Welcoming CremeBru.LA and Dan Levine (an Amherst native) to the Amherst Farmers' Market as a new member for the 2021 season!  Dan, Theresa Ryan AND their son, Ben, will be offering something new AND delicious on Saturdays at the AFM!

Dan Levine of CremeBru.LA (@cremebru.la on Instagram and Facebook) grew up in Amherst and started in foodservice at Antonio’s in the early 90s. His first experiences with Creme Brûlée were at local restaurants like the Blue Heron and the Night Kitchen.
After college in Michigan and 20 years in New York and California, first as a writer and then in technology, Dan met Theresa Ryan in LA. In 2015, their son Ben was born. 
Dan had always loved to cook and Theresa, currently a voiceover actor and Realtor™️, spent decades in restaurants and as a karaoke host and event DJ. Somehow during a 2019 visit to Dan’s childhood home, Dan and Theresa found themselves testing out creme brûlée recipes for 25 of his parents’ friends. 

When COVID hit, Dan and Theresa started selling BBQ out of their driveway as a way to safely see friends and neighbors. Soon, creme brûlée, impossible to find in restaurants at the time, was added to the menu and then took it over completely, with flavors ranging from Vanilla to Cappuccino, Honey Lavender, Maple Bacon, Mexican Chocolate and even Rosewater.

As COVID wore on, Dan longed for a slower pace and the chance to provide Ben with a supportive, inclusive, welcoming childhood filled with green spaces like his own. One rented RV and 3000 miles later, that dream became a reality, and CremeBru.LA was the next step in the process. 

The Amherst Farmer’s Market’s unique blend of commerce, community and quality has always held a special appeal for Dan; from childhood treats and trinkets to a mandatory stop for ingredients during visits to grandma and grandpa’s house.

Even the Common itself is a welcome reminder of countless fond memories - shaving cream fights at the town fair, practicing for Ultimate or hanging out with high school friends who went on to Amherst College. The common, like the Market and like the town, just feels like home to Dan.

CremeBru.LA is currently working with Atkins Farms, Mapleline farms and Hall Poultry Farm and is actively expanding their list of local suppliers and customers. The next dream is a retail location in downtown Amherst staffed (at least in part) with autistic employees.

New Year’s resolutions are a great opportunity to set goals and define your path over the upcoming months. However, many people approach resolutions all wrong. Making huge, sweeping resolutions isn’t likely to be effective. After all, when you’re resolving to change the big picture, it’s easy to ignore the little details. However, the details are ultimately what matters most.
 
In fact, resolutions based on the means — not the results — tend to be far more effective. For example, if you want to save money this year, your resolution shouldn’t be focused on a final figure — it should be based on savings per month or even week. When you hone in on the steps it takes to reach a goal, you give yourself a road map you can follow to success.
 
To that end, Amherst Farmers’ Market contributing author, Cheryl Conklin, has come up with this list of resolutions to help you meet your goals in 2021. Here are some small, simple changes you can make that — when done consistently — can have a big impact on your life:
 
Treating Food as Fuel
 
When it comes to treating our bodies right, it’s easy to fall into traps telling us we should deprive ourselves of the basic energy we need to survive. Although cutting back on junk food and eating appropriate serving sizes is always wise, if you exclusively focus your health efforts on minimizing food intake, you’re going to wind up harming yourself in the long run.
 
Instead, focus on thinking of food as fuel. This is a powerful mindset to take since it covers both food intake and energy usage. For example, you can start your morning with a healthy smoothie packed with nutrient-dense fruits and a results-boosting supplement powder. Then, use that powerful breakfast to fuel the day’s exercise — ideally, 30 or more minutes of moderate activity. Thinking of food this way helps you to focus on how to work with your body, not against it.
 
So that you always have the right type of fuel on hand, make thoughtful choices about what and where you buy your food. For example, in-season fruits and vegetables will taste better if you buy local at Amherst Farmers’ Market, and you’ll be supporting local farmers. You can also plot out your snacks and meals before you shop so that you can stick to clean eating.
 
20 Minutes of Tidying a Day
 
Did you know that being in a messy room makes you more anxious, even if you’re not consciously thinking about the mess? Whether we’re aware of it or not, our minds spend time processing the clutter around us — it’s almost like having unfinished to-do lists taped to all your surfaces. Tidying up for as little as 20 minutes every day can do wonders for keeping your space organized and stress-free.
 
If you’ve neglected to tidy for a while, however, you may want to kick things off with a big cleaning and reorganizing day. Not only will this put you on the right foot for keeping things in order, but it will also give you a chance to release any negative associations you’ve built up at home over the last year. Clean up, let in some air, and enjoy a fresh start for the new year.
 
Explore New Expressions of Faith
 
The last year was marked by strife, and though some people feel more connected to their spirituality during a crisis, others can start to feel a disconnect. Either reaction is normal, but the latter can be pretty distressing. If you’ve started to feel separated from your faith, resolve to explore a new expression of it on a weekly or monthly basis. These expressions could be anything from exploring a new form of prayer to taking up a challenging volunteer role.
 
The important part isn’t necessarily what you do. Instead, it is the act of putting yourself out there. We often find our faith in places we might not expect. When we explore opportunities to connect with God, we open ourselves up to receiving the message He wants us to hear.
 
Above all, allow 2021 to be a year you open yourself up to possibility, whether that’s the possibility of personal growth, community change, or a deeper relationship with God. When we are willing to change, the path forward often becomes clearer than we ever imagined.
 
Photo Credit: Pexels

​FROM ALPACA FIBER TO FASHION FARMER
Donna Young's a farmer/vendor at the Amherst Farmers' Market on Saturdays from the third Saturday in April until the Saturday before Thanksgiving, going from 7:30am until 1:30pm.   You might see her still packing up after 2:00 on many a Saturday, after everyone else might be home, he-he-he!  She's sure the farmers' market manager doesn't notice that she is delayed. This is her sixth year with her fashionable warm alpaca products at a very successful farmers market currently at the Common in Amherst rather than Spring Street due to COVID-19.

Donna Young, age 59, has been farming in Ware for 32 years, when she purchased 16 acres of raw land nestled in the Hills of Western MA, near the Quabbin Reservoir. Donna commenced building a split level house and a 60' by 90' barn that houses horses and alpaca along with some out buildings.  Donna's best friend, who she went to many Alpaca Affair's with, soon retired, moved to Maine and purchased 2 alpacas : ) Donna, not to be out done, purchased 10 alpaca's, lol. She quickly grew her herd to over 50 but 3 years sold 30 alpacas to down size in her retirement, and now has 18 -13 girls/hembras and 5 boys/machos.

Alpaca's are originally from South America particularly Peru, Chile, Ecuador, and Bolivia. Donna originally purchased her alpaca's from Canada as the American Dollar was worth 100/70% in 2001.  Alpaca's are smaller than Llama's and are related to Camels as all have a split lip characteristic.

Alpaca's are timid, docile and they mostly spit at other herd members they may have a pet peeve with, and even known to spit in the others ear, yuk!  Alpaca's can grow up to 10 pounds of fiber/fur a year which is shorn/harvested once a year in the spring, a pair of socks takes almost ½ pound of prime fiber to make. 

Alpaca fiber is used to make clothing that wicks moisture and eliminates odor, it is very soft and just a thin layer is needed to keep you very warm. Natural alpaca fiber is available in 22 colors and the light colors can be dyed to red/blue/purple/pink/green etc.  Socks, boot inserts, gloves/mittens, hats/scarfs are just a few items that are made from my alpacas fiber. Alpaca is a natural wool fiber that will keep you warm for as long as you want to be outdoors, though it's always nice to have a warm cup of hot chocolate, yum!

In Donna's spare time she likes to ride her 17 year old white Thoroughbred gelding for fun, he's a great horse and loves attention. She also has a 17 year old bay Thoroughbred gelding which is a brother from another mother, as all thoroughbred's are related to 3 stallions...a story for another day.  There is a large surrendered number of alpacas and rabbits at Nevim's Farm: https://www.wwlp.com/news/massachusetts/large-surrender-of-alpacas-and-rabbits-in-massachusetts/