USDA Farmers Market Newsletter

The USDA Farmers Market is a "living laboratory," dedicated to providing opportunities for farmers, ranchers, and small businesses to sell their products to those living in and visiting our Nation's capital.

Farmers Market vendors are the heart and soul of the community. We miss ours dearly and know you do too! Check out this week's vendor spotlight!

Elda Gardens, located in Midland Virginia, is a family operated farm centered around family values. Thomas Bruccoleri and his wife, Bohdana Bruccoleri, have been married for 40 years and have 11 children. They desired to raise their family in the best environment possible, and they decided a farm was the right way to do that. In their 10 years of operation, Elda Gardens has never stopped looking for innovative ways to improve what they produce. All their animals are grass-fed with no chemicals and they recently started focusing on the production of their goat patties that were sold at last year’s Farmers Market. When asked what they love about the USDA Farmers Market, Thomas raved about the joy meeting new people brings, as well as the added benefits of a caring staff that actively contributes to everyone’s success. The USDA Farmers Market is grateful to have vendors like Elda Gardens and would like to thank them for their continued contribution in making the market what it has grown to become.

Connecting with USDA Farmers Market Vendors

Although the opening of the market is delayed, we would love for you still have a way to contact your favorite vendors. Here is a link to containing that information as well as some markets our vendors are currently servicing: Vendor Information.pdf

Produce of the week: Mangoes

Throughout the season, the USDA Farmers Market VegU-cation tent typically partners with various commodity boards to provide a “VegU-cation" on how to grow, pick, prepare and store various fruits and vegetables through short 10-minute classes in the VegU tent. While we may not be together, we want to continue to highlight the Boards that would have been in attendance. This week we present mangoes as featured by the National Mango Board; a national research and promotion organization whose mission is to increase the consumption of fresh mango in the U.S.

Did you know… Mangos were first grown in India over 5,000 years ago. There are over 500 mango fruit varieties grown all over the world. Mangos are related to cashews and pistachios.

How do you select a mango? Click the links below to learn from the experts how to choose the perfect mango.
National Mango Board Website: https://www.mango.org/how-to-choose-a-mango/

YouTube: https://youtu.be/BuVJjBlRrgE

Weekly Recipe Feature

National Mango Board: Baja Tacos with Mango Salsa
Recipe Link: https://www.mango.org/recipes/baja-fish-tacos-with-mango-salsa/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amY1NF_T1C8

USDA has a diverse community of employees that contribute to a culturally rich environment. “Community Corner” explores the influences of cultural heritage and tradition through the lens of USDA Farmers Market’s stakeholders, customers, and neighbors.

This week’s “Community Corner” will explore the fascinating world of pollinators and their functionally. Annually, the USDA Farmers Market hosts a Pollinator Festival. Festival visitors get to talk with pollinator experts, watch live bees, pick up pollinator-friendly plants and seeds, and learn more about what they can do in their own backyard to help pollinators. In the absence of a festival we would still like to bring you some facts about pollination and how you can help. Pollinators like bees, birds, bats, butterflies, beetles, and other small mammals that pollinate plants are responsible for bringing us one out of every three bites of food. Somewhere between 75% and 95% of all flowering plants on the earth need help with pollination and honeybees are responsible for the pollination of 80% of the world’s plants. That means that pollinators add over $200 billion dollars to the global economy. Unfortunately, many pollinator populations are in decline and need our help. Research shows that conservation techniques work. Here are three ways to directly help pollinators: Become a Wildlife Gardner. By nurturing a part of your yard, patio, or deck you can attract birds, butterflies, and other pollinators. Plant Milkweed. By planting milkweed in your own yard, garden or neighborhood, you’ll not only attract the monarch butterfly, you’ll be providing a crucial habitat that will allow their caterpillars to survive. Let Your Lawn Grow. Reduce mowing or dedicate a section of your yard to allow dandelions and clover to grow again (two of bees' favorite delicacies.) For more information about pollinators visit https://www.usda.gov/pollinators.

Durable and Efficient Hand Washing Station

A recommendation currently being repeated often is “wash your hands frequently”. In today’s farmers markets, it is imperative. In the interest of efficiency, a Farmers Market Promotion Program grant recipient recommended plans provided by the University of Minnesota Extension Service for assembling a simple hand-washing station for outdoor use. Follow the link below to see those plans:

Build Handwashing Station.pdf

Clean hands are vital in maintaining good health and are a particularly important part of the measures recommended by the Centers for Disease Control for avoiding any pathogen. Farmers markets can encourage handwashing with no reservations when there are adequate hand-washing stations visible and available for market staff and customers alike to use. Farmers markets are encouraged to back up these handwashing stations with hand sanitizers.

Social distancing measures plus excellent hand hygiene equal good habits as barriers to infection while pursuing the essential task of obtaining fresh seasonal foods at farmers markets. 

Water is a very important element to farmers, their crops, and their land. This week you and your kids get to enjoy a game of water adventures while learning more about the wonders of agriculture! Discover more by following this link: http://www.myamericanfarm.org/classroom/games

Due to the COVID-19 National Emergency, the opening of the USDA Farmers Market is pending. We will provide updates as we receive guidance.