The Austin Farmers’ Market
In the Spring of 2002, the Sustainable Food Center (SFC) received a grant from the City of Austin to assess the feasibility of a large, city-centered farmers' market in Austin. A wide variety of community members were surveyed about the concept of the market, including potential consumers, farmers, vendors and community leaders. An overwhelmingly positive response resulted. The folks from the SFC recruited a broad team of people from the community and together with SFC staff members, they are working to make the Austin Farmers' Market a reality... on May 3, 2003 a vibrant, bustling market will open for your shopping pleasure!
Highlights from Survey:
- 67.2% of Austinites said they are interested in attending a city-centered farmers' market
- 22 out of 23 Austin community leaders surveyed said they support the idea of a city-centered farmers' market
- Scores of farmers in Central Texas are interested in coming to the Austin Farmers' Market to sell their fresh-picked, quality produce in a direct consumer-to-grower market.
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SFC's mission is to create a food-secure community by improving access to local, healthy and affordable food for children and adults. SFC empowers people to empower themselves and their communities through food. SFC teaches people how to grow their own food, how to eat and prepare healthy foods, and where and why to buy local foods and sell foods of their own.
If you're interested in learning more about the many programs sponsored by SFC, including how to get involved with local farmstands, contact Suzanne Santos at 512-236-0074 or email: suzanne@sustainablefoodcenter.org.
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The largest certified growers-only farmers market in the state of Texas.
We meet the criteria of having 51% or more of farmers in our vendor base, year-round, AND we enforce that all farmers must grow 100% of what they sell.
What is NEW for Summer, 2008?
The market is year-round! There are more ways to learn about the local food system, there are more community gathering events, and there is much more to accomplish to connect the farmers to you. The market is growing!
The market is a project of the Sustainable Food Center, a local 501 (c)(3) nonprofit. We operate the market because it is an important extension of our mission, to improve access to local, healthy and affordable food for children and adults in Central Texas. We have been involved in doing this in a variety of ways since 1975.
Here is an example of what you will find at the market this winter:
* Peaches, blueberries and honey
* Field tomatoes and peppers!
* Nutty, nutritious squashes and sweet onions
* Humanely raised lamb, poultry, bison, beef, goat and eggs from pastured chickens
* Late shade-grown lettuces, New Zealand spinach, summer-resistant greens, hardy arugula
* Bulging heads of broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage
* Sweet and red, pink and striped beets
* Patio gardens and flowering fruit trees and plants
* Fresh-cut flowers
* Fresh, low-temperature pastuerized milk (not homogenized, nor raised with hormones or antibiotics) from pastured cows and ice cream!
* World-reknowned Cocoa Puro chocolate, Sticky Toffee Pudding and the best coffee shop in a downtown street!
* Organic locally brewed, fantastic tasting Maine Root root beer and the "Pink Drink" - of prickly pear
* Artisan breads, melt-in-your-mouth scones, and fresh empanadas
* Melt in your mouth chevre made from goat milk and specialty cow milk cheese
* Whirl around the world with freshly made, locally produced ethnic foods..Mediterranean, Ethiopian, Mexican, Oaxacan, Brazilian, Thai, Napalese and more!
Come try these delicious freshly picked and made products direct from our hands to yours!
This is your farmers market. You can celebrate by coming often, and bringing a friend.
Thank you for sustaining your enthusiasm and support for the Austin Farmers Market, we welcome you this ending of our fifth year.
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