and and throw it in the soup pot to make this caldo verde.

Finish off your kale meal with a slice of Silvia's Kitchen authentic Latin American flan. It's creamy and luscious and large enough to serve several people. It's the perfect dessert to bring to a potluck or a party!

See you at the market!