Azalea Fresh Market Growing Pains

**We are not currently at any markets. Azalea Fresh Market does have another produce vendor and several other vendors, even through the summer.**

The Azalea Fresh Market started at the Science Center location January 5th, 2013. Since that time, we have had many vendors come and go. The Science Center location has great potential as it highly visible sitting right on 22nd Ave. N., in a heavily populated area, between Tyrone Mall.and Park St.
Some vendors want an immediate pay off and can't wait for the market to grow, that's okay, God has a plan for this market. The vendors and customers are still coming.
The vendors that have been in regular attendance are seeing returning customers and customers that have heard about them from a friend. That's good news, the word is getting out that Azalea Fresh Market is the place to go! Unfortunately we also have customers that come looking for a vendor that left.
It will be exciting to look back in a year, when the market is full of vendors and customers, to see how far we've come.

March Events at the Azalea Fresh Market

Chickens 101

People ask me all kinds of questions when they find out I have chickens. Now that I'm at the market with a few of my girls, I get dozens of those questions every week. I thought a short, basic chicken lesson would help. For more information, there are hundreds of websites, blogs and pages about chickens. Or maybe someday I'll write a part two. (">

First, let me answer the most common questions.

• No, not all "chickens" lay eggs. Only the female "hens" lay eggs.
• Most young hens lay one egg a day, 5-6 days per week.
• Hens start laying eggs somewhere between 4-6 months old.
• No, not all eggs have chicks in them, only the eggs fertilized... by a rooster...before laying.
• Males and females both have combs and wattles. Most males have more prominent combs and wattles than their female counterparts.
• Most chickens can fly short distances, over fences or up into trees where they naturally roost. 

Next, let's get our terminology straight.

• Adult females are called hens.
• Females that are too young to lay eggs are called pullets.
• Adult males are called roosters.
• Males under 1 year are called cockerels.
• Baby chickens are called chicks.
• A comb is on the top of their heads and the wattles are on the sides of their beaks.
• Chickens loose their feathers once a year in a molt.
• A coop is a hen house with a roost to stand on and a nesting box to lay in.

Finally, here are some other helpful and interesting facts.

• Hens need 12-14 hours daylight to lay eggs. Most free-range hens don't lay during the winter due to the shorter days.
• Chickens live about 5-10 years depending on the breed.
• Some breeds are better layers while others are better for their meat, "broilers" or "fryers".
• Chickens eat most anything. Grubs, popcorn, leftovers and scraps. Feed, water and egg shells and they're good to go!
• DO NOT feed them citrus, avocado skin or pit, raw eggs, salt or sugar.
• They put themselves to bed at sunset.
• Chickens are very social and fun to watch.
• Chickens are easy to take care of. Food, water, hay for the nesting box, a safe place to roost for the night and a safe pen to run around in during the day. Don't forget to check for eggs!

Have fun!   (">

Juicing Recipes

Juicing Recipes:

"Carrot Juice"

-Carrots- 3 large

-Apples- 2 medium cored.

-Lemon- 1/2 peeled and seeded.

-Ginger- 1/2 - 1 inch

"Sunset Blend Juice"

-Sweet Potato- 1

-Carrot- 1

-Red Pepper- 1 cored

-Apple- 1 cored

-Orange- 1 peeled and seeded

-Beet- 1" slice

"Green Juice Cleanse"

-Kale- 1 bunch

-Celery- 4 stalks

-Cucumber- 1

-Apples- 2 Granny Smith cored

-Tomato- 1.

-Lemon- 1/2 peeled and seeded

-Ginger- 1 inch

Tomatoes are Here!

     I love going to U-Picks. Not everyone always wants to go at first, but once we get on the road, everyone is happy. We usually get lunch either on the way there or on the way home. Sometimes we take a few detours along the way, but today was just a quick tomato trip.
     We always go with a goal, today we went to pick tomatoes.We only wanted to spend an hour no matter what else we did while we were out. It only took us 30 minutes to fill our buckets, so we went for a few strawberries. No a lot, the price was a little high for U-pick strawberries. Even though this was a short trip, by the time we were ready to head home, the kids were covered in tomato juice and had strawberry beards.
     It's a good experience to pick your own food. To see where it came from, how it's grown and to appreciate the people that do all the everyday picking of the items you buy at the store. It's also good to see the amazing things God can do.
See you at the market!