URBAN GARDEN MARKET CELEBRATES NATIONAL FARMERS MARKET WEEK

Corn Roast, Music, Exhibits!

Every day this summer, communities are converging to celebrate a simple miracle: farmers, as stewards of rural America, coming together to share a harvest that’s feeding local families. The result? More viable regional economies; increased access to fresh, nutritious food; and stronger social networks that help keep communities strong.

United States Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack has proclaimed August 7-13, 2011 as National Farmers Market Week. In celebration, the Urban Garden Market is hosting a Corn Roast from 10:00am to 1:00pm. There will also be live music plus exhibitors representing a variety of organizations and interests.

This year marks the 12th annual National Farmers Market Week. Farmers markets are becoming fresh food mainstays for shoppers across all socio-economic, political, and ethnic ranges. Farmers markets bolster local economies, improve community health, and bring diverse groups of people together through a shared social space. Indiana is home to 168 farmers markets up from 140 in 2010. The Government’s Ag Marketing Service lists Indiana in the top ten states with farmers’ market growth.

“One of my favorite parts of the market day is listening as the farmers engage in conversation with their customers, answering their questions, giving ideas on how to fix a particular food that is in season, explaining the difference between white potatoes and red potatoes or describing the flavor of a citrus cucumber or kohlrabi. There is so much interaction between the farmer and the city dweller—a lot of education takes place on any given Saturday,” said Donna Ring, Market Manager

“Farmers markets grow healthy farms, healthy people, and healthy communities” says Stacy Miller, Executive Director of the Farmers Market Coalition. “During a slow economic recovery, farmers markets are stand-out successes in delivering triple bottom line benefits while making entrepreneurship work in communities large and small. During Farmers Market Week, we invite everyone to celebrate their local farmers markets and enjoy fresh local food from America’s most innovative farmers.”