National Farmer’s Market Week

Submitted by Bernie Allen, Aging & Transportation Programs Manager 

The first week in August is National Farmers’ Market Week.  Farmers’ markets help preserve farmland, enhance rural livelihoods, promote sustainability and in-crease access to fresh and healthy foods.  Here are just a few great reasons to get out and support your local Farmers’ Mar-kets: 

1. Taste Real, Fresh Flavors 

The fruits and vegetables you purchase at the famers’ markets are the freshest and tastiest available.  The fruit is allowed to ripen fully in the field and brought di-rectly to you.  There is no long distance shipping, and this produce is not sitting for weeks in storage.  This food is fresh from the farm!  

2. Support Family Farmers 

Family farmers need your support.  Small family farms often have a hard time competing in the food marketplace.  Buying directly from farmers gives them a better return on their produce, and also gives them a fighting chance in today’s globalized economy. 

3. Protect the Environment 

Food in the United States travels an average of 1,500 miles to get to your plate.  All this shipping uses a large amount of natural resources, which contributes to pollu-tion.  The shipping process also requires an immense amount of packaging.  Food at the farmers’ market is transported shorter distances and is generally grown using methods that minimize on the impact on the earth. 

4. Discover the “Spice of Life” – Variety 

At the farmers’ market you typically find an amazing array of produce that you don’t see in your average grocery store.  Some examples include: red and purple carrots, a rainbow of heirloom tomatoes, purple cauliflower, green garlic, watermelon radishes, quail eggs, maitake mushrooms and much, much more.  It is a wonderful opportunity to savor the biodiversity of our planet.  

5. Know Where Your Food Comes From 

A regular trip to a farmers’ market is one of the best ways to connect with where your food comes from.  Meeting and talking with farmers and food artisans is a great opportunity to learn more how and where food is produced. 

August Farmers’ Market Recipe:  Balsamic Roasted Beets

Recipe from allrecipes.com 

Ingredients: 

• 3 beets peeled and diced (about 3 cups) 

• 1 tbsp. olive oil 

• ½ tsp sea salt 

• 1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar 

• 1 tbsp. honey 

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  

2. Grease baking sheet or dish, set aside. 

3. Peel and cut 3 beets into 1 inch cubes. 

4. Toss beets with 1 tablespoon olive oil and ½ teaspoon sea salt. 

5. Spread onto greased baking dish in an even layer. 

6. Bake in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes. 

7. After 15-20 minutes, stir and bake for 10 minutes more or until beets feel soft to the touch. 

8. Mix together balsamic vinegar and honey.  Once beets are removed from the oven, add the honey vinegar mixture to the baking dish.  Stir until the beets are evenly coated. 

9. Return beets to the oven for an additional 10 minutes, stirring once halfway through.  Roasting until the balsamic/honey mixture coats the beets and isn’t runny. 

10. Remove from the oven and serve warm or refrigerate and serve later over your favorite salads.