Open Harvest Partners for Cooking Demos at New Farmers Market

Beginning Thursday, July 17, stop by for delicious samples and recipes using local foods at the new Community CROPS Farmers Market at Pentzer Park located on North 27th and Potter Streets. Each week Lancaster County Extension and Open Harvest will partner on cooking demonstrations using natural and bulk foods, and produce from CROPS farmers. The demos are part of the From Garden to Table grant.

New Community CROPS Farmers Market Begins Thursday, July 17

By Ingrid Kirst, Director, Community CROPS

A new farmers market is coming to Lincoln to showcase the diverse families who are growing food in our area. Beginning July 17, 4:30 to 7:30 p.m., and continuing every Thursday evening through September 18 at Pentzer Park (North 27th and Potter Streets), the Community CROPS Farmers Market will allow you to purchase delicious fresh foods, enjoy live entertainment, and learn about cooking with new foods.

Community CROPS: Combining Resources, Opportunities and People for Sustainability has been helping families grow food for themselves and the community for over five years. Throughout the city, a network of 14 community gardens provide space for those who want to grow their own food but don't have a place to do so. As an outgrowth of the gardens, the Urban Farming Project allows people to grow larger amounts of food and sell it at local outlets.

As part of the From Garden to Table USDA Community Food Project grant that is a partnership between Community CROPS, Open Harvest and Lincoln Parks and Recreation, we have funding to develop a new farmers market to provide another marketing opportunity for the farmers we work with, as well as be able to sell fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables to low-income families. Open Harvest has been a great supporter of CROPS by purchasing vegetables from our farmers, providing donations and a lot of great input.

Thanks to the USDA and the Community Health Endowment, the market will be a reality this July. The market will have a number of vendors selling a variety of fruits, vegetables, baked goods and hot foods. This is the first farmers market in Nebraska set up to accept food stamps for all eligible food purchases, a practice used successfully throughout the country. At the central market manager's booth, a person with food stamps (Electronic Benefits Transfer or EBT) will be able to swipe their card and receive tokens to spend at the market booths. At the end of the day, the vendors can turn the tokens in for reimbursement. Credit card customers will be able to use the system as well, and receive tokens of a different color that can be spent at any market booth. We are also working with the Wednesday Havelock farmers market to accept food stamps there.

With its location in a central Lincoln neighborhood park, the market will be accessible to everyone. Each week Lancaster County Extension and Open Harvest will provide demonstrations on cooking with new foods, and local musicians and artists will provide fun entertainment for the whole family.