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.

Market Workshop on Rapid Market Assessments

Kansas Rural Center is hosting a workshop on June 9th in Lawrence focused on OSU's Rapid Market Assessments. With assistance from an Farmers’’ Market Promotional Program grant and support from FMC, we're bringing in Dru Montri from the Michigan Farmers Market Association.

This is a great training opportunity for our market masters. Find more online at the Kansas Farmers’ Market blog.

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.

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.

Columbia Farmers' Market Video Podcast 1

Farmers' markets around the state began upcoming up about three weeks ago - and shoppers couldn't wait for the fresh and local choices from local growers.

Throughout the season we will be filming at markets all over the state. Viewers will see the "inside" scoop on Missouri markets. The first video is from April 4 at the Columbia Farmers' Market.

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.

Public Meeting to be Held March 16 in O'Fallon

Markets around Missouri are gearing up for another season - and many first time markets are organizaing as well. I caught this headline story in my Google Alerts for the upcoming O'Fallon Farmers' Market that is getting started this year. All are invited to attend the event and provide input.

O’Fallon resident Wendy Glidden couldn’t fine the organic produce she wanted in her city. The environmental and nutritional impact of transporting food also troubled her.

“I started wondering why we, in O’Fallon, didn’t have a market,” Glidden said. “I was always driving into St. Louis County to go to Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s. It just seems unfortunate.”
Glidden, who works at a software company, decided to organize a farmers’ market that would offer locally grown produce.

A planning and informational meeting for farmers, crafters and people who care about locally grown food is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. March 16 in the multipurpose room in O’Fallon City Hall, 100 N. Main St. The meeting will begin with a presentation by Lane McConnell, marketing and local foods program manager for the Missouri Department of Agriculture, followed by an open house from 5:30-7 p.m.

Read entire story.

Powell Gardens Promoting Local

Powell Gardens, Kansas City’s botanical garden, is opening a new 12-acre expansion in mid-June. The Heartland Harvest Garden will focus on where our food comes from, and we will be growing more than 2,000 varieties of food plants. Powell Gardens is bringing back several food festivals and will be looking for local produces to source local produce this season such as sweet corn, tomatoes, peppers pumpkins, apple butter, winter squash, apples and much more!

Powell Gardens is looking for the names of farmers who might be interested in two things: supplying Powell Gardens with extra produce to serve to visitors on the food festival days, and bringing produce to sell to visitors.

Farmers that are interested in providing produce or other value-added local food products should contact Jill Draper, Marketing Associate with Powell Gardens at 816-697-2600 extension 207.

The following is the 2009 Powell Garden Schedule:

The Heartland Harvest Garden
In June of 2009, Powell Gardens will open the largest expansion in its history—the $9.2 million Heartland Harvest Garden. What began as a simple plan to bring back a vegetable garden well-loved by visitors in the early days of Powell Gardens has evolved into the nation’s largest edible landscape; a place to reconnect with where food comes from and to celebrate the pleasures of eating well. Set on 12 acres, the Heartland Harvest Garden illustrates in spectacular style the journey of food from seed to plate.

The Entrance Gardens
Visitors to the Heartland Harvest Garden will use all five senses to explore the garden treasures to be found within. A visit begins with the Menu Garden, an “appetizer,” if you will, for what lies further down the path. This garden is an example of a potager garden, a kitchen garden in the French country style. Vegetables, herbs and flowers mingle in a tapestry of colors and shapes that also provide food for the table. The adjacent Seed to Plate Greenhouse illustrates the miraculous process of germination and begins the explanation of where our food comes from.

In the Apple Celebration Court, visitors will follow a spiral brick path to encounter an amazing 54 varieties of apples. The Pear Promenade and Peach Plaza will be a delight as spring blossoms transition to delicious fruits ripening throughout the season.

Plantings in the Vineyard evoke images of the South of France and California wine country. Grapes of all types, from red wine to table grapes, will be planted with roses as a practical and beautiful companion. With gorgeous gates, trellises and water features, this space also will be available for private events.

Rotating exhibits in the Authors’ Garden will bring the philosophies of top garden writers to life. Rosalind Creasy, often credited with coining the “edible landscape” term and widely regarded as the leading expert on the topic, will be featured during the opening season. Creasy, who literally wrote the book on the subject with “The Complete Book of Edible Landscaping” published in 1982, has since published a series of 10 edible gardening books as well as a number of award-winning books on cooking from the garden. Barbara Damrosch, author of “The Garden Primer” and a columnist for The Washington Post, will design an adjacent space in the Authors’ Garden.

The Quilt Gardens
Inspired by the famous Villandry gardens in France, the Quilt Gardens will take advantage of the vast textures, architectural shapes and colors of crops, vegetables and fruits. They will be arranged in ever-changing quadrants symbolic of Midwestern fields and classic quilt patterns. Stunningly beautiful, the four, ¾-acre quadrants will serve as a display for the world’s food plants.

One quadrant, planted in a historic Old Missouri quilt pattern, will celebrate the crops of America’s breadbasket, showcasing corn, wheat and soybeans. The Kansas Star Quilt will display the grasses and legumes that feed our livestock. The Missouri Star Quilt is an orchard garden where visitors can pick up tips for growing fruits in their own backyards. The Villandry Quilt is a true vegetable garden inspired by the Renaissance castle gardens of the Chateau de Villandry. Combining beauty and utility, this garden clearly illustrates the beauty of edible plants.

The Missouri barn and its adjacent observation silo put a contemporary spin on traditional Missouri farm building silhouettes and blend with the Midwestern architecture style for which Powell Gardens is known. The barn houses a garden gift shop and outdoor café. Alongside the barn, the Kansas City Power & Light All Electric Kitchen will be home to cooking classes and chefs’ demonstrations. The adjacent Kitchen Garden will showcase a collection of culinary herbs and will give the home gardener plenty of inspiration for plants to grow throughout the seasons.

Youth Education Garden
For the first time, Powell Gardens will have a permanent garden space designed with kids in mind. The youth education garden will increase Powell Gardens’ capacity for school field trips but also offer discoveries and delights to casual visitors. The Water Conservation Courtyard allows for water play while teaching about wise water conservation practices. The Tutti Frutti Maze lets children run and explore in a maze of edible hedge plants. The Honeybee Haven offers an observation hive and teaches the importance of honeybees in the pollination process. Giant insect sculptures give children a place to climb while also introducing the concept of good bugs and bad bugs. An organic garden introduces the concepts of sustainable gardening and a small greenhouse offers space for hands-on lessons following the seed-to-plate theme.

The Fun Foods garden showcases the food plants behind some of children’s favorite treats—from marshmallows to popcorn. In the Living Off the Land area, children can explore a sod house and learn about the foods that sustained Native Americans.

Throughout the Heartland Harvest Garden visitors will have a chance to taste something fresh from the garden. Tasting stations will move with the seasons, ensuring that every visit will yield a new experience!

The Heartland Harvest Garden at Powell Gardens opens in mid-June with a Midwestern food and wine festival for members only, with the public opening the next day. Stay tuned for more details!

The Love of Technology

Yes, there is an entire month of blog posts missing from this blog (December posts to be exact). I’ve had some emails asking me what happened to the posts for December and part of January and all I can say is - sometimes when you mess with technology – you get burned. And burned I did. I was trying to consolidate some of the blog labels I have and accidently deleted about 25 posts from the blog. I could only recover about 5 of the posts I deleted.

As they say, “life goes on.” I promise to be extra careful when messing with technology in the future.

Glad to know that the audience that reads the blog noticed it quite quickly.

I’m out of the office Tuesday, January 27 for the Blue Springs Farmers’ Market Workshop. Back with photos from the workshop on Thursday.

Iowa Workshops Open to Missouri Producers

Tis the season of travel, travel, travel. We are in the “heat” of conference and workshop season. The Missouri Agritourism Conference and Annual Missouri Farmers’ Market Association Meeting convened this past weekend at Lodge of the Four Seasons in Lake Ozark. This was the first year for the conference, but you wouldn’t have know it. We had more than 145 conference participants for the two day event – needless to say we were very excited to see the support for the industry!

(PHOTO: My little nephew Luke experiences Missouri blackberries from a visit with me to the Berry Patch in Bolivar this summer.)

Director of Agriculture Jon Hagler also attended the conference and gave the opening address on Friday morning and talked with many producers afterwards.

With all the happenings going on around our state, I want to be sure that our Missouri producers also know about the opportunities to travel a bit north to some events that Iowa will be having for farmers’ market producers as well.

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, the Iowa Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, and the Iowa Farmers Market Association are working together to bring the best possible information on fruit and vegetable production, food safety, and marketing to Midwest producers in a three day conference.

Find more online about the upcoming conference.

Buying Local a Trend...Really?

I found it amusing when I read a news article that Brownfield released a couple weeks ago (yes, I’m a little behind on posting this on the blog, as the holiday season has put me a bit behind). The article was a release from American Farm Bureau on the Top 5 Food Trends for 2008 and big surprise - buying local topped the list. I’m sure many local food producers will agree – 2008 was a record sales year!

So, whether you are a consumer or producer of local foods – get out and show your localvore roots in 2009!

Below is an excerpt from the news article on the Brownfield Network.

The American Farm Bureau is out with their Top 5 food trends of 2008. The biggest trend this year was to local foods, in fact the new Oxford American Dictionary’s word of the year is “locavore”, a person who seeks out and consumes locally grown food. Celebrity chefs were very popular and very influential this year. Another big trend, higher food prices as energy prices rippled through the industry. Food safety and traceability became a big issue as we lived through recalls of beef, spinach, lettuce, tomatoes and jalapeno peppers. Also gaining popularity in 2008, food companies listening to consumers Butterball, Wegmans, Starbucks and others changed product offerings in response to consumer feedback.

Looking ahead to 2009, AFBF’s Foodie News says consumers will continue to want to know where their food comes from supporting a growing farm-to-cuisine movement. The economic downturn will also prompt more cooking, baking and eating at home while restaurants will experience more order-splitting among dining companions. Restaurants will also go more high-tech to entice customers. For example, a couple of California restaurants have touch screens where you can place your order and then play video games. American Pinot Blanc will become “the wine” and chefs will make buckwheat the next “hot grain”.

Ag Department Offers Organic Certification Reimbursement

The Missouri Department of Agriculture (MDA) announced today that through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Organic Program, the department is helping to provide cost-share monies to Missouri producers.

The cost-share program provides assistance for qualified organic producers in the areas of crop, wild crop or livestock and handlers of agricultural products who obtain certification under USDA’s National Organic Program.

This program will allow MDA to reimburse each eligible producer up to 75% of their certification costs, not exceeding $750. Since funds are limited, MDA will process applications in the order received until all funds are consumed.

For organic producers to qualify, applicants will be required to complete a signed application and supply a copy of their organic certificates, with an invoice documenting their cost of certification. To obtain an application and complete guidelines, visit the MDA website.

For more information, contact Lane McConnell, marketing specialist, at (573) 526-4984 or via email at Lane.McConnell@mda.mo.gov.

Columbia Farmers' Market Calendars Now Available Online

Over the past year, local photographer Dan Hemmelgarn and his wife Melinda have met with twelve farmers to produce a unique local product: "Farm Hands -- A Tribute to the Hands that Feed Us." This special work of art is a calendar that depicts the pleasures and challenges of farming, with an understanding of what draws farmers to their work.

While Dan shot the photographs, Melinda interviewed farmers and their families. Each month shares the treasured relationships with land, animals, working outside in natureʼs beauty, and producing "good" food. The images of the farmers' hands -- in sepia tone-- are absolutely beautiful, and speak volumes. There is also a brief insight into the farmer's philosophy about our food system.

"The best part of capturing the images for the Farm Hands calendar was meeting and getting to know Columbia Farmersʼ Market members and hearing their stories," says Dan. "Of course the ultimate reward will be the benefits weʼll all enjoy when the market has a permanent pavilion."
Calendars are on sale at the Columbia Farmers' Market Saturday mornings 8:00 a.m. till noon. Proceeds to benefit the Farmers' Market Pavilion Fund. Calendars make great holiday gifts, and this one's even better because it gives back to the Columbia community.

Dan and Melinda will be at the market to sign calendars on Saturday, October 4th between 9 and 11 a.m. The Columbia Farmersʼ Market is located at the corner of Ash Street and Clinksclaes Road in the ARC parking lot. The Columbia Farmersʼ Market was awarded best slogan, ʽthe Saturday morning place to be,ʼ by the Missouri Department of Agriculture , AgriMissouri and the Missouri Farmers' Market Association for 2008.

The calendars are available online or stop by the Market Oasis while shopping at the market.

City Market Receives Grant

Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer today announced 85 grants totaling $3,445,000 directed by the new farm bill to spread the use of farmers markets. Eighteen of the 85 grants promote a new electronic benefit transfers (EBT) to help low-income consumers buy locally-grown fresh fruits and vegetables. The Missouri Department of Agriculture still has wireless EBT and debit machines available for Missouri markets and producers, please contact me for further information.

The City Market was fortunate enough to be one of the states to receive a grant of $59,500 from the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service.

“Farmers markets are an increasingly popular source of fruits and vegetables,” said Schafer. “Locally grown and locally known sales of fresh produce strengthen the connection between farmers and the community.”

USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service helps increase domestic consumption of agricultural commodities and improve farmers’ income. The grants are authorized under the amended Farmer-to-Consumer Direct Marketing Act of 1976.

Regional local governments, nonprofit and economic development corporations, agricultural cooperatives and tribal governments in 43 states may use the money to establish, expand and promote farmers markets and other direct producer-to-consumer market opportunities. View the entire list of grantees.

Congrats again to the City Market!

Highly Successful State Fair Farmers’ Market

The Missouri Department of Agriculture along with the Missouri Farmers’ Market Association and AgriMissouri held the first ever Farmers’ Market at the 2008 Missouri State Fair the past two weeks. After 11 days of running the market in the Agriculture Building on the state fairgrounds the market brought in over $4,822.97 in sales and was a big hit at the fair. All funds raised will go back to the MDA to use for marketing and educational needs to promote the Missouri Farmers' Market industry.

Local produce was sold from eight different Missouri farmers’ market vendors and the market was utilized by fair campers, local Sedalia residents and fair visitors. More than 175,000 individuals came through the Buy Missouri…Buy Local, Eat Local….Got 4 It area during the fair. The area focused on the importance of supporting local farmers and forest product companies. The Buy Missouri area also offered visitors not only a farmers’ market where they could purchase local fruits and vegetables, but information on Agritourism operations and community markets around the state, an interactive area that included two computer set-ups where consumers could log on to the web and find a market near their home, plan their next Agritourism adventure, locate area forest companies and purchase local Missouri forestry products.

More than 37 volunteers, which included MDA staff, farmers’ market vendors and markets masters, forestry industry companies and Master Gardeners from around the state, donated their time to run the area throughout the fair.

Heirloom tomatoes from Fahrmeier Farms in Lexington were showcased and visitors could taste the freshness of Missouri through taste testing of more than six varieties of heirlooms. Other products sold included tomatoes, eggplant and cucumbers from Anderson Produce of Centertown, cantaloupe, tomatoes, squash, cucumbers from The Veggie Patch of Glasgow, peppers, grape tomatoes, onions from Fahrmeier Farms, sweet corn from Lowell Mohler of Jefferson City and David Kottman of Armstrong, watermelons from Freeman Farms in Tipton and peaches from Peach Tree Farms in Boonville and Rasa Orchard in Lexington.

The market not only provided a fun addition to the Agriculture Building this year, but educated consumers on the importance of buying local and eating healthy. In addition, a Missouri Farmers' Market Media Event was held on August 9 to promote Missouri Farmers' Market Week August 3-9, with a reading of a Proclamation by Director of Agriculture Don Steen.

The MDA is already underway planning for next year’s State Fair Farmers’ Market.

Take a look photos from the State Fair Farmers’ Market.

Eat Local, Buy Missouri Media Coverage

Brownfield Ag News attended the Eat Local, Buy Missouri Media Tour this past week. Brownfield's Julie Harker video taped much of the local foods tour and posted the video recently. Here is the web story from Brownfield:

Missouri Ag Director takes "Eat Local, Buy Missouri" tour

Missouri Ag Director Don Steen ate all locally grown foods on Wednesday. Brownfield joined Steen on his Eat Local, Buy Missouri tour in the Columbia area, where he made stops for breakfast and lunch and purchased local foods to eat at dinnertime, "We want to encourage people to buy this local produce. Not only is it better for you, it's probably better for your pocketbook and it helps the farmers in the local area supplement their income."

The tour began at ShoMe Farms where Steen purchased beef steak, then went to Peach Tree Farms, Café Berlin, Les Bourgeois winery, Columbia Farmers Market and the Boone County Farmers Market, "It's been a great day. And I think it's highlighted how much agriculture can be, from one end to the other, and I've enjoyed it."

This Eat Local, Buy Missouri tour highlights the upcoming Missouri Farmers Market week August 3rd through August 9th.

Handbook Available that Covers the State Laws and Regulations for Missouri Markets

We receive many questions regarding state laws and regulations regarding Missouri’s Farmers’ Markets. There are many different products that can be sold at markets, therefore there are many different rules our vendors must follow and by educated on.

I want to remind all vendors and market masters that we now have a Missouri Farmers’ Market Start-up Handbook that included how to start a market, organizing or re-organizing a market, listings of every state law and regulation that applies to markets, marketing assistance and much more!

You can view the handbook online under the Farmers’ Market Resources Section or request a copy by contacting me at 573-526-4984 or Lane.McConnell@mda.mo.gov.

News for Missouri Markets

In the next couple days all markets will be receiving a letter and Missouri Farmers’ Market Survey from the Missouri Dept. of Agriculture about upcoming marketing opportunities available for markets and vendors.

Working Local Foods Area at Missouri State Fair

The MDA is asking for volunteers that would be interested in helping out at the Missouri State Fair with the on-site farmers’ market and local foods area this year in the Ag Building at the fair as well as the Horticulture Contest. Both events are held in the Ag Building on the Missouri State Fairgrounds which is air conditioned, so fighting the August heat won’t be an issue.

The area is called “Buy Missouri… Buy Local, Eat Local…Go 4 It!” based around the Missouri’s local products. The area will have a real farmers’ market where all Missouri State Fair attendants can purchase fresh produce and other local products. (This area is sponsored by the Missouri Farmers' Market Association and AgriMissouri.)

We are in need of volunteers to help this farmers’ market area be a success. Each day of the fair—August 7-17, 2008—we will need one or two helpers. Volunteering would consist of working the market, selling produce, and handing out surveys and local food brochures/information to visitors.

Market Booths at Tour of Missouri Bike Race

Farmers’ markets also have the opportunity to participate in the Tour of Missouri Bike Race’s Health Expo (promoting their market and eating healthy which is free of charge through AgriMissouri). The Health Expo will be held at each of the start cities of the bike race. Any farmers’ market is welcome to set up a booth for promotion at this event and will be provided a 10’ x 10’ tent, 8’ table, and two chairs. This is a first come basis, therefore the first market to contact me will have their choice of location. Here are the start cities and dates:

Monday, Sept. 8 – St. Joseph
Tuesday, Sept. 9 – Clinton
Thursday, Sept. 11 – Lebanon
Friday, Sept. 12 – St. James
Saturday, Sept. 13 – Hermann

Missouri Farmers' Market Survey

Also, the Missouri Department of Agriculture is distributing a Missouri Farmers’ Market Survey, which you will find included with this letter. This survey is only two pages long and can be filled out by only the farmers’ market manager or vendors that sell at market. Your cooperation is essential so MDA will know how to serve Missouri’s farmers’ markets in the best way possible in the future. We would like all surveys returned to MDA by September 30, 2008.

If you are interested in helping with either the on-site farmers’ market at the Missouri State Fair, the horticulture contest, or if your market would like to set up a booth at the Tour of Missouri Bike Race’s Health Expo, please contact me at Lane.McConnell@mda.mo.gov or (573) 526-4984.

Re-oreder Canvas Tote Bags

Markets can re-order the canvas tote bags through the MDA as well. I’ve included a new order form for your market. We have had great success with providing markets with the tote bags and I’ve heard lots of great things from markets that are currently selling the bags within their community.

Thanks for your cooperation and hope you have a successful market season!

Tons of Tomatoes Available at the 2008 City Market Tomato Festival

The City Market will host the second annual Tomato Festival on Saturday, July 5, featuring a Salsa Contest at the 105.1 Jack FM radio tent. Find family friendly activities such as putt-putt tomato, a knock the cans game and a tomato toss. Recipe sampling courtesy of the University of Missouri Extension Office, salsa dancing demonstrations by Kcsalsa.com, music performance by the String Beans, storytelling and Wonderscope art activity tent are also planned.

The National Agriculture Center and Hall of Fame will be on site highlighting the history of agriculture and the future of farming and Harvesters will be accepting perishable and non-perishable food items at the City Market Information booth from 8 am – 3 pm. Fresh, locally grown tomatoes, including many hard-to-find heirloom varieties will be available for purchase at vendor stalls throughout the City Market. Farmers’ Market hours on Saturday are 6 am – 4 pm and festival hours are 8 am – 2 pm.

Tomato Festival Schedule of Activities
8 am – 12 pm University of Missouri Extension Office recipe and sampling
8 am – 2 pm Kcsalsa.com Salsa Dancing Demonstrations
9 am – 11 am String Beans Musical Performance
9 am – 1 pm Wonderscope kids activities
9 am – 2 pm Mother Nature storytelling
10 am – 12 pm Jack FM contest & activities
10 am – 12 pm Knock the cans game
10 am – 12 pm Tomato toss game
10 am – 12 pm Tomato putt-putt
10 am – 10:30 am Salsa contest check in
10:30 am – 11:30 am Salsa contest
11:45 am Salsa contest winner announced

For more information, contact the City Market Office at 816-842-1271 or visit the City Market at http://www.thecitymarket.org/.

Market Success Stories

We love to hear feedback from our markets. Deb VanBenthusen of the Fair Grove Farmers’ Market has heard many wonderful comments from parents and community members about the great events and kids activities the market is putting on this year.

This was a message Deb heard from a parent recently about the great success with the Growing Kids Club the market and master gardeners put on during the market.

“Just wanted to tell you that you are doing a great job with the farmers market. We really enjoy the things for the kids. It really helps them to be interested in gardening and farm fresh produce. Thanks from this Fair Grove Family.”

Does your market have a success story you would like to share? Email me or Charlotte and we will get it posted to the blog.