July 21 will mark the first Teaneck Farmers’ Market Butterfly Festival geared to the very young and the young at heart. This delightful day will feature the remarkable talents of Lauren Hooker of Musical Legends and others.
Children can follow the journey of a monarch butterfly from Butterfly Lady Ms. Lauren’s vegetable and flower garden all the way down to Mexico! The story will be told and sung in both Spanish and English, and children can learn about metamorphosis, transformation, migration, composting and the need to plant butterfly bushes in hopes of saving the butterflies from extinction. With songs, percussion instruments and movement, children will be actively engaged from start to finish in this charming and original story created just for them—and of course—all of the butterflies!
Hooker, the artistic director and founder of Musical Legends, is known throughout the metropolitan area as an award-winning jazz vocalist, pianist, songwriter and educator, as well as a music and events producer. With numerous radio and theater appearances and three critically acclaimed CDs to her credit, she performs regularly as a solo artist and with her own quartet. Her WBGO’s Jazz for Children Series with her Jazz 4 Kids Show was commissioned by The Cathedral of St. John the Divine several times for innovative and interactive programming, which she has done to rave reviews. For more information about Lauren and Musical Legends, go to www.laurenhooker.com.
The day will be designed to celebrate nature and summertime. Hooker will be doing two shows, at 2 and 3 p.m. Other interactive events will include Teaneck’s own New Jersey Bee, Rabbi Daniel Senter, who will give a fascinating explanation of bees’ life cycle and their hives. Kids can also create butterfly poems with poet Laurie Ludmer. There will be arts and crafts, sponsored by The Teaneck Creek Conservancy. For adults and children alike, planting seeds to create gardens will be available with guest vendor Mitchell Yarvin, of Yard to Table, LLC. There will also be face and body painting by Indigo Studio Arts.
Market days are developing into fun community-wide events. There is always a wide selection of farm-fresh produce and gourmet items with Sunden Stone Pointe Farm, Pure Potential Power Juices, NJ Bees, Hoboken Farms, Picklelicious, Nana’s Home Cooking, The Amish Country Bakery, Gourmet Nuts and Dried Fruits, Stoltzfus Produce, Stella’s Argentine Empanada Grill and Angela Logan’s Mortgage Apple Cakes. The Lefkowitz Wellness Center’s contributions cannot be ignored. Look for other special vendors throughout the market season.
The Teaneck Farmers’ Market even has a rewards program. A $6 discount can be earned after five visits to vendors for Market Money. Visit the community table for a rewards card and keep it to use after each visit.
Mark August 4 on your calendars for Cooking Tasting, a sampling of dishes from Robyn Samra’s chefs from Picklelicious. Time is to be announced during the last week of July.
Thank you to the Community Blood Services for last week’s visit to the market. They will be back in September. The Senior Farmers’ Market Nutritional Program will not be returning this year, so hopefully everyone received their coupons on June 14. Thank you as well to Linda Lohsen of the Holy Name Medical Center for Healthy Living for the blood pressure screenings. Finally, a huge thank you to ‘Celebrity Chef to the Stars,’ Danielle Saunders, for visiting after a whirlwind trip to New Orleans, and sharing her wonderful tips and culinary expertise.
For more information, visit www.cedarlane.net or call: 201-907-0493. Enjoy “Terrific Thursdays” at the Teaneck Farmers’ Market from noon to 5 p.m., now until October 27.
Margaret Aaker is the manager of the Teaneck Farmers’ Market.
By Margaret G. Aaker
