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Downtown State College Farmers Market Newsletter

Friday, July 3, 2026

One Nation. One Community. One Farmers Market. 🇺🇸

💧 Before You Begin Your Market Stroll…

Today is expected to be hot and sunny, so please remember to take care of yourself and those around you.

Bring a reusable water bottle, seek shade when you need a break, and stay hydrated while enjoying everything the market has to offer. If you’re bringing children, older family members, or pets downtown, be especially mindful of the summer heat.

A healthy community starts with caring for one another—and that begins with you.

Now, let’s celebrate together.

As America prepares to celebrate 250 years of independence, there’s no better place to experience what has always made this country remarkable than right here at the Downtown State College Farmers Market.

Long before grocery stores and overnight shipping, communities gathered in places just like this. Farmers brought their harvests. Bakers shared warm bread. Families exchanged recipes, stories, and news. Markets weren’t simply places to shop—they were where neighbors became friends and traditions were passed from one generation to the next.

Today, nearly 250 years later, that tradition continues every Friday on Locust Lane.

Take your time today.

Meet the people who grow your vegetables. Ask how they care for their gardens. Learn why one tomato tastes different from another. Discover the story behind a family recipe that’s been handed down through generations.

Every purchase supports someone whose hands helped create what you’re bringing home.

And while you’re celebrating America’s birthday this weekend, consider celebrating something else as well: curiosity.

After visiting the market, take a stroll through downtown and stop by the library. Pick up a book about the first settlers of Pennsylvania, the founding of our nation, or the agricultural traditions that helped build America more than 250 years ago.

History isn’t just found in museums.

It’s found in recipes passed from grandparents to grandchildren.

It’s found in family farms that still work the same land.

It’s found in communities that continue gathering, week after week, around good food and good conversation.

Today, feed your family with fresh food.

Tomorrow, feed your mind with history.

Both nourish us.

⸻

A Market That Connects Us

The Downtown State College Farmers Market has always been about more than buying food.

It’s about knowing where your food comes from.

It’s about shaking the hand that planted the seed.

It’s about supporting local families and preserving traditions that might otherwise disappear.

Every vendor has a story worth hearing.

Every product has a journey worth appreciating.

When you know the story behind your food, every meal becomes more meaningful.

⸻

Meet This Week’s Vendors

🍞 Woodfire Bakery

The aroma of freshly baked artisan breads and pastries has a way of bringing people together. Stop by Woodfire Bakery and discover handcrafted loaves, sweet treats, and baked goods made with skill, patience, and tradition.

☕ Idou Coffee

Whether you’re beginning your market morning or taking a break between shopping, Edu Coffee is serving thoughtfully prepared coffee that’s worth slowing down for. Grab your favorite cup and enjoy a conversation with neighbors.

🌱 Treaster Kettle Farm

Locally grown produce, carefully cultivated and harvested with pride. Ask about what’s freshest this week and discover seasonal flavors that remind us why buying local makes such a difference.

🥬 Moser’s Fresh Garden Produce

Colorful vegetables, fresh-picked goodness, and generations of farming knowledge come together at Moser’s Fresh Garden Produce. Bring home ingredients that will make your Independence Day table unforgettable.

🚚 Fatima’s Kitchen

Celebrate America’s diversity through food.

Fatima’s Kitchen continues to share authentic Persian cuisine prepared from the heart. Every meal tells a story of family, resilience, and hospitality. Whether it’s your first visit or your favorite Friday tradition, be sure to stop by and enjoy one of the market’s most memorable dining experiences.

🕯️** Peaceful Kingdom Farm**s

Before heading home, make your final stop at Peaceful Kingdom Farms.

Michael and Seamus invite you to explore their handcrafted, Reiki-infused candles, artisan soaps, and natural body care products—each created with intention, mindfulness.

Looking for something truly unique?

Ask Michael about creating a custom fragrance designed especially for you.

Light one this Independence Day weekend as a reminder that freedom is more than fireworks.

It’s the freedom to create.

To gather.

To care for one another.

To build community.

⸻

Food for Thought

This Independence Day weekend, celebrate with great food, meaningful conversations, and a renewed appreciation for the people who grow what sustains us.

Learn where your food comes from.

Learn your history.

Support your local farmers.

Visit your library.

Feed your body.

Feed your mind.

For nearly 250 years, America has been built one community at a time. Markets like ours remind us that our future is strongest when we know our neighbors, support local businesses, and pass our stories from one generation to the next.

Happy Fourth of July weekend from all of us at the Downtown State College Farmers Market.

We’ll see you on Locust Lane. 🇺🇸🌽📚🥖☕🌻

 

 
❤️** Get to Know Your Farmers Mar**ket

The Downtown State College Farmers Market is about so much more than buying fresh food. It's an opportunity to meet the people who grow your vegetables, raise your meats, bake your bread, roast your coffee, and create the products that nourish our community.

We encourage you to take a few extra moments during your visit to introduce yourself to a vendor, ask about their history, learn how they got started, and discover where your food comes from. Every vendor has a story, and every product reflects years of hard work, passion, and dedication.

Do you have a favorite family recipe, a market-inspired dish, or a special story connected to food, farming, gardening, or community?

We'd love to hear from you!

Future editions of our newsletter will feature recipes and stories submitted by members of our community. Whether it's a treasured family tradition, a creative farmers market meal, or a recipe that brings people together around the table, we invite you to share it with us.

To submit your recipe and tell us a little about yourself, your family, and the story behind the dish, please contact Michael and Seamus at Peaceful Kingdom Farms at mikeandseamus@thepkfarms.com.

Together, we can celebrate the people, traditions, and flavors that make our community unique. After all, the best recipes don't just feed us—they tell our stories.
 
Celebrate Garden Week

From bright flowering plants to vegetables, fruit vines, and towering trees, gardens provide beauty, nourishment, and a connection to our Earth.

National Garden Week encourages people of all ages to spend time outdoors, whether in their own garden, a community garden, or simply enjoying the hard work of local growers.

Gardening reminds us that great things often start small. A tiny seed, given the right conditions, can grow into something that feeds families, supports pollinators, and brings people together.

As you visit the market this week, take a moment to appreciate the farmers, gardeners, artisans and growers who help make our community healthier and more vibrant.
 

 
🌽 Market Highlights for June 12 2026

🥕 Be sure to stop by and visit the Mosers and ask about their heirloom vegetables. These varieties have been preserved through generations and offer unique flavors, colors, and stories that you won't find in most grocery stores.

🍞 Firewood Bakery is proudly owned and operated by one of our Amish family vendors. Their fresh breads, pastries, and baked goods are prepared with traditional craftsmanship and are always a market favorite.

🌶️ Janet at Piper's Peck continues to delight customers with her fresh salsas, sauces, and flavorful creations that can add a little extra excitement to any meal.

🌍 Looking for something new? Fatama's Kitchen offers a wonderful taste of fresh international foods, bringing flavors from around the world to the heart of our community.

☕ Don't forget to stop by Idou Coffee! Whether you're starting your morning at the market or looking for a mid-shopping pick-me-up, Idou Coffee offers expertly crafted coffee beverages and a welcoming atmosphere that has become a favorite among market visitors. Their passion for quality coffee and community makes them a perfect stop during your Friday market visit.

🌱 Michael and Seamus from Peaceful Kingdom Farms will once again be sharing FREE "Litter Glitter" while supplies last. Made from the leftover scraps of our seed-embedded business cards, these pieces can be planted to grow beautiful flowers for pollinators. The paper itself is handmade by artisans in Nepal. Through an amazing Penn State connection, we were honored to meet the owner of the company during his first visit to the United States right here at the Downtown State College Farmers Market. His fiancée attended Dickinson Law School, reminding us that our world is often much smaller and more connected than we realize.
 
 

 
 
Honoring Women Veterans Day
June 12 marks the anniversary of the Women's Armed Services Integration Act of 1948, which officially granted women the right to serve as permanent regular members of the U.S. Armed Forces. As we celebrate Women Veterans Day, we honor the courage, dedication, and sacrifices of the women who have served our nation.
This year's observance feels especially meaningful as our Farmer's Market Pup of the Week is the service dog of a female veteran. She shared with us how important her support animal is in helping her navigate daily life while living with PTSD. Their bond is a powerful reminder that service can take many forms and that healing often comes through companionship, understanding, and unconditional love.

🐾 Farmer's Market Pup of the Week
Our featured pup this week is more than a beloved companion—she is a dedicated service animal whose support helps her veteran owner live a fuller and more confident life. We are honored to share their story and grateful for the reminder that animals often provide comfort, healing, and friendship when we need it most.



Market to Mouth

🍕 Farmers Market Chicken & Asparagus Pizza

This week's recipe features fresh asparagus from our Amish vendors at Firewood Bakery, delicious chicken from Tressler Farm, and fresh basil and oregano from the Mosers.

Ingredients
Pizza Dough
1 prepared pizza dough (homemade or store-bought)

Toppings
1 cup cooked Tressler Farm chicken, shredded or diced
1 bunch fresh asparagus ,from Wood Fired Bakery trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1½ cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon of Moser's Garden Produce fresh oregano, chopped and:
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 450°F.
Toss asparagus with olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper.
Roll out pizza dough onto a baking sheet or pizza stone.
Sprinkle mozzarella evenly across the dough.
Top with chicken and asparagus.
Add oregano and basil from the Mosers.
Finish with Parmesan cheese.
Bake for 12–15 minutes or until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbly.
Allow to cool for a few minutes before slicing and serving.

🌿 Food for Thought

Fresh asparagus is packed with fiber, folate, and vitamins A, C, E, and K. Basil and oregano not only add wonderful flavor but also contain beneficial plant compounds that have been valued in traditional cooking for generations.

After dinner, consider slowing down and enjoying a cup of coffee from Idou Coffee while relaxing with the warm glow of a handcrafted candle from Peaceful Kingdom Farms. In a busy world, sharing a meal with family and friends is one of the simplest ways to reconnect, create memories, and appreciate the abundance that our local farmers and vendors help bring to our tables each week.

🌎 From the farm to the table, every purchase supports local families, strengthens our community, and reminds us that we're all connected.