2009-2010 CAFM Annual Market Report
From: Jody Hardin, President
Certified Arkansas Farmers Market, Inc. (CAFM)

Dear directors, members, and friends of CAFM:
Four years ago when we started Foodshed Farm and the Basket-A-Month (BAM) Community Supported Agriculture program, we dreamed that it would last forever, supporting many family farms and, equally, the families who want to eat local, fresh, seasonal foods from them.  We also wanted a consistent, twelve-months-per-year market for Arkansas' small and medium-sized farms, with policies in place that kept it strictly local and farmer driven.  Today we can say we have the foundation laid as BAM goes into its fifth year and the CAFM goes into its third year.  CAFM and BAM have served more than 40 farmers this past year, who in turn, served hundreds of local families fresh, clean food from their small family farms.

Hello Arkavores:

Even with all this rain, several farmers plan to show up at our Argenta Farmers Market this Saturday with some great produce. Remember, the new winter hours for the outdoor market and the online market pickup are 9:00 a.m. until 12:00 noon.

Hello Arkavores:
The Argenta Farmers Market is open this Saturday! We have so many farmers that are still producing who have called this week to confirm they will be participating.  This is also Foodshed Farm Basket-A-Month pickup day at Argenta.  We expect to have extra milk, bacon, and a few other goodies that are surplus from the BAM program, so please don't hesitate to ask at the BAM booth if we have extra items for sale.

Dear Arkavores:
This is the biggie! Argenta Fall Foodie Fest is this Saturday, October 17, from 9:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. We have 15 confirmed local chefs all serving local dishes at very reasonable prices (no festival or fair prices here!) There will be new arts and crafts vendors, live music, soap making lessons, corn shelling, a cider press demonstration with hot fresh apple cider, and knife sharpening. Nearly 20 Arkansas farms will be represented in almost two city blocks of local food and fun! We will have a large tent with plenty of seating. Visit the Foodie Fest page for a preview of what's on the menu!

Friday, October 2, 2009

Hello Arkavores:

This Saturday looks to be another solid market day for our CAFM Argenta farmers and customers.  And, we are only two more weeks away from Fall Foodie Fest in Argenta on October 17. Our farmers and more than 20 local chefs are gearing up for one last local food feast before winter sets in.  We hope you will mark your calendar and witness what is perhaps the largest local food event ever held in Arkansas. I think we are making history!

September 25, 2009

Hello Arkavores!

We hope you are coming down to Argenta this weekend for some more good food.  We have another interesting and full market planned this Saturday from 7 a.m. until 12 p.m at 6th and Main Street in downtown North Little Rock's historic Argenta District.  Along with the farmers market, the Argenta community is hosting the the Big Dam Bridge 100 Finale Fest.

September 22, 2009

Did anyone see that rainbow this morning, while breathing this fresh cool air and watching the sunrise? Stunning! My perspective was from my mobile office, parked at 6th and Main Street, from the Certified Arkansas Farmers Market in historic Argenta. If you didn't know, today is the first day of fall, and it started off perfectly.

Produce at CAFM Argenta today (Tuesday): Turnip Greens, pumpkins, apples, personal-sized watermelons, arugula, colorful sweet peppers, a few kale and broccoli plants, pastured eggs, pasta, and a wonderful habanero hot sauce from Chef Shane Henderson at Argenta Market. 

The next CAFM report will be coming in two days with updates on all the activities in Argenta this weekend.  It's a big weekend for us in Argenta, and we hope you will go ahead and plan to come down for awhile Saturday morning. Already farmers are calling and seeing a re-growth of their gardens due to the unusual weather lately.  I already know that pumpkins and mums will be arriving in larger volume this weekend.  Stay tuned for the weekend update.

See you at the market in Argenta,

Jody Hardin
Executive Director
Certified Arkansas Farmers Market
www.ArkansasFood.net
 

September 11, 1009

Dear Arkavores:
We are expecting light showers for the Certified Arkansas Farmers Market in Argenta this Saturday, yet we don't expect this to change the number of farmers or the variety of produce they will have on hand.

The Certified Arkansas Farmers Market in Searcy will end a successful first season on September 30, 2009. Come visit us and stock up for the winter!  Wednesdays and Saturdays, 7:00 a.m. to noon at the south end of Spring Park.

August 14, 2009

Dear Arkavores:
Although the recent heavy rains have adversely affected some crops, it seems that many crops have benefited more than expected; and, the mild summer weather we are experiencing is likely to prolong the summer gardening season.  In other words, the selection at the market should hold up a little longer.

Dear Arkavores,
We should have known it would rain today...since its a market day in Argenta! So far we are still dry and hoping it will go south of the city.

Surprisingly, we have one of the best turnouts of farmers and produce that we've had all year on Tuesday.  There are seven farmers with green beans, tomatoes, more chantarelle mushrooms, cucumbers, melons, eggs, pasta, coffee, herbal soaps, okra, eggplant, and more.

Parking is easy, right on the street. So hurry down before the rain hits. The market is open Tuesdays from 7:00 a.m. to noon. Thanks, and see you at the market!

Jody Hardin
Executive Director/President
Certified Arkansas Farmers Market

The online market is up and running -- you can click over and start your shopping for Saturday now: www.cafm.locallygrown.net

A national competition is underway for farmers markets across the country.  Your vote could earn the Certified Arkansas Farmers Market a grand prize of $5,000, and it only takes about two minutes to vote.  Let's all turn out on this one, since it only requires you to click over.  If everyone will vote and forward this on to a friend, our humble little market could win this huge thing.  Let's do this for Arkansas!  Here's the link:
http://www.care2.com/farmersmarket/

Thanks to all those who have already started the voting.  Note that someone set up the wrong name for our farmers market, so under North Little Rock, please vote for Certified Arkansas Farmers Market, not North Little Rock Farmers Market.  The last time we called on our friends like this, we created what is now a successful farmers market called CAFM.  This is our next big call to action; please help!

Jody Hardin
Executive Director/President
Certified Arkansas Farmers Market
www.arkansasfood.net
www.cafm.locallygrown.net

August 6, 2009

Hello Arkavores:
Yes, we have a new name for our family of local foods consumers.  I'm quite proud of this as it truly captures what we are doing into one word: Arkavore.  Sounds like a great T-shirt idea is coming...any creative ideas are welcome and will be credited appropriately!  Someone threw this name out at me at the last Saturday market and I can't remember who actually coined the phrase, but I think we can truly claim it originated at CAFM Argenta.

July 23, 2009

Dear Foodies & Locavores:
It's prime time for summer produce this week, and Saturday's market will be loaded with peas, peaches, tomatoes, okra, squash, watermelons,cantaloupes, corn, peppers, cucumbers, garlic, herbs, eggs, chickens, pork, beefalo, beef, buffalo, fresh pasta, breads, fried pies, pesto, goat cheese, and much more.  Come on down and enjoy the bounty.

July 17, 2009

Hello Foodies & Locavores,
The heat is back and garden plants are responding with a prolific supply of fresh foods that will once again provide us a full market with a wide variety of seasonal crops this weekend at CAFM Argenta.  

You should see plenty of melons, peaches, squash, tomatoes (heirlooms starting to come in). Last weekend we saw cabbage, chard, carrots, cherry tomatoes, sweet peppers, blackberries, blueberries, cucumbers, herbs, corn and more.  If corn is at the market this weekend from Cedar Rock Acres or Hardin Farms, it is prime time to put it up in the freezer to extend your corn pleasure after the harvest is over.  Stacy's Fruit Farm should show up this Saturday with their White Nectar peaches.  My favorite, Oooh la la!! 

July 10, 2009

Hello Foodies and Locavores:

Fresh in from Washington DC, I am so happy to be back home in Arkansas.   With the Agile Ag Summit last week in Fayetteville (U of A) and this week's meeting with top Ag officials, Senators and other farmers on the Hill, my head is filled with so much new information to share with you all.  However, I'm planning on sending a full report earlier next week and will focus this CAFM report on what's at the Argenta Farmers Market this Saturday.

Friday, June 26, 2009

Hello Locavores & Foodies,
Sweet corn (Peaches & Cream varieties) should hit the market this weekend!  Between two farmers, we should have a fairly deep supply, but I would still come before 10:00 a.m. to pin down the season's first harvest.

June 18, 2009
Hello Foodies and Locavores,
It's really heating up at the Argenta Farmers Market...in more ways than one!  I suggest we start thinking of fresh local goat cheese (finally), peaches, the season's first honey harvest, and gladiolas, because they will be at the Certified Arkansas Farmers Market in Argenta this weekend in large quantities. 

Hello locavores and foodies:
Thank you all for coming to the Grand Opening Celebration last weekend at the Argenta Farmers Market!  You all are great supporters of local farmers!  I think we all had a “Grand” time at the market, and just about everyone sold out because of you.

Hello Foodies and Locavores,

When the temperature starts to hit 90 degrees in central Arkansas, you can expect the produce at our producer-only farmers market to increase dramatically within a few weeks.  This Saturday marks the Grand Opening of the CAFM Argenta Summer Season, as new produce and new farmers start to pour in.