It’s Farmers Market Week!

Producer Andab Berhane displaying his seedlings in the market

Baton Rouge, LA - United States Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack proclaimed Aug. 5-11 as National Farmers Market Week. This special week kicked off in Frankfort, Kentucky last week.

Since 2000, when the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) first proclaimed National Farmers Market Week, the number of farmers markets across the country has grown an estimated 160 percent from 2,863 in 2000 to more than 7,500 in 2012. As these numbers increase, farmers markets are bolstering local economies, improving community health, and bringing diverse groups of people together through a shared social space.

Farmers Markets are important to make fresh nutritious food available to more people. The farmers associated with local markets across the country donate hundreds of thousands of pounds of unsold, fresh produce to food banks, shelters, and other social service agencies.

Go to http://www.farmersmarketonline.com/fm/Louisiana.htm for the Louisiana Farmers Market Directory and check out some of these markets.

The Baton Rouge Red Stick Farmers Market is a year-round open air market featuring fresh and seasonal Louisiana products. The Market is open Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays in three locations. On Saturdays, it operates 8am - noon at corner of 5^th and Main Streets; Thursdays, 8am - noon at 7248 Perkins Road; and Tuesdays, 8am – noon, April -December only, at 8470 Goodwood Blvd.

Go downtown to the Market and thank our farmers and producers for providing us with fresh, locally grown and produced foods and products to enjoy. When you shop at the Market take your time, slow down, and enjoy the rich sights, sounds and smells of Louisiana Proud, farm-fresh, locally grown and produced foods and products.

Contact Red Stick Farmers Market at (225) 267-5060 or via email market@breada.org

Visit the Red Stick Farmers’ Marker in Baton Rouge at http://redstickfarmersmarket.org/main/

TAKE TIME TO LEARN

Farmers Markets are places to learn about where our food comes from. When you shop the Market, often the person you are buying from actually grew, produced, managed or harvested the food or product. Take the time to talk to these people behind the tables: ask questions about when the item was picked; what methods they use to make the product; and how far the item has to travel to the Market.

For full story, visit http://www.state-journal.com/spectrum/2012/08/04/horticulture-news-farmers-market-week-gets-underway-today

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Contact:

Bridget Udoh
(225) 771-5714
bridget_udoh@suagcenter.com