National Farmers Market Week ran from August 7th through 13th. People and politicians came out to show their support at the more than 8,500 farmers markets across the United States.
The national event, spearheaded by the Farmers Market Coalition, brings attention to how farmers markets help local economies by creating business opportunities and improve community health by providing local access to fresh foods.
According to the coalition, the number of farmers markets has increased by 50 percent since 2011. Proliferation is significant because the markets support farmland preservation. Between 2007 and 2012, more than 95,000 mid-sized family farms went out of business. The markets offer smaller farms chance to succeed.
Farmers markets are young entrepreneur incubators, an important National Farmers Market Week fact.
16% of #FarmersMarket farmers are under 35. Markets allow them to start small, learn, and grow. https://t.co/VoVDOxRo7m #farmersmarketweek
— Young Farmers (@YoungFarmers) August 13, 2016
The markets often cook up something unique, and National Farmers Market Week was no different. On August 12th, Greenfield, Mass., Mayor William Martin was the featured chef at his local market’s “Fresh Chef” brunch series. He showed off a recipe for Bánh xèo, a recipe he learned while visiting Vietnam in 2000, more than 30 years after he served there with the U.S. Army, according the to Recorder.
One of Mayor Martin’s hidden talents was on display Saturday at Greenfield farmers market.https://t.co/tN8wNBD0Wc pic.twitter.com/o2vH4mkFJK
— The Recorder (@TheRecorderNews) August 15, 2016
The “I [green heart] Farmers Markets” temproary tattoos and #farmersmarketweek Instagram competition were a hit nationwide during National Farmers Market Week. In Brownsburg, Ind., and many other places, ink-love was spied on shoulders, hands, piglets and even corn-on-the-cob.
Get inked and enter FMC’s #LoveMyMarket Instagram Contest: https://t.co/cVdbzQ7wNw #FarmersMarketWeek pic.twitter.com/Qj5wRicYI0— FarmersMkt Coalition (@FMCorg) July 29, 2016
Then there were the vegetable competitions.
And the winning #tomato comes in at just under 2 lbs, a Striped German variety from Honeyacre ?? #FarmersMarketWeek pic.twitter.com/uxy3vzpiCK
— BCFM (@BCFMarkets) August 13, 2016
State reps, like Crisanta Duran, shopped her local market in Denver.
State Rep Crisanta Duran stopped by the market today. Thanks for shopping w/ us! #staterep #buyinglocal pic.twitter.com/lMkmqbcLpt— Union Station Market (@unionstationmkt) August 13, 2016
Members of Congress, like Rep. Suzan DelBen in Mount Vernon, Wash., made appearances and talked about the issues.
During #FarmersMarketWeek, I visited the @MountVernonLife Farmers Market and discussed #nutrition assistance. pic.twitter.com/FKF0LEkFvo
— Rep. Suzan DelBene (@RepDelBene) August 13, 2016
School nutrition program directors like Donna Martin of Augusta, Ga., checked out the connections between local Georgia farms and her schools.
Celebrated #FarmersMarketWeek by touring #local @FarmtoSchool sites with our @BCPS_Bears @SchoolLunch staff! pic.twitter.com/LK0RSaQtUI— Donna S. Martin (@donnamartinrd) August 13, 2016
Markets in the Bronx, New York, reported how much of a difference the markets make to local moms.
1.5 million low-income moms got fresh local produce at farmers markets through #WIC FMNP in 2013 https://t.co/rnW3Holmw7 #farmersmarketweek— Harvest Home Markets (@HarvestHomeMkts) August 14, 2016
And finally in Davis, Calif., the entire community celebrated its farmers market’s 40th year with free watermelon slices and more for National Farmers Market Week.
