Washington County Market Podcast

The Washington County Farmers' Markets, located in Potosi, offers the community a wide array on fun while shopping at the market and some wonderful home-grown goodness.

I've visited this market a couple of times and have always appreciated the community support of the market and the knowledgeable vendors at the market.

Julie Harker with Brownfield made a recent market stop and talked to a few of the vendors about growing a garden for market and what makes this market so special.

Farmers Market Coalition and USDA Launch ‘Markets Are Up!’ Campaign in Preparation

In anticipation of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) 10th annual National Farmers Market Week (August 2-8, 2009), the Farmers Market Coalition (FMC), in cooperation with USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), announces Markets Are Up!, an educational and celebratory campaign to help farmers markets and farmers market associations nationwide communicate the vital role that such markets play in improving consumer health, local communities, and economies. As part of the Markets are Up! campaign, promotional tools such as ads, postcards, and templates for press releases and emails are now available on FMC’s website.

Elements of Markets Are Up! include:
• Print-ready images for advertisements, posters, mailers and other collateral point of sale material that illustrate the positive health, community, and economic aspects of farmers markets
• Marketing materials featuring a “I Love Farmers Market” logo, including decals and bookmarks• Fact sheets and Frequently Asked Questions, including statistics, data, study results, and other information about farmers markets
• Glossary of Terms defining over 30 common labels found at farmers markets including “heirloom,” “grass-fed,” “free-range,” and “locally-grown”

Markets are Up! was developed in partnership with the USDA/AMS Marketing Services Division. Support was also provided by a variety of sponsoring businesses and organizations, including Ethix Merchandise and SQN Communications.

USDA/AMS currently estimates that there are approximately 4,800 farmers markets in operation in the U.S. The agency will release its updated tally of U.S. farmers markets for 2009 during National Farmers Market Week. USDA has officially celebrated the first full week of August as National Farmers Market Week since 2000, and in 2008, USDA designated National Farmers Market Week a permanent fixture on the USDA calendar.To access the Markets are Up! materials cited above visit the FMC site.

About USDA’s AMS ProgramThe U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service administers programs that facilitate the efficient, fair marketing of U.S. agricultural products, including food, fiber, and specialty crops. AMS has about 5,500 employees located throughout the United States. For more information about AMS’s farmers market and direct food marketing activities, please visit the AMS Marketing Services Division’s home page.

The Farmers Market Coalition (FMC) is a 501(c)(3) dedicated to strengthening farmers markets for the benefit of farmers, consumers, and communities. Through education, networking, and advocacy, FMC builds leadership and capacity for farmers markets and the organizations that support them.

Download the Markets Are Up! press release here.

Wilson's Creek Farmers' Market Offers Up Fun for All

The Wilson's Creek Farmers' Market has a full line-up of fun for all ages this season...find more on the market blog.

JUNE 19TH IS KIDS DAY AT THE WILSON'S CREEK FARMERS MARKET!
Friday June 19th is Summer Vacation time at the Wilson's Creek Farmers Market. We have planned a variety of activities for kids of all ages for our first annual Kid's Day! The Wilson's Creek Farmers Market is every Friday from 5:30 PM - 8:00 PM at the Battlefield City Park (5434 S. Tower Drive). For more information, call 881-4138 or 224-0325.

FREE BALLOONS FOR KIDS 5:30 - 7:00 PM!
Balloon Artist Linda Spencer will be creating balloon critters of all shapes and sizes!

4-H IS SO MUCH MORE at 6PM!
Explore 4-H with Velynda Cameron, Greene County 4-H Specialist from the University of Missouri Extension! 4-H offers children 5-18 and their families more than 50 project areas that use hands-on learning experiences to teach life skills such as cooperation, problem solving and decision making.

CLOGGING + IRISH DANCE at 6:30 PM!
Performance by Pat's Clogging Studios and Celtic Fire Irish Dance Company. Learn about clogging and Irish dance!

GIRL SCOUTS
Learn about the Girl Scouts and join a local troupe!

For more information about the Wilson Creek Farmers' Market contact Shannon McKaig-Buffington via email shannon@jabuffington.com

Brookside Market the Place to Go for Organics

Looking for fresh, local organic produce this season? Look no further than the Farmers' Community Market at Brookside, in Kansas City.

All producers that sell items at this market have to be certified organic growers and local producers.

Briarcliff Farmers' Market

Visit the Briarcliff Faremrs' Market this season for locally grown products and much more! Located in the parking lot between GreenAcres Market & Trezo Mare.

Outdoor Music & Movies, Grilled Buffalo Burgers at GreenAcres start at 5pm each week, all Shops Open till 8pm. Also come enjoy "health screenings" each Thursday at GreenAcres - check store for listing! Bring your whole family!

Sponsored by: Briarcliff Village and GreenAcres Market
Time: 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Date: Every Thursday beginning April 30, 2009 through October 29, 2009.
Location/Venue: Briarcliff Village
Street Address: 4175 Mulberry Dr.
City: Kansas City, MO
Zip Code: 64116
Cost: Free!

Web address: www.briarcliffvillagekc.com or www.greenacres.com

Phone Number for public: (GreenAcres Market) 816-746-0010 or (Briarcliff Village) 816-595-5820.

Joplin is Starting a New Market

The City of Joplin’s Parks and Recreation Department will offer a Farmers’ Market beginning in May, and is currently seeking vendors for this effort. The City is asking farmers who would like to sell whole uncut fruits and vegetable, and/or potted plants and fresh flowers at the Market to participate in this community project. There is a $50 registration fee for the season, which runs from May 21 through September 26.

Interested vendors will also need to have a City Business License. If they currently do not have one, they may contact the Finance Department at 624-0820, ext. 242, for licensing information. The City is asking that items for sale must be grown by the vendor. Other guidelines and vendor forms can be obtained through the Beth Peacock, at Joplin Memorial Hall at
623-3254 Monday through Friday.

The Farmer’s Market is scheduled to be held every Saturday from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the north end of Memorial Hall parking lot, located at 7th & Joplin Street. The Market will also be held on the third Thursday of each month from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on the City Hall parking lot, located at 6th Street and Joplin.

Opening day for the Market will be Thursday, May 21 at the City Hall parking lot location. The Saturday morning market will begin on May 23.

Joplin Farmers Market

The Joplin Farmers Market will be a new addition to the Discover Downtown Third Thursday events. It will be located behind City Hall from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. every third Thursday. It will also be held every Saturday morning from 7:00 – 11:00 a.m. at the Memorial Hall parking lot. The Farmers Market will feature fresh fruit, veggies, potted and fresh cut plants. This is sponsored by Joplin Parks and Recreation. Call Beth Peacock 417-623-3254 for Vendor forms.

New Markets

It's getting pretty exciting around Missouri. New markets are springing up everywhere. We have new farmers markets in Foristell, Battlefield, Moberly, Joplin, Warsaw, DeSoto, and Ellisville, just to name a few.

Check out the Farmers' Market Directory to find these and many others. The directory gives information for starting dates, days of the market, market times, location and contact information.

I know that I haven't listed all of the new markets, so please post comments about the other markets that are coming to your area. Also post comments about the great markets that already exist around you.

Missouri Farmers’ Market Video Series

Throughout the season, you might find a video crew poking around your market, interviewing customers and vendors and purchasing some of the home-grown goodness from our specialty crop producers. Not to worry though- it’s just the Learfield Communications video crew that we’ve hired to film farmers’ market videos this season.

The videos will focus on the uniqueness of each market and give consumers an insight to a typical shopping day at the market. Videos will be posted right here on the blog.

If your market has a special event this season that you think would make for a good video, let myself or Tony know so we can try and get you on the video schedule.

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.

O’Fallon Farmers & Artists Market to Debut Summer 2009

O’Fallon Farmers & Artists Market To Hold a Community Interest Meeting March 16

In these tough economic times, what could be better than creating another source of revenue in O’Fallon, while benefiting the community with farm fresh produce, specialty items and unique works of art?

After visiting similar events throughout Missouri, O’Fallon resident Wendy Glidden pitched the idea to the City of O’Fallon at a meeting in January. After receiving positive feedback, and identification of an convenient lot site next to O’Fallon’s River City Rascals Baseball Stadium on T.R. Hughes Blvd in O’Fallon, she is enlisting the support of the local community at a community interest meeting scheduled on March 16th at the O’Fallon City Hall Multipurpose Room beginning at 4:30 pm. Lane McConnell, Missouri Dept of Agriculture Marketing Specialist, will be presenting information, a community survey will be taken, and interested vendors will be given applications.

“My hope is that the O’Fallon Farmers & Artists Market will grow to be a jewel in our community,” explains Wendy. “Patrons will be able to shake hands with local farmers who grew the vegetables they feed their family, while trading tips for preparation, tasting homegrown fruit, finding a new plant for their garden, or searching for a one-of-a kind gift for a friend. A Farmers’ Market is an opportunity to gather with your neighbor to uplift the local economy, complete with entertainment and health events.”

"Buying local products means experiencing local flavor and cuisine, and for a lot of consumers, that is what farmers’ markets are all about. Often what you find when purchasing supermarket products is that the majority of your dollars spent goes into shipping and production costs of produce. At your local farmers’ market, you are buying directly from the farmers; therefore, what you see is what you get, and your money stays in your local community," said Lane McConnell, Missouri Dept of Agriculture Marketing Specialist.

So, citizens, do you want the ability to purchase quality local and/or organic meat, vegetables, fruit and one of a kind craft items at a reasonable price, right here in O’Fallon, while enriching and supporting local community? Vendors, here’s your chance to show your green thumb or gift of craft through sales of locally grown, hand made, and/or organic products. Entertainers take note- do you wish for a venue to show off your musical skills, dance ability, or hobby?

Obtain vendor applications, complete a community survey, and meet fellow market supporters who are interested at the following meeting:

GO GREEN!
O’Fallon Farmers & Artists Market Meeting
March 16, 2009
O’Fallon City Hall Multipurpose Room
4:30pm- Meeting; Open House 5:30-7pm
O’Fallon City Hall Multipurpose Room
100 North Main Street
O’Fallon, MO 63366

RSVP/ for more information:
ofallonfarmersmarket@gmail.com

Pevely Flea Market Opens

ATTENTION LOCAL GROWERS:
Exciting New Selling Opportunity at Mississippi River Hills Association member, Lynne Parker, owner of Pevely Flea Market is adding a regional Farmers Market to the weekly flea market.
The Pevely Flea Market will feature locally grown produce and Missouri made products.

The Farmers Market features:
• Well established flea market for over 40 years!
• Open EVERY Saturday and Sunday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Awesome exposure for your farm and products!
• LOW OVERHEAD!
• No long-term commitments – stay a day, weekend or entire growing season!
• 5,000-7,000 loyal shoppers weekly!
• Snack Bar and clean rest rooms on premise!
• Easy access from I-55!
• Only 30 minutes south of the Arch!
• FREE ADMISSION & FREE PARKING!
• 20-stall covered pavilion dedicated to the Farmers Market.
• 10’ x 10’ space only $8 per day for MHRA members! (Reg. $10/day)

Are you interested in being apart of the Pevely Flea Market ?
8773 Commercial Blvd. • Pevely, MO 63070
636-479-5400 (local) • 636-475-3215 (St. Louis line)
www.pflea.com OR email: info@pflea.com

Keep in Touch with Missouri Farmers’ Markets and Local Products All Year Long

Although Missouri farmers’ markets across the state are taking a break after this upcoming weekend, Gov. Matt Blunt and the Missouri Department of Agriculture (MDA) are reminding consumers to visit their markets on or before Saturday to taste the many great fall products that Missouri farmers offer. Consumers will also be able to learn more about Missouri products all year long through MDA web links and retailers throughout the state.

(PHOTO: From Weston Red Barn, Weston, Mo.)

“Farmers’ markets are just one of the many ways Missourians can enjoy locally grown and produced products,” said. Gov. Matt Blunt. “I encourage Missourians to take advantage of the abundant food and local products Missouri farm families are producing at their local farmers' market.”

“Most farmers’ markets across the state will be having their final sales of the season on Saturday, but consumers can continue to find many great Missouri products in grocery stores and supermarkets or check out the listings of locally-grown through our AgriMissouri program,” said Don Steen, director of MDA. “Missouri farmers’ markets continue to offer local, fresh foods for consumers while many retail facilities across the state also provide choices in locally-grown Missouri products.”

Consumers will have the chance during this off-season to learn more about their favorite farmers’ market vendors by visiting this blog and listening to the numerous podcasts – a digital recording of a radio broadcast – featuring Missouri farmers and producers. This month’s podcast features Robert Long, co-owner of Flintrock Bison Ranch in Halltown, Mo. Long sells their ranch’s bison meat at his local farmers’ market. New podcasts are featured twice monthly and feature a variety of topics related to Missouri’s 140 farmers’ markets.

“The new farmers’ market podcasts offer many opportunities to learn about markets and the farmers across the state that produce high-quality local produce, as well as other food products,” said Lane McConnell, marketing specialist with MDA. “Our Missouri markets provide the availability of fresh, affordable and healthy foods to communities, while enhancing the local economies. The podcasts will give consumers an inside look at how local food is grown and harvested and provide valuable information about what our Missouri markets offer visitors."

Another great place to keep up with all that Missouri has to offer during this season is the Department of Agriculture’s AgriMissouri Showcase located at http://www.agrimissourishowcase.com/. This site also offers podcasting and videos about various Missouri products offered in various retail locations.

“As we move into the fall season, many people begin to think about those holiday gifts that might be great for their loved ones. AgriMissouri offers many great products that are perfect for holiday gifts for everyone,” said Sarah Gehring, member services coordinator with AgriMissouri – a program that provides marketing assistance and opportunities to Missouri food manufactures, farmers, producers, agritourism businesses and farmers’ markets. “You can’t go wrong with giving a Missouri-made product including jams and jellies, homemade soaps and candles or a bottle of Missouri wine.”

Columbia Farmers' Market Fall Round-Up

The Columbia Farmers’ Market will hold its Annual Fall Round-Up, Building Your Business, on Saturday, Nov. 1 at the Unity Center on Broadway. Please make a reservation with Vera Gelder of Walk-About Acres: 573-474-8837 or walkaboutacres@agristar.net.

Registration begins at 1:30 p.m. Fee is $25 per farm which includes one dinner ticket. Additional dinner tickets may be purchased for $10 per person.

Speakers Include:
Phil Stewart of Phil’s Garden
Lane McConnell, Marketing Specialist for Farmers’ Markets, Missouri Dept. Of Agriculture
Melinda Hemmelgarn, Clinical dietician
Dan Kuebler, Pavilion Project Manager
Discussion on the survey results

Dinner will be catered by Café` Berlin and will be served at 6:00 p.m, with food being sourced from the Columbia Farmers’ Market vendors. If you have any products you would like to donate please contact Janice Scheurenberg of Heartland Family Nursery: 573-657-2562 or 573-881-5063.

Homegrown Freshness From the Veggie Patch

Whether you sell at the Columbia Farmers’ Market or are a shopper you know the name – The Veggie Patch – and think of the brightly colored tablecloth that can be seen each Saturday at the market.

(Photo: Jana Thies-Porter hands a Jarrahdale pumpkin to Sean Nicholson-Crotty last Saturday at the Columbia Famers Market. Photo from the Tribune.)

The Thies Family of Glasgow started their family produce operation long ago when two FFA students (Deanna and Jana, daughters of Jim and Paula Thies) needed an FFA project and decided they wanted to grow specialty crops, instead of having a traditional FFA project like showing cattle or hogs and raising soybeans and corn.

The Tribune was lucky enough to spend some time with the family and share in the goodness of homegrown freshness straight from the Thies family farm.

Jim, who is a FFA teacher in Glasgow, recently won Grand Champion in the 08 Missouri State Fair Horticulture Contest and the Veggie Patch provided the first ever Missouri State Fair Farmers’ Market with local produce from their family this year.

When it comes to bettering the community Jana, the youngest daughter said it best in the Tribune article: “From the beginning, my parents said, ‘This is your business,’ but it really was a family project. We learned a lot. This is about food, family and building community,” said Jana.

Below is the article from the Tribune about the Thies Family.

Homegrown
An FFA family builds a business and keeps roots in agriculture.

There’s a little produce stand out in front of Jim and Paula Thies’ house in Glasgow. A scarecrow watches over stacks of odd-shaped squash and pumpkins. Folks pay by the honor system, picking their produce and putting their money in a little box in the scarecrow’s grip.

Last week, after a long day teaching at the local high school, Jim Thies stood in his driveway looking over the end of the season’s bounty. The Glasgow farmer and agriculture teacher had just picked the last of the pumpkins over the past week. The family grew more than 22 varieties this year.

Read the entire article.

A Shoppers Experience at the City Market

The KC Tribune had a recent article that highlighted a shoppers experience at the Kansas City Market. I found the article very interesting because the farmers’ market shopper revealed the reasons why she shops at the market – the relationships with the growers! This is one key concept we stress to growers – know your customers and interact with them.

Sept. 19, 2008 Article from the KC Tribune:
It was very early Saturday morning, 7 a.m. to be exact, and it had rained for almost 24 hours. The morning air is thick with dew and a crisp but comfortable breeze passes by. The smell of spices, flowers, and fresh vegetables permeates the heavy air. People are busy loading, stacking and arranging crates and boxes of goods. Many languages are spoken, and the sounds all mix together to create a pleasant background hum.

Read the entire article here.

Growing Communities One Market at a Time

Farmers’ markets mean something different to everyone. For consumers, these markets represent a virtual guarantee of freshness not found in supermarkets and for farmers, the markets have come to represent the ultimate cooperative where they work together, set their own prices and sell directly to the consumer. Often what you find when purchasing supermarket products is that the majority of your dollars spent goes into shipping and production costs of produce. At your local farmers’ market, you are buying directly from the farmers; therefore, what you see is what you get.

Communities are seeing the economic impact of establishing a local farmers’ market and how markets can retain money in their home communities. For every dollar spent at a local farmers’ market, that dollar turns over 5 times into the community. There has been a record 19 percent increase in the number of farmers’ markets in Missouri over the past 5 years- Missouri currently has 148 markets.

The experience of shopping at a market is one of vibrant community spirit, where neighbors come together to explore and celebrate our state’s diverse agricultural bounty. Although fall is upon us, markets across the state are still open for business. Consumers can expect to find Indian corn, pumpkins, fall squash, apples, melons, grapes, sweet potatoes and lots of mums!

I found this video on You Tube the other day and thought is was worth posting on the blog. The video talks about the importance of local farmers’ markets in small rural communities.

Watch the Video:

Farmers’ Markets: Growing communities one market at a time.

Off to the Market We Go

What’s better to do on a Saturday then get out to the farmers’ markets and enjoy the best of Missouri home-grown produce and much more!

I spent this past Saturday doing just that. It had been awhile since I was able to do some market visits with the Missouri State Fair activities putting me a little bit behind on my normal farm tours and market visits.

Saturday started off to be a foggy and cold one when I stopped into the Historic Downtown Liberty Farmers’ Market. However, the weather didn’t keep the shoppers away, even Rachel Rays folks stopped in to do some filming of the market while I was visiting.

Shoppers can expect to find an array of products at the market including: fresh garden flowers, baked goods, vegetables, fruits, honey, jams and jellies, homemade chips and salsa and more than 13 types of garlic.

The Historic Downtown Liberty Farmer’s Market sponsored by Historic Downtown Liberty, Inc. is seeking producers interested in selling at the market this year. The market, located on Franklin Street and Main Street in Historic Downtown Liberty, MO, serves Liberty and surrounding communities each Saturday from May 3rd through October 25th from 7:00am until noon.

After visiting with the vendors at Liberty I headed into Kansas City for the City Market’s Melon Festival. Deb Connors, City Market Master showed me around the market and introduced me to all the farmer vendors. The Melon Festival has activites of all sorts for shoppers at the market that include both kids and adult events like the watermelon seed spitting contest, melon bowling and even melon hats.

The City Market is the region's largest farmers' market can be found at the City Market every Saturday and Sunday year-round. More than 140 vendor stalls burst with bedding plants, fruits, vegetables, herbs, fresh baked goods and other sweets, cut flowers, meat products, honey and crafts made by local artisans.

The City Market was named the 2008 Market of the Year by the Missouri Farmers’ Market Association and AgriMissouri. The market strives to bring its customers great service and entertainment. The market provides an information table where shoppers can purchase market tote bags, posters and other promotional items, a tomato taxi that takes customers purchases to their cars for them, Mother Nature Storytime for children and a train that drives all around the market for children to ride.

Summer Farmers’ Market Hours: March - October; Saturdays 6:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., Sundays 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., Wednesdays 8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Winter Farmers’ Market Hours: November - March; Saturdays 7:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m., Sundays 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m., Weekdays 8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Don’t miss the City Market’s City Market Cinema Rocky Horror Picture Show, Friday, September 26, starting at 9 pm for a unique open air screening of the Rocky Horror Picture Show. Admission is FREE.

Get out to your local market today and enjoy Missouri apples this season.

Campers Flock to State Fair Farmers' Market

Story from: The Sedalia Democrat
Published Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Visitors at the Missouri State Fair’s public campground are enjoying a new shopping experiment: the AgriMissouri Farmers Market in the Agriculture Building.

Lane McConnell, a marketing specialist for the Missouri Department of Agriculture’s Ag Business Development Division, is heading the new operation.

"Since it’s our first time doing this, we had no way of knowing if campers would utilize the market," McConnell said. "A ton of campers have come back multiple times, as well as fair visitors and people who live in Sedalia looking for farm-grown produce."

Part of the incentive for campers to use the market is the free delivery option. AgriMissouri, a marketing assistance group for Missouri farmers markets, has provided a John Deere Gator and a golf cart to make produce deliveries to the campground.

"All the campers have to do is give us their cell phone number, and we meet them at the gate with their produce," McConnell said.

The market sells fruits and vegetables from nine vendors. The homegrown goods include bell peppers, sweet corn, onions, potatoes and several varieties of heirloom tomatoes.

"I know sweet corn is popular this time of year, but I never dreamed we would sell so much," McConnell said. "I can’t even count how many huge bags we have gone through in the last six days."

Campground Superintendent Rod Baxter said the farmers market gives campers more purchase options because there are only two vendors permitted to sell on the campground. The A OK Co. sells recreational vehicle supplies, and the Sedalia Rotary Club provides a convenience store that sells various food items and toiletries.

McConnell said the delivery service at the market is booming despite the "turnover" Baxter has noticed at the campground.

"Friday evening we had a line of recreational vehicles waiting to get into the grounds," Baxter said. There was another line of people waiting to leave on Sunday, he said.

"I figure the crowds are bigger during the weekend when people are typically off work," Baxter said. "If the weather stays as nice as it is, I’m expecting the same thing to happen this Friday."
Baxter attributes the campground not meeting maximum capacity to its continuing expansion. Two years ago, area was added on the north side of the grounds. Also, more pedestals have been added that provide water, electricity and sewage disposal for RVs.

"I think the farmers market has added a lot of life the Agriculture Building and the fair," McConnell said. "We are looking to have a permanent farmers market set up in Sedalia so people can enjoy this produce all the time."

AgriMissouri Farmers' Market Video Podcast

Missouri's farmers markets are some of the best places to get fresh, local food. We as Missourians have excellent exposure to farmers' markets because there are more than 140 farmers' markets in the entire state.

Many farmers' markets across the state are members of AgriMissouri. AgriMissouri provides markets with promotion and labeling tools not available through any other source. Amy Winder took a tour of some of the state's markets that are AgriMissouri members to feature them in a video podcast.

View the video here.