2011 Season is Here!

The market is open for the 2011 Season!  Saturdays from 7:30 a.m. - noon, and Tuesdays from 3:00 -6:00 p.m.  Check out all the products available for sale - fresh veggies, veggie plants and flowers, meat, eggs, honey, baked goods and more!  Don't forget to stop by ONCRC next door to see the Crafters' market on Saturdays from 8am-1pm.

Salem Heritage Festival - July 3-10

Celebrate the Salem Heritage Festival July 3-July 10 with events throughout the week!



July 3: Kick off your celebration with Breakfast at the Salem Farmers' Market, 7:30 a.m. - noon.

July 6: Watch Salem Memorial Hospital Dietitian Jason Edwards transform market produce into healthy, affordable, tasty meals! Cooking demonstration 3:00p.m. - 6:00p.m. Recipes available!

Opening Day at the Market!

2010 Season Opening!  Stop by the Salem Farmers' Market
May 1, 2010 from 7:30 a.m. through noon
Visit with vendors, purchase flowers, eggs, plants, early season veggies and more!

Watch this blog for news and upcoming events - it's going to be an exciting year!

The Salem Farmers' Market received a USDA grant to expand the market shelter in 2010, we'll be hosting special cooking demonstrations, cookouts, and more!

Check out our Facebook page "Salem Farmers' Market" - become a fan!

End of season cookout!

Stop by the market this Saturday for an end of season cookout. Hot dogs, hamburgers and other treats will be available, free will donations will be accepted to support the market. Visit your favorite vendors for produce and baked goods!

South Central Specialty Growers Association Workshop

My Place Restaurant, Salem
August 20, 2009 8:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

These workshops are for specialty crop growers and those interested in becoming specialty crop growers. Specialty crops cover a broad range of products including vegetables, fruits and cut flowers. These workshops are part of a project to develop a growers association for producers in the South Central Ozark region of Missouri. Members of the association will receive information about the latest production and marketing techniques. Growers association workshops are also a great opportunity for growers to trade ideas about dealing with similar climate, soil and marketing conditions.

There is no charge for this workshop and lunch, but pre-registration is required.
Contact the Dent County Extension Center to register at (573) 729-3196.

Sponsored by University of Missouri Extension with a grant from Missouri Department of Agriculture.

Customer Appreciation Day!

Stop by the market on July 18 - market managers will be serving free hot dogs and hamburgers to market customers! All your favorite fruits and vegetables are coming into season, so make sure to stock up your kitchens with locally grown food!

July 11 Featured Vendor - Schwartz Baker

Visit with Schwartz Bakery to purchase their home made rolls, breads, noodles and more!

4th of July featured vendor!

You can find Elisa Vance at the farmers' market offering her award-winning quick breads, including banana nut bread, pumpkin, zucchini, poppy seed and cranberry breads. She also makes great cookies! Celebrate the 4th of July weekend with a stop at the market to stock up on fresh, locally grown and prepared food!

Featured Vendor- The Wild Patch

Jack Byington sells jams, jellies, salsa and other canned goods, along with baked goods at the Salem Farmers' Market.

Featured Vendor - Reisner Ranch

Meet Craig Reisner and his family, owners of Reisner Ranch. Their steers are raised in a stress-free natural environment and are finished out on an all-natural grain feed -- no hormones, steroids or antibiotics. This creates a healthier steer and better quality beef. Check out their website at www.reisnerbeef.com

Featured Vendor - Screaming Oaks Farm

Meet Bob Vallone of Screaming Oaks Farm. He has eggs, olive oils, pickled eggs and other products available for sale at the market.

Featured Vendor - Black Bear Ridge Studio Garden

Susan Parker-England of Black Bear Ridge Studio Gardens has a wide variety of trees, perennials, herbs, roses, and other flowers available for sale at the market.

Farmers' Market Opening Day!

Stop by the Salem Farmers' Market on Opening Day - May 2 from 7:30 a.m. - noon. Vendors will be selling plant starts and cool season crops, flowers, baked goods and other items. Come hear the bluegrass music and watch a food demonstration!

Salem Farmers' Market meeting

FEBRUARY 17th, 6:30 p.m. at Salem Freedom Activity Center (old national guard armory).

Plan to attend the winter planning meeting for the Salem Farmers' Market. Manager Chris Mathes will provide homemade chili. Items to be discussed include:
- plans for expansion of farmers' market shelter and paving of parking lot
- grant application for USDA
- rules and bylaws for operation of farmers' market
- AmeriCorps VISTA introduction

For vendors renting a stall for full-season, please plan to bring your payment to this meeting. For questions or more information, call manager Chris Mathes at 247-3974.

2009 Agritourism Conference

At the 2009 Missouri Agritourism Conference you can explore everything from running school tours, retail shops, safety regulations, direct marketing taxes and more. Everyone from the beginning agritourism operator to the seasoned veteran should attend to network, visit the trade show and gain new ideas. For more info call 573-751-4339. For a full brochure with breakout sessions go to http://www.agrimissouri.com/agritourism.htm.

The conference will take place January 16-17, 2009 at the Lodge of the Four Seasons in Lake Ozark, Mo. A special room rate of $69/night has been established for the conference. To reserve your room, call 1-888-265-5500 and ask for the Agritourism January 2009 Conference.

Locally raised beef available...

Visit Reisner Ranch at www.reisnerbeef.com for more information on buying locally raised beef.
Available now: Freezer meet including steaks, hamburger, and roasts.
Taking orders for butchering in Feb.-March of 2009 - first come- first served.
Taking orders for butchering in October of 2009 and March of 2010.
More Dates could be added based on demand.

Dear Mr. President-Elect...

Read Michael Pollan's article "Farmer In Chief" from the New York Times, Oct. 12. Pollan presents strategies that a new administration could implement to create a healthier, more economically and environmentally sustainable food system in the U.S.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/12/magazine/12policy-t.html?_r=1&ei=5070&emc=eta1&oref=slogin

AmeriCorps VISTA job announcement

Interested in food and gardening?

• Help Dent County residents eat healthier
• Support new farm and food businesses
• Work on community gardens, farmers’ markets, and business development projects

Apply Now!

DENT COUNTY HEALTHY LIFESTYLE INITIATIVE 2008-09

Position: Food Entrepreneurship Development Associate (AmeriCorps*VISTA)

Duties:-Research best practices in food entrepreneurship, including farmer's markets, community gardening, business development, and youth entrepreneurship -Organize and coordinate the work of multiple committees of community members -Assess the educational needs and interests of aspiring food entrepreneurs (youth and adults) -Recruit and train volunteers to help deliver local educational programs -Work with local media outlets on publicity and promotion of events -Build partnerships with local organizations to implement programs
-Develop the capacity of community stakeholders to sustain food entrepreneurship activities

Minimum age: 21
Education: Associate's degree required; bachelor's degree preferred. Background in agriculture, education, business, natural resources, sociology, or a closely related field. Commensurate life experience will be considered in cases of outstanding applicants.

The University of Missouri is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.

AmeriCorps*VISTA is dedicated to eliminating poverty by helping individuals and low-income communities make positive changes for themselves. Through VISTA, ordinary people provide extraordinary service in more than 1,200 projects nationwide.

AmeriCorps*VISTA Members Receive a Wealth of Benefits
Members who successfully complete a one-year term of service are eligible to receive either an AmeriCorps Education Award of up to $4,725 or an end-of-service cash stipend of $1,200.
Additional benefits include:
• Paid Training • Student loan forbearance or deferment
• Living allowance of $833 per month • Federal non-competitive employment eligibility
• Health insurance • Childcare assistance if you qualify
• Relocation expenses • Allowable mileage and expense reimbursements


For more information, contact:
Sarah Hultine, MU Extension
573.729.3196
hultines@missouri.edu

Pumpkins at the market!

McBride Family Farm will have pumpkins for sale at the market on Saturday, September 27, from 7:30 a.m. till noon. Stop by to pick up some fall decorations for Halloween!

SARE grants fund sustainable agriculture projects

Source: Debi Kelly, 573-882-1905

COLUMBIA, Mo. –Farmers and ranchers in 12 north-central states can now compete for federal grants to fund projects in sustainable agriculture.

Funding comes from the USDA’s Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program.

“These grants allow farmers and ranchers an opportunity to test new sustainable agriculture techniques and demonstrate how they can be used over a wider area,” said Debi Kelly, Missouri SARE co-coordinator.

The SARE program invites farmers or ranchers operating in SARE’s North Central Region, which includes Missouri, to submit proposals for projects that test and evaluate adaptable sustainable agricultural practices for their operations. Competitive grants up to $6,000 for individuals or $18,000 for groups of three or more from separate operations are available.

Applications are due by Dec. 1, 2008. Eligible states include Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin.

Missouri leads the region in number of grants won, with 85 since the program started in 1992.

Kelly said she would review any grant applications, offering suggestions to increase chances of success.

The grants are for sustainable agriculture research and education projects and not for everyday farming expenses.

During the past 16 years, these grants have funded a wide array of projects in livestock- and crop-production systems, waste management, weed and pest control, organic farming, marketing, water quality and soil conservation.

The grant application can be downloaded at http://www.sare.org/ncrsare/prod.htm.

For more information, contact MO SARE co-coordinator Debi Kelly at 573-882-1905 or kellyd@missouri.edu.

MO SARE co-coordinator K.B. Paul at Lincoln University can be reached at 573-681-5584 or paulk@lincolnu.edu.

More information about Missouri SARE is online at http://extension.missouri.edu/sare/.