Local Sourcing and Sustainability | April 18, 2022

Fresh & Local:

Local Sourcing and Sustainability

Shopping at farmers markets is not only a way to access tasty, fresh food but also part of daily sustainability efforts that we can each practice. Part of what makes eating locally produced foods a more environmentally sustainable choice than shopping at the grocery store is the reduced food miles - the average meal in the US travels 1,500 miles from farm to table. All that travel generates lots of carbon, and so do conventional food production methods. Large-scale agriculture relies on vast acreage of monoculture where only a single crop is grown, attracting pests which then necessitate pesticides which tend to be scheduled mass applications. Monoculture also depletes the nutrients in soil, requiring added fertilizer, which is manufactured through an energy intensive process of its own.

Small farmers like the ones you’ll find at the Crescent City Farmers Markets use fertilizers only as needed, and to a much lesser extent, because practices like cover cropping, foregoing tilling, and crop rotation all help to preserve soil health. Pests are a huge crop problem in our subtropical climate, and farmers do often rely on pesticides, but these approaches often include spot treatment, spraying only as needed, and using naturally derived ingredients reducing the applications and chemical intensity. While you won’t see many certified organic producers at CCFM markets - and there are only a handful in the whole state of Louisiana - some producers are Certified Naturally Grown, or use farming practices more akin to those natural methods with reduced plastic usage, and of course very few food miles. To celebrate Earth Day and making good choices for the environment, if you purchase the CCFM Box through Top Box foods this week which is chock full of greens, peak season strawberries, salad and sweet spring onions, among other fresh local veg, you’ll receive $5 off and if you’re paying with EBT, Market Match will apply, which makes the whole box only $15!

Picks of the Week:

Earth Day Activities at Home

Every year on April 22nd people around the globe celebrate Earth Day, a day to reflect on how we can make a difference in protecting our planet! We here at Market Umbrella like to think that every day is Earth Day! By shopping at CCFM you are taking a step towards decreasing your carbon footprint. Our vendors come in from just 200 or fewer miles away, so you are truly shopping local!

You can take more steps towards sustaining the environment too. 4-H at Home offers a variety of activities to engage youth and promote learning by doing. One of our favorite offerings is the series Food Systems for Thought, and Change. This series of activities encourages young people to explore the impacts of food production on the environment and in our communities.

Tag us using the hashtag #eatgrowlearn if you try any of these activities at home!

Alliums at Market!

We know it is spring when we welcome back to market in all their understated splendor, the alliums - the plant genus that includes onions and their piquant relatives chives, leeks, and garlic and all their accompanying foliage and blossoms. Favorites at this time of year include spring onions, the little golf-ball-sized fresh onions that are just smaller, less mature versions of a traditional bulb onion. The mild and versatile leek somehow collects and traps all that soil between its delicate layers, but we defeat it by chopping it first, then washing the cut pieces. Also, one should not overlook the delicacy of scapes - that connective shoot of onions, garlic or leeks that leads to the flower bulbs, and yields a tender green bean-like vegetable with subtle savory flavor. Use the flowers of any allium for lovely, edible garnish. Later on, garlic and onions will be cured and their familiar papery skins will protect them for storage through the year, but for now, we welcome back these fresh and vibrant essential ingredients.

Farmer Training Series
Intro to Farm Bookkeeping

This series of virtual and in-person classes is targeted to support farmers and producers in creating a more robust market business. You can access the recent webinar Consumer Behavior at the Farmers Market here - essential content for any direct-to-consumer business. Classes are open to the public and either free or very low cost. Join us this Wednesday April 20th, for the in-person training Intro to Farm Bookkeeping with Annie Moore from River Queen Greens. Click HERE to learn more about the series and RSVP, which is strongly encouraged to save yourself a space.

Vendor of the Week:

Amorphous Gardens

Speaking of alliums, Amorphous Gardens will be back at Sunday market starting this week! You can expect to see garlic scapes this week and look out for fresh garlic come May. Amorphous will also have an assortment of seasonal vegetables and herbs that were farmed by Jonathan, his wife Sevanna, and their 3 children. The Amorphous family farm has been in practice since 2010 and they are proudly committed to producing heirloom/open pollinated vegetables and herbs, without the use of chemical pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers. Talk about having a green thumb!

Recipe of the Week:

Vegan Scotch Broth Soup (Scottish Barley Soup)

This recipe was selected by a Market Umbrella staffer looking to satiate their craving for a filling meal that is seasonally appropriate and refreshing. Many of the items called for can be found in abundance at the market at this time of year including onions, carrots, leeks, turnips, and kale. Pair with crusty bread from your favorite CCFM bakers and voila- a complete and tasty meal!

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!