This Week at the Crescent City Farmer's Market

 

Local Sourcing and Sustainability | April 18, 2022

FRESH & LOCAL: Local Sourcing and Sustainability Shopping at farmers markets is not only a way to access tasty, fresh food but also part of daily sustainability efforts that we can each practice. Part of what makes eating locally produced foods a more environmentally sustainable choice than shopping at the grocery store is the reduced food miles - the average meal in the US travels 1,500 miles from farm to table. All that travel generates lots of carbon, and so do conventional food production methods. Large-scale agriculture relies on vast acreage of monoculture where only a single crop is grown, attracting pests which then necessitate pesticides which tend to be scheduled mass applications. Monoculture also depletes the nutrients in soil, requiring added fertilizer, which is manufactured through an energy intensive process of its own. Small farmers like the ones you’ll find at the Crescent City Farmers Markets use fertilizers only as needed, and to a much lesser extent, because practices like cover cropping, foregoing tilling, and crop rotation all help to preserve soil health. Pests are a huge crop problem in our subtropical climate, and farmers do often rely on pesticides, but these approaches often include spot treatment, spraying only as needed, and using naturally derived ingredients reducing the applications and chemical intensity. While you won’t see many certified organic producers at CCFM markets - and there are only a handful in the whole state of Louisiana - some producers are Certified Naturally Grown, or use farming practices more akin to those natural methods with reduced plastic usage, and of course very few food miles. To celebrate Earth Day and making good choices for the environment, if you purchase the CCFM Box through Top Box foods this week which is chock full of greens, peak season strawberries, salad and sweet spring onions, among other fresh local veg, you’ll receive $5 off and if you’re paying with EBT, Market Match will apply, which makes the whole box only $15!

PICKS OF THE WEEK: Earth Day Activities at Home Every year on April 22nd people around the globe celebrate Earth Day, a day to reflect on how we can make a difference in protecting our planet! We here at Market Umbrella like to think that every day is Earth Day! By shopping at CCFM you are taking a step towards decreasing your carbon footprint. Our vendors come in from just 200 or fewer miles away, so you are truly shopping local! You can take more steps towards sustaining the environment too. 4-H at Home offers a variety of activities to engage youth and promote learning by doing. One of our favorite offerings is the series Food Systems for Thought, and Change. This series of activities encourages young people to explore the impacts of food production on the environment and in our communities. Tag us using the hashtag #eatgrowlearn if you try any of these activities at home!

Alliums at Market! We know it is spring when we welcome back to market in all their understated splendor, the alliums - the plant genus that includes onions and their piquant relatives chives, leeks, and garlic and all their accompanying foliage and blossoms. Favorites at this time of year include spring onions, the little golf-ball-sized fresh onions that are just smaller, less mature versions of a traditional bulb onion. The mild and versatile leek somehow collects and traps all that soil between its delicate layers, but we defeat it by chopping it first, then washing the cut pieces. Also, one should not overlook the delicacy of scapes - that connective shoot of onions, garlic or leeks that leads to the flower bulbs, and yields a tender green bean-like vegetable with subtle savory flavor. Use the flowers of any allium for lovely, edible garnish. Later on, garlic and onions will be cured and their familiar papery skins will protect them for storage through the year, but for now, we welcome back these fresh and vibrant essential ingredients.

Farmer Training Series Intro to Farm Bookkeeping This series of virtual and in-person classes is targeted to support farmers and producers in creating a more robust market business. You can access the recent webinar Consumer Behavior at the Farmers Market here - essential content for any direct-to-consumer business. Classes are open to the public and either free or very low cost. Join us this Wednesday April 20th, for the in-person training Intro to Farm Bookkeeping with Annie Moore from River Queen Greens. Click HERE to learn more about the series and RSVP, which is strongly encouraged to save yourself a space.

VENDOR OF THE WEEK: Amorphous Gardens Speaking of alliums, Amorphous Gardens will be back at Sunday market starting this week! You can expect to see garlic scapes this week and look out for fresh garlic come May. Amorphous will also have an assortment of seasonal vegetables and herbs that were farmed by Jonathan, his wife Sevanna, and their 3 children. The Amorphous family farm has been in practice since 2010 and they are proudly committed to producing heirloom/open pollinated vegetables and herbs, without the use of chemical pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers. Talk about having a green thumb!

RECIPE OF THE WEEK: Vegan Scotch Broth Soup (Scottish Barley Soup) This recipe was selected by a Market Umbrella staffer looking to satiate their craving for a filling meal that is seasonally appropriate and refreshing. Many of the items called for can be found in abundance at the market at this time of year including onions, carrots, leeks, turnips, and kale. Pair with crusty bread from your favorite CCFM bakers and voila- a complete and tasty meal! What’s your favorite dish to make after visiting the Crescent City Farmers Market? Share your recipes with us on Instagram or Facebook and it might be featured in our weekly newsletter!

MARKETS THIS WEEK: TUESDAY UPTOWN WALK UP Tuesday, April 19, 2022 8 am - 12 pm Uptown Square 200 Broadway St. near the River CCFM BOX DELIVERY through Top Box Foods Tuesday, April 19, 2022 Order Tuesday through Friday for home delivery the following Tuesday THURSDAY MID-CITY WALK UP Thursday, April 21, 2022 3 pm - 7 pm Lafitte Greenway Plaza 3200 Lafitte Ave. at the Bayou SUNDAY CITY PARK WALK UP Sunday, April 24, 2022 8:00 am - 12 pm Tad Gormley Stadium Marconi @ Navarre

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This Week at the Crescent City Farmers Market

 

Expanding Diversity at Farmers Markets | April 11, 2022

FRESH & LOCAL: Expanding Diversity at Farmers Markets CCFM works to support small local food businesses, increase the number and types of products available for purchase and increase vendor diversity, as well as adapt to a COVID-changed world. As part of our ongoing organizational work on diversity, access, equity and inclusion, we want our markets to more fully represent the New Orleans community they serve. To help accomplish this, we’ve incorporated several new approaches, both policy changes and continued and expanded partnerships, and we think it is important to share those changes with our community in resources like this newsletter. All CCFM vendors are expected to follow the food safety regulations that apply to their products and that hasn’t changed, but our stated preferences for market vendors have. Previously, the primary requirement for being approved as a value-add or prepared food vendor was to incorporate locally sourced ingredients. Recognizing that local sourcing is often much easier once a vendor is a part of the market, this year we updated those priorities in our Rules and Regulations to include preferences for food products that are culturally significant to New Orleans and Louisiana, products that increase the culinary diversity represented in the market, and for applications that increase vendor diversity at our markets. Continued and expanded partnerships is another way we are working to ensure markets are aligned with the needs of more local food businesses. Our partnership with the SPROUT Truck Farm table at the Thursday market also helps very small businesses gain access to the market, and SPROUT is able to offer tailored assistance for new food businesses with a particular emphasis on supporting BIPOC and woman-owned businesses whose owners are often navigating occupational licensing, Cottage Food Law and access to commissary kitchens. We have many new vendors in the pipeline, and look forward to welcoming them to markets!

PICKS OF THE WEEK: Sunday City Park Market is closed for Easter 4/17 There will be no Sunday Market this week, April 17th to give our vendors an opportunity to spend the day with family and friends. We will see you next week on April 24th at the Tad Gormley Stadium Parking lot for another beautiful spring market!

Market Match Q & A What is Market Match? A food access program that provides additional funds for SNAP shoppers to purchase fruits and vegetables at CCFM markets and through our partners. When a customer uses their SNAP benefits at the Crescent City Farmers Market, they receive CCFM tokens to spend on SNAP eligible items at the market. The SNAP dollars spent are matched up to $60 in additional tokens that can be used to purchase fruits and vegetables. Who can participate in Market Match? Customers with SNAP benefits are eligible to participate in Market Match. If you are eligible to receive SNAP or think you may be eligible, you can contact our partners at FPAC (Food Policy Action Council) for assistance in applying for the program. What can I purchase with Market Match and SNAP? With Market Match tokens, you can purchase fruits and vegetables With SNAP tokens you can purchase SNAP eligible items (fruits,vegetables,dairy products, grains, protein, plant seeds and food bearing plant starts). At CCFM markets, this means SNAP tokens can be spent on almost everything except cut flowers and hot food. How do I use Market Match? Stop by one of the three weekly locations of the Crescent City Farmers Market Visit the Welcome Tent Swipe your EBT card, get tokens for both SNAP and Market Match Spend your SNAP tokens on SNAP eligible items and Market Match tokens on fruits and vegetables How does Market Match support vendors? Market Match increases the spending power of customers and attracts new customers to the market all of which increases sales to the local farmers that sell at the CCFM.

Veggie Bingo + Drag Show on April 13th For tickets and more info, check out the event here!

VENDOR OF THE WEEK: Micro Pharms Business owner and entrepreneurial mastermind, Christopher Pham founded Micro Pharms back in 2020 when he started growing microgreens in his apartment. Why microgreens? It’s simple– Chris just wanted to develop a healthier lifestyle for himself. When the pandemic hit and many of his restaurant clients stopped taking orders, Chris had to think of a new way to repurpose his microgreens, so he started developing value added products like micro-kimchi, chili oils, and dried spice and seasoning blends like his Asian Chicken Cajun Fry Mix (also great with fried vegetables!). Chris’s main goal with his value added products is to uplift his Asian culture and heritage while bringing a fun and playful energy to his brand. You might have even noticed Gazpacho, the red microgreen mascot that accompanies all of Chris’ packaging and labels. In the coming months, Chris is looking forward to expanding his offerings to frozen prepared foods like dumplings. Check out Micro Pharms at the Thursday Mid-City Market or the Sunday City Park Market!

RECIPE OF THE WEEK: Roasted Flavor Bombs: Kale Chips This week stop at the market and pick up some kale to try our roasted flavor bomb kale chips! This recipe is quick, easy, nutritious, and a tasty way to curb the extra calories when boredom strikes. Practically any green can be used as a substitute in this recipe - beet greens, collards, mustards, or even Brussels sprouts. For more tender leaves like chard, reduce cook time. If you try this recipe, show and tag us on Instagram! What’s your favorite dish to make after visiting the Crescent City Farmers Market? Share your recipes with us on Instagram or Facebook and it might be featured in our weekly newsletter!

MARKETS THIS WEEK: TUESDAY UPTOWN WALK UP Tuesday, April 12, 2022 8 am - 12 pm Uptown Square 200 Broadway St. near the River CCFM BOX DELIVERY through Top Box Foods Tuesday, April 12, 2022 Order Tuesday through Friday for home delivery the following Tuesday THURSDAY MID-CITY WALK UP Thursday, April 14, 2022 3 pm - 7 pm Lafitte Greenway Plaza 3200 Lafitte Ave. at the Bayou SUNDAY CITY PARK Sunday, April 17, 2022 NOTE: Sunday City Park Market closed this week for the Easter holiday!

Market Umbrella | 200 Broadway Street, Suite 107, New Orleans, LA 70118 Unsubscribe cmsimone1@gmail.com Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice Sent by markets@marketumbrella.org powered by Try email marketing for free today!

This Week at the Crescent City Farmers' Market

 

Happy Carrot Day! | April 4, 2022

FRESH & LOCAL: Happy Carrot Day! This time of year brings lovely temperate weather, beautiful markets and with it the end of winter crops. At markets we’re seeing last flushes of broccoli, cauliflower, and brussels sprouts, and the first of the spring alliums like fresh onions and green garlic. Carrots are celebrated today - International Carrot Day - and other spring favorites pop up in April holiday traditions. Eggs, a symbol of spring, feature prominently this month in festive fare, whether they’re hard boiled in Easter and Seder meals, or providing protein-packed breakfasts before the fasting of Ramadan. Everyone’s got their secret to hard boiling eggs so that they peel more easily. One tried and true is that older eggs peel easier - so now’s the time to stock up! Beets, red cabbage, turmeric, and onions are all readily available at market now and are not only delicious but make vibrant natural food coloring that can be used to color eggs or frosting for festive confections. Pro tip: if you’re making your own dyes, unlike store-bought, homemade colors turn out better if eggs soak for several hours, even overnight. Please note: This Sunday April 10th, we’ll be back at our usual spot at the Tad Gormley Stadium parking lot at Marconi @ Navarre, and the Sunday after we’ll be closed so our vendors can enjoy holiday time with family and friends.

PICKS OF THE WEEK: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Access for Market Vendors Training Join us on April 11th from 4-5:30pm for the next free training in our spring vendor technical assistance series, “Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Access for Market Vendors”. In this training learn about how you as a local business owner can step into DEIA work to not only make your business more equitable, but contribute to our community's greater good and wellbeing. Recommended to attend: Farmers market vendors, other small food or direct-to-consumer retail businesses, and market or small business support organizations. Sessions are free - please RSVP here. As part of Market Umbrella's ongoing commitment to support equity and racial justice in our community, our organization began a Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion (DEAI) Planning process at the end of 2021. We are examining our work both internally and externally, with the goal of ensuring that we are living out our mission and that our markets and programs truly reflect the community we serve, and this training is a part of that process.

Those Crazy Carrots! What other vegetable can you find in a rainbow of colors including purple, yellow, red, orange, & white? Carrots are affordable and have a long shelf life. Tasty in sweet and savory dishes, they can be used in salad, sauces, juices, cakes and breads. Not to mention, carrots are exceedingly beneficial for our health, protecting your eyes and preventing chronic disease. With carrots, the options are just endless! Celebrate the versatility of the carrot this week, by stopping at one of this week's markets and grabbing your bunch! Don't forget to double your dollars with Market Match - every SNAP dollar spent at market is matched with an additional dollar for the purchase of fresh fruits and vegetables, up to $60 per visit.

Spread the word!! Market Umbrella is currently accepting applications for an Administrative & Communications Manager. This position is a full-time role responsible for assisting in the daily business operations of Market Umbrella. This position provides development and communications support for the organization, and manages our social media and the Market Morsel! To learn more and apply, visit here.

Plant Sale Sunday April 10th On April 10th, Long Days Plant Sale will host over eight local nurseries (including CCFM vendors Too Tall Farm, Hot Plants, VEGGI Co-op, and Nightshade Flower Farm) from 4-7 pm at 800 Homer Plessy Way. Grab a drink from Crush Wine and some Vietnamese bites from Viet Cooking Nola while you shop for spring flowers, herbs, and vegetable starts.

VENDOR OF THE WEEK: Honest Foods Co. Smaller batches mean better bread baked with quality ingredients (and lots of love). Irinia K., founder of Honest Foods Company, believes bread is the soul of every meal and it shows in her breads and scones. What started out as a small hobby baking bread for her son has turned into a full fledged business with a growing following at the Tuesday Uptown and Sunday City Park Markets. Originally from Ukraine and Belarus, Irina and Vlad came to the U.S. when they were just teenagers. With family and friends still in Ukraine, Honest is currently donating their net proceeds to aid groups to support their community back home. Check out their Instagram for upcoming fundraising events and ways you can support them as they navigate this challenging time. And don’t forget to head over to their booth and buy a loaf of Jewish rye or challah to up your holiday table offerings and show them support!

RECIPE OF THE WEEK: Chef Chris Lynch’s Chicken Pot Pie Market Umbrella and BIA (Broadmoor Improvement Association) have joined together with local chefs to create a four part cooking series, How Do You Cook Dat?*. This series highlights seasonal produce that can be found not only at the Crescent City Farmers Market, but also at BIA’s food pantry and community garden. Whether you are new to cooking or a culinary aficionado, these videos are simple and easy to follow along. Chris Lynch, Executive Chef of Atchafalaya continues the series with a robust, easy to assemble dish that is comforting. Check out this sneak peek of Chef Chris's veggie-filled, seasonal Chicken Pot Pie. The full video will be released on Saturday, April 9, on social media and the MU website. Follow us on Instagram to catch How do you Cook Dat: Chicken Pot Pie! *Supported by Louisiana Department of Child and Family Services What’s your favorite dish to make after visiting the Crescent City Farmers Market? Share your recipes with us on Instagram or Facebook and it might be featured in our weekly newsletter!

MARKETS THIS WEEK: TUESDAY UPTOWN WALK UP Tuesday, April 5, 2022 8 am - 12 pm Uptown Square 200 Broadway St. near the River CCFM BOX DELIVERY through Top Box Foods Tuesday, April 5, 2022 Order Tuesday through Friday for home delivery the following Tuesday THURSDAY MID-CITY WALK UP Thursday, April 7, 2022 3 pm - 7 pm Lafitte Greenway Plaza 3200 Lafitte Ave. at the Bayou SUNDAY CITY PARK Sunday, April 10, 2022 8:00 am - 12 pm WALK UP NOTE: Back at Tad Gormley Stadium parking lot Marconi @ Navarre

Market Umbrella | 200 Broadway Street, Suite 107, New Orleans, LA 70118 Unsubscribe cmsimone1@gmail.com Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice Sent by markets@marketumbrella.org powered by Try email marketing for free today!