Newest articles on The Sacramento Press tagged as "farmers markets"

Local farmers share tips for fall and winter cooking

2011-10-21T03:42:56Z

As the leaves change color and the weather changes, the yield in the local farmers markets gracefully transforms from the delicious grab-and-eat summer fruits to a generous variety of squash, root vegetables and leafy greens that require a little bit of heat before eating.

With the smaller variety of produce in the local markets during fall and winter, it’s easy to fall back on the same recipes when cooking every night.

The Sacramento Press asked local farmers at the markets for some of their favorite cooking ideas for the fall and winter harvest, and they had a medley of suggestions.

Carolyn McCormack of McCormack Farms in Walnut Grove is finishing her end-of-summer pear harvest and said she often makes pear tarts this time of year.

“It’s five minutes of prep time, and it tastes like it came from a French bakery,” she said.

McCormack said she prefers to use Bartlett pears or red pears. After peeling and slicing the pears in half, she lays them cut-side down on a pie crust in a pan.

For the custard, she mixes one quarter of a cup of flour, one cup of sugar, one teaspoon of vanilla, two eggs, and one quarter of a cup of melted butter into a bowl and pours the mixture over the top of the pears. The tart bakes at 325 degrees for one hour.

Most markets will be out of pears by the end of the month, she added, though you could make the tart with apples if you slice them thinner, and consumers may still find Asian pears in the markets through November.

Throughout autumn and the early winter, the markets will be overflowing with an assortment of squash. Squash can be steamed, roasted, boiled and then pureed into a soup, and some even sauteed. Squash with a thicker rind is usually cooked first, such as pumpkins, kabocha squash and banana squash, and those with thinner skin can be peeled during preparation.

“Winter squash is a good comfort food,” said Rob Montgomery of Rob’s Natural Produce in Durham, Calif. He said he primarily likes to bake acorn squash with a little bit of butter and cinnamon, and it tastes a bit like sweet potatoes, though almost any squash tastes good cooked that way. The squash can be baked at 350 degrees for 30 to 45 minutes.

Shirley Kiele of Shared Abundance Organic Farm in Auburn said her favorite type of squash is butternut squash and that there are several ways to cook it.

One of the ways, she said, is to roast it.

“You cut it into slices or little cubes and you roast it in the oven. Some people like to put brown sugar or butter or something on it – I like to just roast it by itself with a little bit of olive oil,” she said.

Another way to prepare the butternut squash is to puree it and make butternut soup. Kiele said that to make the soup she steams the squash after cubing and then puts it into a blender with onions, garlic, and a little bit of cayenne. The squash could be boiled as well, but it would take on excess water.

Montgomery said spaghetti squash can be used as a substitute for pasta noodles because when boiled, the squash separates in strands that resemble noodles.

To cook, cut the squash in half and remove the seeds. Bake at a minimum of 350 degrees for 30 to 45 minutes or boil in a pot until tender and then use a fork to rake the stringy flesh out of the rind.

“You can use them any way you would use noodles,” he said. “It’s kind of like noodles with a zucchini flavor, and it’s a sweet squash,” he added, and the “noodles” go fine as just a side dish with butter on it.

Along the lines of gluten-free, low-carb dishes, Stephanie Martinelli, of Martinelli Hood Ranch in Hood, Calif., said she likes to make health-conscious dishes, with no carbohydrates or starch, and she makes a lasagna that replaces lasagna noodles with zucchini.

To make the lasagna, Martinelli said she typically slices the zucchini into half-inch strips, making sure they’re fairly even.

You get about five slices per zucchini, she said, and depending on the size of your pan, you would want to make three or four zucchini layers, she said.

To assemble, alternate layering the pan with traditional tomato sauce – mixed with the meat of choice – and the zucchini slices until the pan is filled. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 45 minutes, and remove the foil 10 minutes before the lasagna is done.

Martinelli said she also likes to make acorn squash stuffed with onions, meat and rice. She halves the squash, drizzles it with salt and pepper and bakes it at 350 degrees for 30 to 45 minutes, and then stuffs it with the cooked meat, onions and rice.

A great variety of leafy greens also last throughout the cold season, including mustard greens, collard greens, chard and lettuce.

Andy Rogers, proprietor of Palermo County’s “R” Farm, said he likes to stay traditional with the greens using a Southern-style method of an added ham hock or bacon.

“Just chop them up, put onions, garlic and some kind of a pork product and just boil them down – just collards and throw the kale in at the end,” he said.

Collard greens usually take about 45 minutes to cook on a medium to high temperature.

As for chard – Rogers said he has a great recipe.

Rogers said he boils the chard leaves whole for about 15 minutes, puts them in a colander and presses the water out of them. Then. in an 8-inch-by-8-inch pan, he layers the chard leaves, his favorite Italian dressing, feta cheese and bacon bits “like lasagna” and covers and puts it in the refrigerator for an hour, though, he usually leaves it overnight.

Rogers said he then cuts the chard-lasagna into squares “like brownies” and serves it like a salad.

The winter harvest may seem a bit daunting to some, but bad weather outside strikes up an opportunity to delve into new dishes and many ingredients will be available at the local farmers markets throughout the winter.

For information on which markets will be open for the winter, click here.

Enjoy seasonal produce at two Farmers Markets

2011-09-06T22:02:18Z

Summer is just about history but two Farmers Markets aren't.

Two new locations that were added to this year's weekly circuit - East End Capitol Park at 15th & L streets and 6th & Capitol Mall - remain open on Thursdays 10am -1:30pm through September 29!

I just happened to take a photographic journey through them last Thursday:

Along Capitol Mall

East end Capitol Park

CHECK 'EM OUT THIS THURSDAY!!!

Fall Madly in Love with Exquisite Local Food August 13, 2011

2011-07-26T20:05:30Z

Join us for an afternoon with Placer County Real Food Cookbook authors Joanne Neft and Laura Kenny August 13, 2001 from 10:00 am – 12 Noon at Bushnell Gardens Nursery in Granite Bay. Come fall madly in love with the exquisite richness of eating fresh local in-season food and the rich local farms producing in Placer County.

Learn from Laura and Joanne how to shop local farmers markets and purchase all the meat, fruit, vegetables and nuts necessary to prepare meals from scratch. A number of their dishes from the cookbook will be offered for tasting Saturday, Aug 13, 2011. Cookbooks will also be available to purchase so you can have Joanne & Laura sign them.

We’re paring Hawks Restaurant with our authors for a bouquet of summer dishes from their restaurant. Enjoy tasting some of their most requested dishes created out of crispy, slow roasted, sizzling, chopped fresh ingredients.

We at Bushnell Nursery Gardens are very excited to have everyone on our property. We’ve incorporated herbs, vegetables and other edible plants into our beautiful container pottery. Not only are these plants functional for cooking they’re a super easy way to create statement pieces for your next backyard BBQ party. After learning from our cookbook author’s, sampling the delightful dishes, we know you’ll be excited to take some of these home to incorporate into your home patio, balcony, or kitchen!

If you haven’t yet become a fan of locally grown or farmers markets-come and be pleasantly surprised on a refreshing summer Saturday. Seriously, you’ll leave with new gardening ideas, locally grown recipes and a weekend activity designed you can take home and use.
__________

An Afternoon with Placer County Real Food Cookbook
~authors Joanne Neft and Laura Kenny~

Including: Hawks Restaurant, Orchard Delights, and Newcastle Produce
When: 10 am – 12 Noon August 13, 2011

Where: Bushnell Gardens Nursery 5255 Douglas Blvd. Granite Bay CA
Info (916) 791-4199, Cost: Free admission
www.bushnellgardens.com

Cookbooks are available at Bushnell Gardens Nursery & Garden Shoppe

Disclosure: written by Kristian Olsen, marketing and promotions staff at Bushnell Gardens Nursery and Bushnell Landscape Creations in Granite Bay, California.

Farmers market tours tout fresh and local

2011-05-05T01:25:46Z

Foodies were out in full force Wednesday when executive chef Michael Tuohy of Grange Restaurant & Bar kicked off his personalized farmers market tours for the season.

Follow The Chef tours are led each week at the farmers market in downtown’s Cesar Chavez Plaza, across from the restaurant at 926 J St. The markets – and the tours – run from May through October.

A wet winter has delayed some crops, including certain stone fruits. But Tuohy and Grange Executive Sous Chef Brad Cecchi found strawberries, asparagus, snap peas and more when they took 11 people there in the morning.

Tuohy started the tours two years ago to inspire Sacramentans to buy locally at farmers markets and to help bring the community together through a shared love of good, fresh food. He also wanted to connect the restaurant and the market, which he describes as a downtown "jewel" just steps away from Grange's front door.

"It's the next-best thing to having your own farm or garden right outside," he said.

The tour wound through the market. Wearing a white chef's jacket and brown rubber mud shoes, Tuohy walked from stand to stand. He discussed the benefits of California's long growing seasons and pointed out good finds such as small green pattypan summer squashes, Chandler strawberries, Medjool dates and Bariani olive oil.

Tuohy also discussed buying local and organic goods. While he prefers to buy organic food, Tuohy said his first criteria is always quality. He'll buy non-organic produce that has a higher quality than organic produce.

Talking to people behind the farm stands, the group learned not all of the products were as local as others. Some produce is trucked in from as far away as San Diego and Imperial County in far southeastern California.

The group included food bloggers Amber Stott of Awake at the Whisk, Dawn Balzarano of Kitchen Travels and Bree Hester of Baked Bree. Using shopping bags provided by Grange, participants bought goods at the market to take home.

The group then returned to the restaurant. A long wooden table set for lunch awaited.

Tuohy and Cecchi disappeared into the kitchen. They reappeared to deliver and explain each dish in a three-course meal.

Salad was made with sugar snap peas and asparagus from the market, plus fava beans and Bellwether Farms Pepato sheep's milk cheese, finished with Bariani olive oil, lemon and mint.

The main course featured a large Baja California scallop on a bed of risotto with sugar snap peas and shelled English peas.

Berries from the market were used in a strawberry-rhubarb butter tart with whipped cream for dessert.

Tours start at Grange Restaurant & Bar each Wednesday at 11 a.m. Tours cost $39 per person, which includes wine and lunch, and are limited to 15. Reservations can be made at 492-4450.

Suzanne Hurt is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow her on Twitter @SuzanneHurt.

National Pig Day takes over Davis Farmer's Market

2011-03-06T19:37:01Z

This Saturday, March 5th was Davis Farmers Market's 20th annual Pig Day, celebrating pigs, food and local agriculture, in Davis.

As this was my first pig day I hardly knew what to expect, but pig, pig paraphernalia, and pulled pork sandwiches. At Pig Day one finds baby pigs, people in pig costumes, farm animals from California Education Through Animals, and pig crafts for kids.

There was a petting zoo of piglets and craft booths where children can make pig tails, pig noses as well as piggie masks; booths were sponsored by the Davis Parent Nursery School, Davis Community Church Nursery School and UC Davis Rotaract Club. Pony Ranch Parties provided the pony rides.

For the 20th annual Pig Day, the spotlight was on John Blesdoe of Bledsoe Pork. One could find pork ribs, pulled pork sandwiches, pork on pizzas, and pork stir-fry. And all of it was sourced from Bledsoe Pork. John Bledsoe has enjoyed rock star status at the Davis Farmers Market since he first started selling pork there seven years ago.

Farmers market shoppers and local restaurant chefs love Bledsoe pork.

Local restauranteurs Kevin and Shar Katz of Caffé Italia have partnered with Artisan Baking on Wheels to cook up "pizzas with a purpose"–benefiting Davis Farm to School–at Davis Farmers Market. Shar Katz said their pizza toppings will be sourced from local farmers and producers and will change seasonally. "For Pig Day, we'll be doing pizzas with local endive, blue cheese, pears and reduced balsamic vinegar; a potato pesto pizza (Bledsoe bacon is optional); and a bianco potato pizza with the Caffé's crowd-pleasing white sauce." They'll also offer a pizza with Bledsoe pork for the meat-lovers.

Caffé Italia will sold Bledsoe Pork ribs with Kevin's special recipe rub that the Caffé uses on other meat products at their restaurant. Shar adds, "We rub the ribs with Kevin's special recipe, slow smoke them over hickory, cut them up and toss them in barbecue sauce and then heat them at a high temperature to caramelize them."

Sutter Davis Hospital's Live Cooking Station was on-hand, preparing and sampling pork stir-fry, using Bledsoe pork and other market-sourced vegetables. In addition to giving out samples, the hospital handed out recipe cards for the stir-fry created by Josue Montalban, operations manager of the hospital's Nutrition and Food Services. Montalban grew up in Puerto Rico where his father was a pig-farmer, and he loves cooking pork. He says, "Farm-fresh food is such an important part of our happiness and good health. We're looking forward to sampling John Bledsoe's delicious, all-natural pork for Pig Day."

Jaymes Liuu, owner of Fat Face, offered her breakfast sandwiches–fried eggs with either pulled pork or bacon on foccacia. Rhonda and Tony Gruska, and Jim Eldon, owners of the new Monticello restaurant in Davis, offered their pulled pork sandwiches. Trudy and Mo Kalisky's Upper Crust Bakery offered pig pops (sweet French bread on a stick in the shape of a pig's head), and Gold Rush Kettle Korn offered piggie popcorn. The Yolo County Food Bank also hosted a FREE to the public farm breakfast of pancakes, bacon and juice with proceeds benefiting the local community.

This was in pork extravaganza that takes part during the traditional Davis Farmer's Market, where Asparagus season has begun and the Market’s local vendors offer a wide selection of the best-tasting, fresh seasonal fruits, vegetables and meats grown or raised in California, including certified organic produce, pork, lamb, beef, chicken, cheese and local eggs, olives and olive oil, plus fresh baked goods, flowers and plants. A craft faire at the north end of the market features unique crafts such as beeswax candles, goat’s milk soap, pottery, quilted crafts, and more.

Cool Summer, Warm Tomatoes, Local Color

2010-08-20T18:44:48Z

The word may have already gotten out, that Sacramento, California -- halfway between places some would rather be -- has been visited by perfect California Mediterranean weather. Minus a mid-summer furnace blast of heat (so far), we've had near continuous Delta Breezes and mild temperatures, clean air and as one local weathercaster puts it, "good sleepin' weather."

The cool weather means that backyard and balcony gardeners may have harvested merely a handful of homegrown tomatoes. Now, residents can pick up good, fresh, cheap tomatoes from local farmers almost any day of the week; as well as nectarines, peaches, flowers, avocados, carrots, potatoes, strawberries, lavender and lavender honey, cucumbers, peaches, blackberries, blueberries and more ...

Prices on tomatoes range from $2.00 to $2.50 per pound for Heirloom tomatoes, to $.50 per pound for "Overripe."

Some farmers' produce is Certified Organic. Others have farming methods that are not certified organic, yet minimize the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. If you don't see a sign and want to know about how your food is grown, just ask.

Part of the pleasure of the Farmer's Markets, any day of the week, is getting to know and support the members of the community, who support us with their hard work and healthful produce.

http://www.california-grown.com/Market-times.html

Fremont Farmer's Market | Opening Day scenes

2010-05-04T20:56:40Z

Opening day at the Fremont Farmers Market was full of great looking tomatoes, asparagus, onions, potatoes, carrots and other vegies, strawberries, oranges, cherries, blueberries, breads, huge cookies and lots of great lunchtime eats such as crepes, mexican food, gyros. And the olfactory sensation of great lavender from El Dorado Lavendar Farm.

Please see www.sacramentopress.com/headline/26191/More_farmers_markets_begin_opening_today for more details.

SacPress Photos | Kati Garner

Farmer's Markets Reopen for Summer Season

2010-05-04T05:42:43Z

Fresh produce from Farmer's markets are a sweet taste of the Sacramento community, especially in the hot summer months.

Farmer's markets are about to kick off the summer season with a colorful array of favorite fruits and vegetables, flowers and produce. Though flocks of people may arrive in shorts and skirts, by bicycle or walking under the city's famous trees, Sacramento farmer's markets supply local produce year-round.

Dan Best, coordinator of Certified Farmers' Markets of Sacramento, said there is a significant jump in attendance during the summer.

"It's because people are starting to buy more hand and mouth kind of fruit, like peaches," he said. "I think people who shop in the winter probably do the most actual cooking with raw ingredients rather than buying something that's prepared. The people that shop in the winter are hardcore foodies who actually want to create their own meals from scratch, from ingredients directly from the grower. In the summer months, we get the people who add to that group but are looking for something to do and something extra to go with the barbecue."

Among the already-existing farmer's markets, Oak Park will unveil a new one.

"Oak Park is considered a food desert, so per capita there's more liquor stores and fast food restaurants than there are grocery stores," said Joany Titherington, Oak Park Farmer's Market manager. "The goal is to create a point of access for a community that hasn't had access to healthy fruits and vegetables."

Titherington said she hopes 2,500 people from Oak Park and its surrounding areas will attend the market weekly. She added that farmer's markets near Oak Park do not accept WIC or EBT food stamp cards, and that has disabled access to healthier food. Oak Park's market will accept these programs and cards.

"One morning I was walking my dog, and I saw a kid at a bus stop sharing hot Cheetohs with other kids. That was breakfast," she said. "We need to change that. It's the first time in history that people are not expected to live as long as their parents, and that's a huge issue. It's a working-class neighborhood, and access to fruits and vegetables is really important."

Davis farmer Nick Atallah has been selling at the Sacramento Central Farmer's Market, located at Eighth and W streets, for 22 years. He said that spring has shown a great boost in attendance.

"There's not more in the summer, it's now. In spring," Atallah said. "I see crowds here, even this year, I see crowds I have never seen before."

Farmer's markets run six days per week across Sacramento.

"(Sacramento benefits) by the direct link to their food source," Best said. "And by supporting our surrounding agricultural supply and make sure we have a local source of food.

"Sacramento's kind of in a nestle where we can reach out to farmers in a lot of different areas: the mountains, the coasts, down in the valley, then up north. It's one of those great things to have, and Sacramento has the ability to come together for the mutual benefit."

Local farmer's markets listed by day:

Saturday:
Sunrise Station in the light rail parking lot at Folsom and Sunrise blvds. 8 a.m. - noon, year-round.
Country Club Plaza in the Butano Drive parking lot at Watt and El Camino 8 a.m. - noon, year-round.
Laguna Gateway Center in front of Petsmart at Laguna and Big Horn Blvds. 8 a.m. to noon, year-round.
Oak Park at Triangular Lot, 3425 Broadway, Broadway and 35th Street, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m., opens May 15.
Del Paso Heights at Norwood Ave. and San Juan Road, 7:30 a.m. to noon, opens June 5.
Central Park at 4th and C Streets in Davis. 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., year-round.

Sunday:
State Parking Lot under the freeway at Eighth and W streets, 8 a.m. - noon, year-round.

Tuesday:
Roosevelt Park at Ninth and P streets, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., opens May 4.
Fremont Park at 16th and P streets, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., opens May 4.

Wednesday:
Chavez Plaza at 10th and J streets, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., opens May 5.
Elk Grove Regional Park next to Pavilion at Elk Grove and Florin roads, 4-7 p.m., opens May 12.
East Quad Farmer's Market located at UC Davis' East Quad, 10 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., opens March 31.

Thursday:
Florin Sears Store in the front parking lot at Florin Road and 65th Street, 8 a.m. - noon, year-round.
Downtown Plaza between Macy's and Holiday Inn, Fourth and K streets, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., opens May 6.

Friday:
Kaiser Permanente at Cottage Way and Morse Ave., 9:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m., opens June 5.

Farmer's markets outside of Sacramento can be found at CaFarmersMarkets.com.

Agnus-Dei Farrant is an intern for The Sacramento Press.

Farmers Markets Enjoy Popularity, Face Challenges

2009-10-22T22:15:11Z

Living in one of the world's most productive agricultural regions has its perks. Sacramento residents can stroll through a farmers market and buy fresh fruits and vegetables—and meet the farmer who grew them—year-round.

By all accounts, the popularity of farmers markets is on the rise, not just in Sacramento, but nationwide. The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates there are 4,800 farmers markets in operation, an increase of almost 400 markets since 2006.

California is home to about 520 certified farmers markets, featuring the produce of nearly 3,000 farmers. Sales are up, too. California’s farmers markets took in $163 million in 2007 (the latest figure available), up from $114 million in 2002.

"We’re seeing increased demand, increased participation from younger people and families. You see a lot of baby buggies at the farmers market. People are realizing that food is an important part of their lives," says Dan Best, of Certified Farmers Markets of Sacramento County.

Farmers markets are celebrated for providing foods at their peak of ripeness and flavor. Ripe produce generally does not ship well, which means that farmers who supply grocery stores must harvest the produce long before it is at its prime, or throw the best of the crop away.

Despite the increased popularity, farmers markets face a steady stream of challenges, both economic and social. One of the biggest challenges is still consumer demand. Even though sales are on the rise, farmers markets account for less than 1 percent of agricultural sales in the state.

“If we build it, sometimes people don’t come. People have to want fresh fruit and vegetables for their health and well being," says Best, who has been involved in farmers markets since 1980—first as a farmer and later one of the driving forces behind the establishment and expansion of farmers markets in Sacramento. “You can provide access in any area, but if there’s no demand, anything we do fails.”

The farmers and the markets try to reach out and educate consumers about the benefits of eating fresh, locally grown food. “People will take more time to pick out the right crème rinse than vegetables,” is how Best puts it. “We’re dealing with three or four generations of non-cooks. So we try to teach kids about eating fresh fruit and vegetables, that they’ll be better athletes, they’ll be stronger. We try to appeal to their self esteem.”

Best also credits the environmental movement with contributing to farmers markets’ popularity, noting that customers are showing more interest in locally grown and organic food. “People are looking for a sense of trust that they can get face to face. The Slow Food people, caterers, and people who revel in the taste of food, they have always gotten it. They’ve always wanted to make the connection. Senior citizens also made the connection because many came from agrarian roots and they remember what a tomato tastes like."

But it's not just the customer base that is changing. The farmers are, too. They are realizing that selling directly to consumers can be a boon to their bottom line, as opposed to selling to stores or distributors, which each take a portion of the profits.

According to Shermain Hardesty, director of the Small Farms Program at the University of California, Davis, “We may be maxing out on the capacity to generate more customers to farmers markets, but they are a great way for farmers to get started. They perform an important purpose. They provide a chance for farmers to interact with consumers and get their feedback, plus they can interact with more experienced farmers.”

"In the early days," says Best, "some farmers came to the markets out of desperation, to avoid going under. A lot of the farmers are coming now because they’re smart, they know they need to add in a direct marketing percentage as a safety net. Some still sell to wholesalers, but there is a risk because unsold produce can be sent back or destroyed. Some of the farmers do only direct marketing, and skip the wholesaler."

Another challenge faced by the farming community is cost. Small farmers’ profits are eroded by the increasing costs of farm equipment, labor, land and gas prices and transporting their produce to the market. Farmers often drive hundreds of miles to participate in the markets, coming from Fresno, Monterey, Stanislaus, and San Joaquin counties. At the same time, the cost of food has not kept pace. In fact, consumers are spending less than ever on food, about 10 percent of household spending compared to 18 percent in 1966.

One indicator of the stress on farmers is the loss of farmland acreage. According to the USDA’s Census of Agriculture, California had 27.6 million acres of farmland in 2002. That number dropped to 25.4 million acres in 2007.

“It’s still a challenge to save family farmers, small farms that have to compete in an economic system that’s based on large-scale farming operations,” says Best.

Best’s sentiments are echoed by Hardesty. “California has lost farms on the urban edge, in places like Rocklin and Elk Grove. It’s hard to compete with larger operations on a price basis.” But, she adds, “Sacramento has done a great job of offering reasonable prices to consumers. A lot of people say you pay more at a farmers market, but I would challenge that statement. You get more mature, more flavorful food, particularly tree fruits. Once you taste a tree-ripened peach, you're not going to want to go back and buy the rock hard ones at the grocery store."

Sacramento's farmers markets not only compete with local grocery stores for customer’s dollars, they also compete with Bay Area farmers markets for what is essentially the same pool of farmers. The farmers can sell produce at significantly higher prices at those markets.

“The only way we can compete is to bring in a lot of customers to sustain the market,” says Best. "We are here to sustain farmers, not to provide a food exhibit. The farmers actually have to make money."

There’s the issue of convenience, also. According to Hardesty, going to a farmers market means consumers may have to make more than one trip to do their shopping. The challenge, she notes, is “How can we get more local food to consumers while dealing with the fact they're time-pressed and need convenience?”

To increase traffic and exposure, three of Sacramento’s seasonal weekday markets (Cesar Chavez Plaza, Roosevelt Park, and Downtown Plaza) are operated jointly with the Downtown Sacramento Partnership. The Downtown Sacramento Partnership brings in vendors who sell hot foods, and the markets are intended to attract nearby residents and office workers who can walk over to a market during their lunch breaks.

“Farmers markets are a great opportunity. We love them,” says Lisa Martinez, Director of Marketing and Outreach for the Downtown Sacramento Partnership.

“We are trying to activate the public spaces that are sometimes under-utilized. Farmers markets are a meaningful way for people to interact, and they offer a unique experience.” She adds that the downtown farmers markets can draw up to 3,000 people during the peak season.

Although Best prefers a more "purist" approach to the markets, he acknowledges that the hot food vendors draw the pedestrian traffic. "Hopefully, every dollar that passes through that marketplace will end up in the farmer's pocket. We’re not here to be a party, we're here to be a farmers market. We're trying to do a serious program to maintain the viability of our local, California farmers and provide tree-ripened, vine-ripened food to a customer who appreciates the person who raised them."

He adds, "We're also here to create that connection between urban and agrarian, to start reacquainting people with the concept that food doesn’t come on a grocery store shelf; people have to make a living growing and providing food.”
One of the advantages of making that urban-agrarian link, according to Best, is that it can create a sense of respect for farmers and farm workers.

"It’s a good job to be a farmer and a farm worker. It’s not a low-esteem position. You're providing food for people to live and at a price they can afford. It takes skill to do a good job, professionally and safely. It’s a hard job. Every customer should walk in a farmer’s shoes for at least a week. They get up at 3 a.m., they pack, they drive to the market and set up. They deal with the public all day, and sometimes people insult them. Then they have to break everything down, pack up and drive home, and they still have to farm. Then the next day, they start the process all over again.”

When asked what the future holds for farmers markets in Sacramento, Best says, “Our philosophy is to save farmland and family farmers, and to promote the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables among children. That’s our future, not only our customer base but the future of our society."

For locations and schedules of Sacramento's certified farmers markets go to http://www.california-grown.com/Market-times.html.

All photographs by Jonathan Mendick. Photograph 1: Dan Best with his daughter, Danielle, at the Downtown Plaza Farmers Market.

What's on your plate?

2009-07-07T04:54:23Z

In 2001, two-and-a-half-year-old Kevin Kowalcyk became a victim of food. His death was induced by hamburger meat contaminated with the E. coli bacteria.

Kevin’s story is one of many issues discussed in Food, Inc., the recently released documentary directed by Robert Kenner. A special screening of the film was hosted by the Pesticide Watch Education Fund on Friday evening at the Crest Theatre.

Food Inc. begins with an aerial shot of farmlands that transform into the packaging of a Farm Fresh product. The film discusses the modern food production industry’s tendency toward using an agrarian visage for goods manufactured in factories.

Much of the data and research in the film is provided by Michael Pollan, author of The Omnivore’s Dilemma, and Eric Schlosser, author of Fast Food Nation. They narrate government policies and practices by the food production industry that contribute to the alteration of our ecology, bodies, and the way consumers think about food.

As a public health nutritionist, Judy, who chose not to disclose her full name, says she has an advantage over consumers due to her formal training with food systems. “I can decipher it more easily," she said. "You shouldn’t have to be a nutritionist to pick your food. That’s a problem.”

The film highlights the lack of transparency in food industries with regards to ingredients in products. California Senate Bill 63 is cited as an example of an attempt to label foods that have products of cloned animals.

Monsanto, a leading multi-national corporation in the sector of genetically-modified foods, plays a big role in the film, and its relationship with farmers is depicted as a strained one.

A series of vignettes are done with several farmers battling Monsanto over intellectual property rights. Deposition tapes reveal the politics and policies underlying the production of our food.

The closing credits offer reform measures for the food industry and feedback on how to make health-conscious choices as shoppers are faced with the prevalence of high-fructose corn syrup, an ingredient the film depicts as unhealthy, as well as other potentially unhealthy ingredients in the aisles of grocery stores.

The creators of Food, Inc. encourage support of local farmers markets and organically-grown food.

After the screening, a panel of experts in the field was able to speak on the topics brought up in the film and suggest the same support for community gardens and farmers markets.

Jaclyn Hopkins, coordinator of EAT Sacramento, connected the concerns of Food, Inc. to her community in Oak Park. “We’re considered a food desert," she said, "meaning that there is no good food in our neighborhood and our kids don’t have access to healthy things that can allow them to thrive.”

“We’re just seeing huge amounts of childhood obesity, diabetes, things that are not the natural condition of children,” said Judy, referencing the research done in her field of work. "It’s because it’s pretty toxic for kids."

Kathryn McOmie, a former teacher, predicted the return to an agricultural society as a result of watching the film. "This huge financial meltdown may be a way really of turning ourselves to think," she said. "We’re going to go back to growing our own food.”

Food, Inc. delves into the processes at work before consumers reach the checkout line—from the very fields and labs from which their food comes . It has sparked dialogue on the future of food, both as we know it and do not.