Easton, In The Valley, Press Release

Even funkier: magic and benefits of fermentation to be celebrated at 2nd annual Easton Farmers’ Market event, Sept. 2


Education, presentations and homebrew kombucha contest to highlight Funky Ferments Fest 

EASTON, Pa. – Practiced for over 10,000 years as a method to preserve foods, improve health and develop distinct flavors over time, the cherished process of fermentation will take center stage on Sat., Sept. 2 for the Easton Farmers’ Market’s second annual Funky Ferments Fest, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. at Scott Park along the riverfront.

Fermented foods that will be celebrated include locally brewed beer, kombucha, pickles, stinky cheese, tangy farm-fresh yogurt, sourdough bread, sauerkraut, kimchi, and more along with more adventurous and experimental foods and beverages such as rye kvass, coffee kombucha and hibiscus honey coldbrew.

There will be multiple ways to get funky at the EFM:

Homebrew Kombucha Contest (11 a.m.). Local amateurs will showcase their artisanal fermenting skills. Each contestant can enter up to three flavors at $5 per entry. They must bring a gallon of each entry with the only labeling being the ingredients and flavor. A panel of local kombucha experts will award

a trophy and $50 cash prize. The People’s Choice Prize will win $25 in Market tokens and an EFM tote and tee. Enter at https://eastonfarmersmarket.com/2023-kombucha-homebrew-contest-sign-up/.

Kraut Mob! (Make-your-Own Kraut and Kimchi Station)

Culture Swap Table: trade and share sourdough starters, scobys, booch and more. Items should be packed individually and clearly labeled with care instructions provided if necessary.

Lectures & Workshops:

  • Mushroom cultivation and nutrition (Matthew Sicher, Primordia Mushroom Farm)
  • Wild mushroom foraging (Jeff Mertz, Wildspawn Mushrooms)
  • Ins and outs of fermentation (Erik Sink, Untamed Ferments)
  • Make your own kombucha (Don Devault, Portch Tea)
  • Cheese and yogurt tasting (Raspberry Ridge Sheep Creamery)

Kids Fermentation Station (presented by The Culture Club) – Probiotic Petting Zoo featuring kombucha, where families can touch and feel live kombucha scobys. “Yummy for My Tummy” storytime and tasting featuring an interactive experience where kids will explore the foods in a book through tasting samples of kombucha, sourdough, milk kefir, beet kvass and pickles.

An art area for kids with coloring sheets, dry erase activity placemats and a temporary tattoo parlor with eco-friendly veggie themed tats.

A fermentation book sale from Book & Puppet Co.

Live music (10 a.m. – noon) with Cerviche

Guest Vendors for the Funky Ferments Fest will be: Cultured Club, Highpoint Kombucha, Untamed Ferments, Wildspawn Mushrooms, My Little Farmstand (featuring freshly made mozzarella), Pocono Apiaries, Airmidian Herbal Remedies, Earthen Goat, Heart Beet Studios, Homestead of Easton, Urban BohoChic Jewelry, Knot Too Shabby, The Bubbly Goat, FD Market and Ironbound Farm (dozen varieties of hard cider).

Attendees can also funkify their social media feeds with pictures at a pickle selfie station and with a SCOBY mascot who personifies the commonly used acronym for “symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast.”

Holding the title of America’s oldest, continuous open-air market, the Easton Farmers’ Market has been a destination for fresh and locally grown and prepared foods since pre-Revolutionary times. A program of the nonprofit Greater Easton Development Partnership, the Easton Farmers’ Market, presented by Capital Blue, is open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Saturday (May-December) at Scott Park along Larry Holmes Drive.

The EFM features 45+ vendors in the spacious, outdoor setting bordered by the Delaware and Lehigh rivers. The market moved to Scott Park from its longtime home in Centre Square in 2020 to accommodate COVID-19 health protocols.

Market details

Free parking for Easton Farmers’ Market will be available in the two lots adjacent to Scott Park, thanks to Riverstar Properties and the Law Offices of Florio-Perrucci. Vendors accept cash, credit, Venmo, PayPal, checks and EBT. Visit eastonfarmersmarket.com for online ordering information for participating vendors.

EFM – as well as the West Ward Market and Highmark Farmstand inside Easton Public Market — welcome Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Additionally, Philadelphia-based The Food Trust (thefoodtrust.org) will double purchases up to $10 through the use of Food Bucks for fruits and veggies when shoppers spend at least $2 using SNAP at all three markets.

Sponsors for the 2023 EFM season include: Capital Blue, Lehigh Valley Health Network, Air Products and Martin Guitar.

About Easton Farmers’ Market 

Easton Farmers’ Market (EFM) is a program of the Greater Easton Development Partnership (GEDP) and part of Easton’s Market District. EFM is America’s longest continuously-running open-air market. It is a producer-only market that features fresh, local produce – the vast majority of which is naturally or organically grown. Customers will also find antibiotic and hormone-free, pasture-raised meats, fresh baked goods, and ready-to-eat items. More: eastonfarmersmarket.com. GEDP is a volunteer-driven, nonprofit organization focused on Easton’s economic well-being, historical integrity, vibrant culture, and hospitality. More: eastonpartnership.org.

 

Information provided to TVL by:
Michael Drabenstott (for GEDP)
Drabenstott Communications Group