Winter schedule: The market is now on its winter schedule, which means market is held every Friday from 3:30 - 6:30 P.M. Please read all the pertinent information about the winter market elsewhere in this newsletter.
Location: usually in the church's Werner Lounge. Follow the sign that says OFFICES and we will be right inside that entrance. Please note that this location could vary depending on other activities taking place at the church. Follow the happy voices and you'll find us.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
The following article was written several years ago by one of our market's Co-managers. The message continues to be pertinent and thought provoking. Among other important issues, the article brings up the topic of GMOs. We are beyond pleased to be able to tell our customers that starting in 2014 our farmers offer soy free and NON GMO eggs and chicken. Yes, progress is taking place. It's through the customers' support that our producers can make even more progress. Customers' willingness to purchase (pay the price for) quality products allows our producers to provide those quality products.
But why bother?
The surest way I have found to know what my food ate is to talk directly with the farmers at farmers’ markets. (In the spirit of complete transparency: I am Co-manager of a farmers’ market). Because not all farmers at farmers’ markets follow the same growing practices, there are some important questions to ask in order to determine if the food you are considering purchasing is grown using healthy methods. For produce: you can ask if the producer grew the food using no synthetic chemicals throughout the entire growing process. This would include synthetic chemical fertilizers, insecticides, or herbicides. For beef: you can ask if the steer was 100% grass fed, receiving no hormones or antibiotics. For pork, chicken, and eggs: you can ask if the animals were pastured and were fed Non GMO feed.
How produce, meats, and eggs were produced should not be our only focus. When purchasing breads, jams, baked goods, and other value added foods, you could ask the vendors which ingredients in their products were grown locally, without the use of synthetic chemicals, and contain no GMO grains. Also, you can have a conversation with the vendors regarding whether or not they would be interested in possibly sourcing even more of their ingredients locally, following the above guidelines.
Change Over Time
While we might not yet be able to purchase all our food items following the above “gold standard,” we can at least begin the journey toward healthier, more sustainably grown food. As Chinese philosopher Lao-tzu shared, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step.” Each step, no matter how small or big, that we take toward a healthier, more sustainable food system counts immediately and immeasurably. Let the journey begin, and Lettuce Eat Well and Live a More Sustainable Life.
Waking Up to What is Really in Your Food
It is said that Rip Van Winkle slept
for 20 years. It seems that many of us have been in an extended Rip Van Winkle
state regarding the food we eat, asleep at the wheel, not even noticing what is
taking place in the production of food. For the past half century or so, much
of “farming” has followed the former Secretary of
Agriculture Earl Butz’s dictate to “Get big or get out.” Food
production has gone from big to bigger to gigantic, often resulting in more
harm to the environment, and less nutritious food.
Fortunately,
it appears the tide is turning a bit. Over the past few years or so, some of us
have begun to wake from our Rip Van Winkle state. There is now an entire genre
of literature informing us about the expanding topic of the politics of food.
Because of the plethora of books, blogs, and articles on the topic of food
production, we can now educate ourselves about the origins of the food we
consume.
But why bother?
With all the
other demands on our time, why add yet another project to our lives? Because, you are what you eat ate. Yes, whether
you are eating beans or beef, you are what the beans or beef ate. Do you know
what your beans or beef ate?
The surest way I have found to know what my food ate is to talk directly with the farmers at farmers’ markets. (In the spirit of complete transparency: I am Co-manager of a farmers’ market). Because not all farmers at farmers’ markets follow the same growing practices, there are some important questions to ask in order to determine if the food you are considering purchasing is grown using healthy methods. For produce: you can ask if the producer grew the food using no synthetic chemicals throughout the entire growing process. This would include synthetic chemical fertilizers, insecticides, or herbicides. For beef: you can ask if the steer was 100% grass fed, receiving no hormones or antibiotics. For pork, chicken, and eggs: you can ask if the animals were pastured and were fed Non GMO feed.
How produce, meats, and eggs were produced should not be our only focus. When purchasing breads, jams, baked goods, and other value added foods, you could ask the vendors which ingredients in their products were grown locally, without the use of synthetic chemicals, and contain no GMO grains. Also, you can have a conversation with the vendors regarding whether or not they would be interested in possibly sourcing even more of their ingredients locally, following the above guidelines.
We cannot
expect to make massive or complete changes in our food system overnight. It will take time for our small family
farmers and the other farmers’ market vendors to make the changes they and we
want. Some of these changes are complex; for example, reversing the practice of
using GMO seeds to using non GMO seeds for livestock grains and flour grains. For more
information on this topic, you might want to view the documentary
film, “The Future of Food.” Another part of the change process will involve reversing the practice
of heavily subsidizing corporate agribusiness, a change that will likely take a
united effort involving both our personal food choices and changes at the
governmental level.
While we might not yet be able to purchase all our food items following the above “gold standard,” we can at least begin the journey toward healthier, more sustainably grown food. As Chinese philosopher Lao-tzu shared, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step.” Each step, no matter how small or big, that we take toward a healthier, more sustainable food system counts immediately and immeasurably. Let the journey begin, and Lettuce Eat Well and Live a More Sustainable Life.
There is a
plethora of resources on the topic of eating locally. Following are but a few to get you started.
Suggested Resources:
CORV Local
Food Guide www.eatlocalcorv.org
The Locavore’s Handbook: The Busy
Person’s Guide to Eating Local on a Budget, by Leda Meredith
The Grassfed Gourmet Cookbook, by Shannon Hayes
Nourishing Traditions, by Sally Fallon
Harvest for Hope: A Guide to Mindful
Eating, by Jane
Goodall
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of
Food Life, by
Barbara Kingsolver
Article written
by: Mary A. Hutten, Co-founder of
Learning to Live Sustainably, and Co-manager of Lettuce Eat Well Farmers’
Market, on Cincinnati’s Westside www.lewfm.org
A slightly different version of this article was previously written by this author for The Green Grapevine.
RECENTLY ADDED ITEMS
Say Cheese, Please
We are happy to inform you that Jenny the Pie (& Lots More) Lady is now carrying yummy cheeses made by Laurel Valley Creamery. When Jenny introduced these cheeses at last week's market they quickly became very popular. The list in the picture is only a few of the types she will be carrying. And you can sample before you buy.
Some background on the producers: Celeste Nolan is the head cheese maker at Laurel Valley Creamery and her husband, Nick Nolan, is the head cow milker. Yes, this is truly a mom and pop operation. Well, the kids likely help out also as you can see in their video, "From Grass to Cheese, the Nolan Family Farm." http://vimeo.com/9183839 We thank Jenny for again expanding her horizons to continue to bring such quality foods to LEWFM. We love you, Jenny!
REMINDERS
While some of you are long-time readers of the newsletter, people who are new to the market are reading the newsletter for the first time; therefore, the Reminders section is included each week so new folks can see what's happening around the marker and around town.
IMPORTANT INFO ABOUT WINTER MARKET
Although all the vendors will have items that customers can purchase the day of market, if you would like to SAVE 10% on your purchases you can do so by pre-ordering your items from each of the vendors. You can pre-order while you are market each week, or if you won't be at market and would like information on how to place your pre-orders, email us at lewfmlocal@gmail.com. You can also find more information about how to pre-order and SAVE 10% by visiting the market's website lewfm.org Or you may call Mary at (513) 481-1914.
The SAVE 10% offer is not valid on meat and craft purchases.
For a full listing of our vendors, their products, and services including:
- Kids & Krafts (available starting at about 4:15), where the kids can have loads of fun so you can leisurely shop the market
- Many food and non-food items
- and a list of vendors who accept credit cards
You can also see up-to-the-minute news on the market's Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/lewfm.org
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Produce Perks
For
those who noticed the new logo at the bottom of the newsletter recently
and wondered what it means, here is the good news about a new program
that began this summer. Produce Perks is an incentive program that is
meant to encourage and help those who receive EBT (formerly known as
food stamps) purchase more produce. Produce Perks is a dollar for
dollar match (up to $10), with the matching dollars used on produce.
The Produce Perks website offers the following additional information:
Please
help us spread the word about this very worthwhile program. One way to
help get the word out is to stop by the market management booth to pick
up brochures to share with those you know who receive EBT benefits. You
could also leave brochures at your church, doctor or dentist's office,
or any locations that would permit you to do so. For
those who noticed the new logo at the bottom of the newsletter recently
and wondered what it means, here is the good news about a new program
that began this summer. Produce Perks is an incentive program that is
meant to encourage and help those who receive EBT (formerly known as
food stamps) purchase more produce. Produce Perks is a dollar for
dollar match (up to $10), with the matching dollars used on produce.
The Produce Perks website offers the following additional information:“Produce Perks” is an initiative modeled after a similar program in Cuyahoga County. It is administered by OSU Extension, Hamilton County as a partnership of OSU Extension, Hamilton County; the City of Cincinnati Health Department; and the City of Cincinnati Creating Healthy Communities initiative. Focus is on access and affordability of healthy fruits and vegetables for under-served consumers.
Produce Perks are incentive tokens given to customers at participating farmers’ markets who use an Ohio Direction Card (“electronic benefits transfer” or EBT card) to purchase food. A customer wishing to use their food assistance benefits can swipe their card at one central terminal, located at participating market’s information booths, and ask to withdraw a desired amount. The market provides tokens for the transaction and additional Produce Perks that can be spent on fruits and vegetables. As the name suggests, Produce Perks are only good for purchasing fruits and vegetables. All other tokens purchased with the Ohio Direction Card are good to use on eligible items at the market.
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We hope to see you real soon at Lettuce Eat Well Farmers' Market!
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