Mid-Winter Ramp-Up

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As the auction season approaches, the CPA stays busy preparing for the new year. We have a few announcements for you! At the beginning of February, Jessie Thompson, the former CPA Site Associate, transitioned from her role at the CPA and accepted a position as the the new manager of the UpCycle Ohio Thrift Store in Athens, OH. For those who may not know, UpCycle Ohio is another social enterprise of Rural Action, which strives ...

The CPA Visits Mount Hope!

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On January 11th and 12th, Rural Action and the Chesterhill Produce Auction tabled at the Mid-Ohio Grower’s Meeting in Millersburg, OH at the Mount Hope Event Center. Though representatives from Rural Action have attended the event in the past, this is the first year we were able to have an information booth ourselves! In addition to sitting in on a handful of educational workshops on a variety of agricultural topics, including growing and marketing pumpkins, ...

Fall Recap and Holiday Updates!

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How time flies at the auction! I meant to give you all an update at the end of October, but I got so caught up in all the action. In the last post, I talked about our Harvest Days events, but that was only one element of the very busy last month of this year’s regular auction season. Harvest Days was a success! We had a total of 6 different schools come out to the ...

Upcoming Fall Festivities

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We’ve been busy at the auction! As the growing season tapers into fall, warm season crops are giving way to the surge of pumpkins and gourds that color the auction floor with an autumnal palette. We are beginning preparations for our 2nd annual Harvest Days, and are inviting you to join us on Saturdays (11 am – 7 pm) and Sundays (12:30 – 7 pm) starting September 30th. Every weekend through the month of October ...

Recipe Share: Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

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As we approach fall here in Southeast Ohio, farms and gardens are overflowing with produce. We’ve got way more fresh veggies than can be eaten at a time but we hate to see them go to waste. Maybe you can relate! It’s the season of preservation, where a gardener may spend as much time in the kitchen as they do in the field, canning, dehydrating and baking. Lately, I’ve been taking some overripe and misfit ...

Auction on the Hill

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Rain or shine, the people gather ’round the brightly colored lanes of produce, which never lose their luster to the hungry eye. The auctioneer calls on the bidder, who faithfully does their bidding to the laborers who yield from the land a breathtaking abundance. Sweltering heat or biting cold, old friends and new, gathering yet again for the harvest at Chesterhill. A place of timeless tradition as old as history itself, of seasonal celebration of ...

Summer Fun for the Whole Family

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The season of abundance is in full swing at the Chesterhill Produce Auction. Every week, the selection of fresh fruit and veggies on the auction floor grows exponentially. As cool season crops like leaf lettuce and asparagus have phased out, summer favorites are arriving. We’re starting to get Ohio tomatoes! On Mondays and Thursdays we now have big and small lots, so whether you’re looking to buy in bulk or just enough for dinner this ...

Thanks for joining us for Memorial Day!

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Yesterday, our regular Monday produce auction was preceded by our annual Memorial Day Potluck. Like all of our potlucks, it was free and open to the public. We grilled hot dogs to accompany a variety of tasty sides brought by friends of the auction, including pasta salads, chili, deviled eggs and several yummy pastries! Before loading up our plates, Mike, our auctioneer, led us through a moment of silence in memorial of those who could ...

Follow the Food: Whole Farm Field Day at Homecoming Ranch

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“Follow the Food” highlights the journey that produce takes from the auction floor to homes, restaurants, healthcare providers, colleges, and hungry mouths across the region. On Saturday, May 20, strawberries in their peak of freshness and deer tongue lettuce from the Chesterhill Produce Auction made it’s way to the Whole Farm Field Day at Homecoming Ranch in Nelsonville, OH. John and Margot Baker, farm owners and operators, hosted Rural Action and other community members on ...

2023 School Day at the CPA

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There has been a lot of activity the last couple weeks at the auction. We’ve been hosting students from our local schools for the annual School Day at the CPA field trips. So far we’ve had kids from 10 different schools come out to visit for a day of learning about local food systems and the environment. We only have one more day left! After welcoming the students, we rotate them through five activity stations. ...