The USDA Plate and the Crescent City Farmers Market

The Crescent City Farmers Market opens this Saturday! If anything deserves an exclamation point on this overcast day, opening day of the market does. The farmers market is so much more than a place to shop for local veggies (although that's a critical and wonderful part of it!). Friends and neighbors chat, children play, recipes are swapped -- the farmers market is a social event and our community needs more of them.

I hope that Saturday dawns clear and warm so we can all celebrate the start of local food purchases and consumption. The market is at the Del Norte County Fairgrounds from 9 to 1.

This year marks the second season that the Crescent City Farmers Market will accept EBT cards for CalFresh purchases. It is an exciting development that opens the market up to more Del Norte neighbors. You can read more about it here.

This is a particularly good time for the farmers' market to open because the USDA has just replaced the traditional food pyramid with the food plate. If you look at the image, you'll notice that half the plate is set aside for fruits and vegetables. For many people, that's a tall order, but shopping at the farmers market can help! Many small farmers experiment with unusual veggies or varieties that can add color and texture to your plate or entice you to try an unfamiliar food.