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.

Fair Grove Farmers' Market for the Locals

The Fair Grove Farmers’ Market has provided the local community fresh, local foods for more than 10 years. The market offers visitors not only local foods but activities for children, such as a Growing with Kids Club, where local Master Gardeners teach children about growing different plants each week.

Find out more about the Fair Grove Farmers’ Market and it’s vendors.

Share Market News With Us

Brownfield Ag News is blogging about our Missouri Farmers' Markets! Brownfield Farm Broadcaster Julie Harker is traveling to market around the state filming video podcasts for the Missouri Department of Agriculture's Farmers' Market Program.

View all past audio and video podcasts here.

Does your market have news to share? Email Lane at Lane.McConnell@mda.mo.gov.

Farmington Farmers’ Market Has Something for All

The Farmington Farmers’ Market serves not only the city of Farmington, but consumers from a 20 mile radius. The market is open Wednesdays from 2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m., May – October and Saturdays from 7:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m., April 11 – October.

Hear from some of the expert market vendors on topics such as composting and organic agriculture on this episode of the Missouri Farmers’ Market Podcast Series.

Webb City Celebrates 10 Years

Missouri Department of Agriculture Director Jon Hagler visited the Webb City Farmers’ Market recently to congratulate them on receiving the 2009 Market of the Year award and to discuss the importance of local foods and farmers’ markets to the state. The Webb City Farmers’ Market is celebrating its 10th year and recently expanded and improved its market facility.

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.

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.

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.

Podcast #10: FFA Specialty Crop Program

I hear from many growers across the state, whether I’m traveling to visit a market, at a conference or even making a farm visit. One common theme is the need for younger growers in the specialty crop industry, and I agree. But how do we literally “grow, growers?”

We at the Missouri Dept. of Agriculture are working on just that through the Missouri FFA Specialty Crops Grant Program, funded through U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agriculture Marketing Service program to enhance the competitiveness of Missouri specialty crops and to teach FFA youth the importance of specialty crops as a value-added opportunity. The program is a pilot project in the Lexington and surrounding area of the state.

It is imperative that we train and motivate the next generation of Missouri farmers. Through this grant, students will learn from specialists and leaders in the produce and horticulture industry how to grow, sell and market specialty crops. These FFA students are given a great opportunity to become involved in entrepreneurial skills including direct marketing and advertising local specialty crops and have hands-on experience of selling produce and horticultural crops, flowers and value-added products at their community markets. Currently, there are almost 20 students participating in the grant program.

Brownfield’s Julie Harker recently spoke to Danni Heimsoth, who is the Santa Fe FFA President and is growing and selling at farmers’ markets in the Kansas City area.

Listen Here!
Farmers' Market Podcast #10

(PHOTO: Missouri State Fair Farmers' Market 2008.)

It’s all About Local

Brownfield’s Julie Harker interviewed Mary Hendrickson with MU Extension and the Food Circles Project for the final podcast in this series. Mary discusses the growing increase in local foods by consumers and what this means for the future of local foods.

Podcast: LISTEN here.

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.”

Producing Award-winning Goat Cheese

An eastern Missouri couple takes careful steps in producing their award-winning goat cheese. And this is the first year that Veronica and Steve Baetje have been selling their cheeses at farmer’s markets. Veronica tells Julie Harker about raising goats, producing cheese and the rewards of selling their products face-to-face to their customers.

Podcast 8: LISTEN HERE

Twice a day, seven days a week, the Baetjes get about a gallon of milk from each of the 43 adult females in their herd. The milk, drawn by a vacuum pump and sent to large stainless-steel cans, is carried one room away. There it is passed through a filter into another, larger collector can that chills the milk to less than 40 degrees - the first step in producing the four cheeses sold under the Baetje (pronounced BAY-gee) Farms label at the Soulard, Clayton and Kirkwood farmers' markets and to restaurants, gourmet food stores and wineries in St. Louis and Ste. Genevieve.

Consumers Have Lots of Choices at Missouri Markets

Here is the 7th installment of the Missouri Farmers' Market Podcast Series.

Julie Harker visited with southwest Missouri producer, Robert Long, who sells bison meat at local farmers' markets. Long is the co-owner of Flintrock Bison Ranch in Halltown, just west of Springfield. Robert runs his operation with his wife and kids…from the ranch all the way through processing to their finished bison products.

Podcast 7: Listen Here

Missouri Farmers' Market Podcast 6

The Kansas City Farmers' Market, called simply, “The City Market”, is one of the oldest markets around. And in recent years, it’s been transformed to a thriving farmers market with country charm and city attractions.

Brownfield’s Julie Harker recently interviewed City Market Master Deb Connors to talk about the history of the City Market and the market winning the 2008 Market of the Year Award through AgriMissouri and the Missouri Farmers’ Market Association. Connors says this season was a record-breaking year for many of her farmers' market vendors.

Listen to Podcast #6.

On Sept. 6 the City Market will hold a Melon Festival, be sure and stop in the market if your in the KC area this weekend.

(PHOTO: Melons from the City Market's website.)

Missouri Farmers' Market Podcast 5

During this Missouri Farmers’ Market Podcast, Julie Harker with Brownfield talks with Columbia Farmers’ Market Master Carolyn Todd about the 28th season of the market. Todd discusses the family environment of the market and how the market has grown into an attraction to the community of Columbia.

- About the Columbia Farmers’ Market and how the season has gone for the market’s vendors this season
- Special events the market hosts like the upcoming Localvore Challenge
- Future plans for the market including a new building

LISTEN: Podcast #5

(Photo: Carolyn Todd and Director of Agriculture Don Steen pose at the market during the Buy Local, Eat Local Media Tour on July 30).

Farmers' Market Podcast #4

Podcasting is the latest in new media, and the Missouri Department of Agriculture is proud to bring you yet another podcast about Missouri's farmers' market.

In this podcast, Bret Fahrmeier, with Fahrmeier Farms Produce, shares with Brownfield reporter Julie Harker all about their intensive vegetable operation. He shared his insights on the farmers' market experience as well as how their farm has kept up with the trends in specialty crop farming through the use tunnels.

LISTEN: Farmers' Market Podcast #4

Selling Cut Flowers at the Market

This week on the Missouri Farmers’ Market Podcast Show, Taste the Freshness Brownfield’s Julie Harker talks with Pam Coticchio owner and operator of Bunches of Happyness. Pam and her family run a cut flower operation on the farm, as well as sales at the Fair Grove, Ozark and Greater Springfield Farmers’ Market in Southwest Missouri.

LISTEN to the show here.

Topics discussed during the show:

- Trendy cut flowers at farmers’ markets
- Growing cut flowers for market and making it a profitable business
- Specific services that the business provides
- What consumers are looking for when shopping at farmers’ markets
- Missouri native flowers the business is using
- The differences in the three market the business sells at

State Fair Farmers’ Market

Yes, that’s right you read the headline correctly. The Missouri Department of Agriculture will be setting up a farmers’ market booth in the Agriculture Building this year. The area, called Buy Missouri, will promote Missouri’s more than 140 farmers’ markets, Agritourism industry and the forest industry. The goal of the area is to create consumer awareness on the importance of buy local Missouri products, whether that’s food for your dinner table or wood products for your home!

The area will be decorated with items from the State Fair Horticulture Contest and wooden walls and a barn roof, donated from various forest product companies in Missouri, will be constructed to house a pumpkin patch in the area. There will be a large farmers’ market stand in the middle of the area, where State Fair campers and visitors to the fair can purchase fresh produce, an interactive media area that will feature farmers’ market podcasts and videos, an Agritourism buyers’ guide and videos of forestry companies around the state.

We are looking for market volunteers for the information table in the Buy Missouri booth. If you are interested in helping out this year at the fair please contact Lane or Charlotte.

Hope to see you at the fair this year!

Farmers’ Market Podcast: Learn about the Missouri Farmers’ Market Association and the Webb City Farmers’ Market

This week on the Missouri Farmers’ Market Podcast Show Brownfield’s Julie Harker talks with Missouri Farmers’ Market Association (MFMA) Secretary/Treasurer and Webb City Farmers’ Market Master Eileen Nichols about the benefits to members who join the MFMA. Nichols also discusses the following:

• Hmong grower enhancement at the Webb City Market
• The Webb City Market winning a Market of the Year Award for the market’s Roots Festival
• EBT (Food Stamp) program available at markets across the state

LISTEN HERE: Podcast 2

Farmers' Market Podcast #1

This is the first podcast in a twelve segment series about Missouri's farmers' markets! Brownfield broadcaster Julie Harker interviews Lane McConnell, Farmers' Market specialist with the Missouri Department of Agriculture, on a wide variety of topics.

During this interview, you will be informed of the history of Missouri's markets as well as the local harvest calendar (consumer expectations and times when produce is ready). For the consumer side, Lane will provide helpful tips to use when shopping at a farmers' market and reasons to buy local.

LISTEN: Farmers' Market Podcast #1