The New Orleans Food Co-op and the Crescent City Farmers Market found some much-deserved attention in the Green Fork blog from Eat Well Guide (see my "Screaming in the Night" section for more from them). In a city that often forgets how to eat healthy, and often even takes pride in the unhealthiness of its cuisine, these are two organizations that remind us that fresh and local doesn't have to only mean beans, rice, and sausage.
The Co-op Action Team had set a goal of 300 members by May 1st, so that we would be more prepared to move forward in establishing a store. We gained 100 new members in the first few weeks of April, and we had 302 by April 24th! I've been at the tables a few times, talking with potential members. It's clear that New Orleanians want better food access, they want local food and they want to be able to own a part of their own store. It's exciting to watch it all taking shape.
The Farmers' Market is one of my favorite places in the city, and I plan to start volunteering there regularly after next Saturday. The market requires that vendors sell only what they produce, so those selling at the market are usually directly involved in food production. They can tell you when the fruit will be sweeter or how to store your carrots or that they will set aside a dozen eggs for you if you can't make it at 8am (shhhh...don't spread that one around). I love knowing where my food comes from and how it's grown, and I love that they often can tell me the best way to cook it or use it in a recipe.
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Monday, May 05, 2008
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3 comments:
yay for volunteering at the farmer's market! I would definitely be interested in that if you would like some company. that is so exciting about the food co-op too. its really neat to see all these great opportunities coming to fruition here.
Thanks for mentioning the Green Fork! I'm glad you enjoyed Leslie's post about her experiences in New Orleans. Check out our new and improved Eat Well Guide site where you can sign up to stay updated, search for local events, or download widgets for your blog (http://www.eatwellguide.org/downloads/widgets/search/i.php). Stay tuned for the launch of our travel tool, an interactive feature that will allow users to map out their route and find local, sustainable food along the way.
Gosh, I'm a bit jealous. The co-op sounds wonderful. I'd definitely be there every Saturday.
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