Women in Farming, Sunday Market at the Great Lawn in City Park | March 7, 2022

Fresh & Local:

Women in Farming

As of 2017, 31% of farmers in the United States are women, farming over 300 million acres with an economic impact of $12.9 billion. More than half of farms now have at least one female-identifying producer; from 2012 to 2017 the number of producers increased 7% while during the same time period the number of female farmers increased 27%. This growth is particularly remarkable when we consider that it wasn’t until 1900 that women in all states could enter contracts on her own, collect rents or receive an inheritance in her own right, and file a lawsuit on her own behalf. However, this was only true if she was still single. Additionally, it wasn’t until 1974 that the Equal Credit Opportunity Act established a woman’s right to apply for credit without a male cosigner.

March is Women’s History Month, and we are excited to share special content with you this month to recognize the important contributions of women in agriculture and food production. From bios of influential women in our local food sector, to hidden histories of women’s impact on the food sector, to recipes from influential local women chefs and so much more, we look forward to celebrating Women’s History Month with you!

Picks of the Week:

RFP for hot food vendors

The Crescent City Farmers Market is lookin’ to get cookin’! With COVID on the wane, we’re excited to bring prepared food options back to the market and offer market shoppers a full spectrum of options that includes delicious food ready to eat on site, or bring home to share. If you’re a pop-up, food truck, caterer, or other small prepared-food business looking for a regular sales opportunity, click here for more info. An ideal vendor will prioritize local sourcing, or be interested in starting to feature locally grown/raised ingredients and increase the food options/diversity at market. We are especially interested in vendors who will bring unique food options or ones that reflect the distinct food culture of New Orleans, and in bringing on underrepresented business proprietors.

Sunday Market Location 3/13/22

This Sunday only, the City Park Market will take place at the Goldring/Woldenberg Great Lawn. Come visit us here this weekend only to grab some fresh produce and local groceries from all your favorite vendors. The Great Lawn is across the street from Storyland and the Botanical Gardens, and next to City Putt, Cafe du Monde, Stanley Ray Playground and more. You can park next to the market at the Tricentennial Parking Lot or in and around City Park. We will be back to our normal location at the corner of Marconi and Navarre the following Sunday 3/20/22.

This week’s staff book pick:
Mosquito Supper Club

Market Umbrella’s Executive Director Cordelia Heaney selected this week’s Women’s History Month book. As Cordelia describes it, “Melissa Martin is a remarkable force within the New Orleans food system. Her excellent book Mosquito Supper Club: Cajun Recipes from a Disappearing Bayou, is both a cookbook with fantastic recipes (my current favorite is “Lucien’s Shrimp Spaghetti”), a primer on regional ingredients, and a historical marker of the contributions of Cajun cooks in Southeast Louisiana to not only our daily meals but our region’s whole attitude towards food. As well as being a former CCFM market manager and current chef and owner of the Mosquito Supper Club restaurant tucked away on Dryades St., Martin is also a staunch advocate for Louisiana’s Cajun Coast and has helped raise funds to assist people in the area impacted by Hurricane Ida.”

Vendor of the Week:

River Queen Greens

Meet Cheryl Nunes and Annie Moore, the farmers behind River Queen Greens! Starting in 2017, River Queen Greens has provided New Orleans with Certified Naturally Grown seasonal produce and microgreens from their 1/2 acre market garden in the Bywater. Since then, they have expanded to include a new growing site across the Mississippi River that has allowed them to offer a veggie CSA box that you can pick up from their Bywater farm Tuesday evenings! Just like when you’re at market, EBT and Market Match are accepted! You can also find River Queen Greens’ fresh veggies every week at our Thursday market!

Recipes of the Week:

Chilled Noodle Salad

Chef Mina Seck of Beets N Thyme has been a long time supporter and champion of local food and CCFM. After working in various fine dining restaurants like Commander's Palace and Continental Provisions, Chef Mina wanted to start her own pop-up so that she could have control of her life and do things the way she wanted to. What started off four years ago as a small food business flourished with support from all over the city. During the pandemic, Mina even spun off to do a charcuterie board pop-up focused on snack foods like fried chicken, blue cheese balls rolled in Cheetos and vinegar chips, and chocolate chip cookies. Now Mina is set to help open the kitchen at a new cooperatively owned bar called the Velveteen Lounge & Restaurant where she hopes to cultivate an equitable service industry model that prioritizes workers’ health and wellness and supports local agriculture. You can check out her pop-up on Instagram.

Chef Mina Seck’s recipe for Chilled Noodle Salad

What’s your favorite dish to make after visiting the Crescent City Farmers Market? Share your recipes with us on Instagram or Facebook and it might be featured in our weekly newsletter!