On the Move!

I’m getting pretty good at moving around. I’m still in the process of moving back to Missouri from Texas. Now after almost six weeks at the Department of Agriculture I’m moving offices. But more importantly, I have been moving around the state meeting with people interested in Farmers’ Markets and local food.

Last week I went to Ferguson to give a presentation for the Earthdance Organic Farming Apprenticeship program. The ‘Freshman Farmies’ and I discussed growing and selling at a farmers’ market. The group will be growing produce at the Historic Mueller Farm in Ferguson and selling it at the Ferguson and Maplewood Farmers’ Markets.

I also travelled to meet the market masters at Soulard Market and the Ellisville Farmers’ Market at Straub’s. Straub’s Fine Grocers will have farmers’ markets at both their Clayton and Ellisville stores this year. The Ellisville market will be new this year, but will have many of the producers from the successful Clayton Market. Soulard, on the other hand, is the oldest farmers’ market west of the Mississippi.

On Saturday I took my family to the Columbia Farmers’ Market and then went to their Spring Fling Round-up later that afternoon. My kids enjoyed the honey ice-cream from Walk-About Acres, even though it was pretty chilly. At the Spring Fling I attended a great presentation given by Dr. Kamyar Enshayan on the economic impact of local foods.

This week I had a booth at the School Food and Nutrition Directors Association Food Expo in St. Louis. I discussed local food opportunities and the ‘Farm to School’ program with several school districts from St. Louis to Columbia.

I’m getting ready to head to Moberly for a meeting tonight. Moberly has re-organized their Farmers’ Market with the help of Mainstreet Inc. They are having a vendors meeting tonight at the Randolph County Health Department building at 6pm.

I am planning many more visits and trips to farms and farmers' markets in the coming months.