Winter Squash... in the Summer?! | August 27, 2024

Fresh & Local:

Winter Squash… in the Summer?!

Summer in New Orleans can get tiresome, and sightings of winter squash, around the market have had us dreaming of cooler days and wintertime treats. While we can’t change the weather, we can still spread some crisp cheer! Most of us typically associate butternut squash with the comfort foods of autumn and winter, but its growing season is actually happening now. It’s called winter squash because the thick rind allows for long term storage, so before the modern developments in global “conventional” agricultural trade, when you ate pretty much only what you grew and storing food for colder seasons was important, you could put up the butternut and acorn squash (and others) growing now to save and eat them later. Grab a squash from Poché Family Farm or Joe Fekete’s Family Farm to roast with some seasoning from Sassy Cajun Spices. If you blast the AC, you’ll *almost* feel like it’s winter vacation.

Good Food Word of the Week:

While Market Umbrella is known for our farmers markets and fresh food access programs, food systems work touches on many social, economic, and environmental issues. The Good Food Word of the Week seeks to shed some light on these parts of our work and the way we talk – demystifying the jargon.

Food Access

Food access is determined by the geographic proximity and affordability of food retailers in the context of the consumer’s financial resources and access to transportation. A lack of food access puts people at risk of food insecurity, which the USDA defines as a lack of consistent access to enough food for a healthy, active lifestyle. Food access is interconnected with many forms of social and economic inequality, with low-income people and communities of color being at the highest risk of low access to food. Through programs like Greaux the Good and Market Match, Market Umbrella is working to improve food access for communities across New Orleans and Louisiana.

Picks of the Week:

Take Our Survey and Enter to Win a Market Merch Bundle!

Have you had a chance to take the 2024 CCFM Customer Survey? Three lucky winners will be randomly selected to win a market merch bundle after completing this year's survey. The sweepstakes period ends on August 30th, so be sure to complete the survey before the end of the day. Your feedback is critical to helping the markets and programs grow and improve every year!

September Marketeers Club Meetup

Calling all kids! Join us this weekend at the Sunday City Park Market for the monthly Marketeers Club Meetup, where we’ll be using our senses to identify market veggies. Marketeers Club is a free membership program for market goers under the age of 12. Marketeers get to participate in special market activities on the first Sunday of every month and receive a special $5 market token of appreciation during their birthday month! To join in the fun, enroll your kids in the Marketeers Club by completing this brief membership form.

Time To Get Ready For Fall Vegetable Gardening

“We know, we know: It’s still hot outside. Falling leaves and crisp autumn air feel an eternity away.

But for some of our favorite cool-season veggies, there are narrow windows for planting and growing. So if you want to harvest a bountiful crop of homegrown produce this fall, it’s wise to start planning — and, depending on what you want to grow, planting — now.” - Olivia McClure, LSU Ag Center

Especially if you’re looking forward to a tasty homegrown fall pumpkin, now’s the time to plant. Learn more about getting your autumn garden started from our friends over at the LSU Ag Center - with tips for each month of planting!

Meet the Staff: Reagan, Senior Market Coordinator

Farmers markets don’t just happen! Meet Reagan, our Senior Market Coordinator, who works behind the scenes during the week on market efficiency and welcomes you every Tuesday at the Uptown Market's welcome tent!

Favorite Season: Fall! Our Halloween market is loads of fun-unrivaled energy and weather.

Favorite things: My Sunday Market Rescue Kitty, Ziggy, who has now officially made 1 year. I love welcoming new folks to the market, their excitement, and getting to witness folks light up about our amazing programs and vendors. And the connections and friends that I’ve made!

Learn more about our staff here.

Vendor of the Week:

NOLA Botanical Tea

Meet Portia Cooper, owner of Nola Botanical Tea and a CCFM Vendor Representative! Nola Botanical Tea offers quali-tea loose and prepared bottled teas as well as unbleached tea filters and wooden spoons. Their tea blends include both bottled prepared and loose Hibiscus tea in addition to Elderberry, Chamomile, and Ginger Root teas. If unsweetened tea is not your cup of tea, then NBT also offers organic blue agave sweetener! Portia started the company out of her own personal experience. After struggling with bloating and fatigue, Portia researched the benefits of tea and discovered that ginger root tea is known to help aid bloating and increase energy. You can find Nola Botanical Tea at all three of our weekly Markets. Be sure to swing by and treat yourself to a sample of Portia’s Hibiscus Tea if you’ve yet to have the pleasure!

Tell us what you think!

Take the CCFM Customer Feedback Survey

Enter for a chance to win a CCFM merchandise bundle!
Sweepstakes ends August 30th.

Recipe of the Week:

Mushroom, Corn & Cherry Tomato Pasta

If you’ve never had corn with pasta - this easy and light summer dish will open up a whole new world for you! Grab your favorite pasta shape from Costantini Pasta, some cherry tomatoes from Isabel’s, the Monica’s, or Johndales Farm, and mushrooms from Také Box for this fabulous pasta. Don’t forget the fresh basil - a bright and redolent summer staple!