May 20, 2016 | seedstock

Mapping out farmers market success [USDA]

Excerpt: Anticipation is building for the opening of seasonal farmers markets in communities across the country—especially in Takoma Park, MD, at the Crossroads Farmers Market.                   

17 farmer heroes for sustainability, equality, and defense of traditions [The Daily Meal]

Excerpt: The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has estimated that there are more than 570 million farms in the world. Behind each farm – at least 90 percent of which are considered family farms – is a farmer, or team of farmers, collectively responsible for growing the world’s food.       

New ‘FarmHer’ TV show features the rock-star women of agriculture [Modern Farmer]

Excerpt: Three years after launching the website FarmHer, Marjorie Guyler-Alaniz is taking the concept to the small screen.

Best practices for creating a sustainable and equitable food system in the United States [Center For American Progress]

Excerpt: Leaders at the local and state levels should follow the examples of successful community initiatives to improve the U.S. food system.

Can the USDA force convenience stores to provide healthier food for SNAP users? [Civil Eats]

Excerpt: Stricter SNAP eligibility rules could improve the selection in small neighborhood stores. Or it could prompt those stores to opt out of the program all together.

Northeast

Midwest native brings fresh view of urban farming to Stamford [Stamford Advocate] (Connecticut) 

Excerpt: Maxon Keating took over as farm coordinator in January at Fairgate Farm on Stillwater Avenue, where residents contribute and work to grow vegetables. Over six growing seasons, the yield from the plot at 129-143 Stillwater Ave.  

A new approach to community food systems integrates conservation-minded land trusts [The Portland Press Herald] (Maine) 

Excerpt: Nourishing food should be critical staple in every Maine kitchen, but it is not. One in four Maine children struggles to get enough to eat.       

South

Atlanta shelter gets urban agriculture grant [AJC] (Georgia) 

Excerpt: Covenant House Georgia, a shelter for homeless and at-risk youth in northwest Atlanta, is getting into urban agriculture with a $40,000 grant obtained by the city.

An all-volunteer squad of farmers is turning Florida lawns into food [NPR] (Florida) 

Excerpt: Perfectly manicured lawns are a bit of an obsession in Florida. But one Florida man is working on a project that’s turning his neighbors’ lawns into working farms.

Bonton Farms’ sweat equity chipping away at South Dallas food desert [CBS DFW] (Texas) 

Excerpt: An alley was turned into a chicken run with hens providing fresh eggs. Tilapia was raised in tanks. The corner garden expanded onto nearby vacant lots and in May 2015, Bonton Farms was born.

Roanoke selected for national effort to improve health in low-income neighborhoods [WDBJ] (Virginia) 

Excerpt: Roanoke is one of 50 cities, joining a new national effort to improve health in low-income neighborhoods. A local team will focus on building better access to healthy food, physical activity and public transportation.

Midwest

Youngstown urban farm offers produce, plant sales [WKBN] (Ohio) 

Excerpt: As the Farm to Table movement is growing nationwide, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said the popularity of farmers markets also continues to rise.      

Hunger for locally grown food fuels farmers market season [Cedar Valley Business Monthly] (Iowa)

Excerpt: Farmers’ market season has opened all over the region, and vendors are showing up with the first fruits — and vegetables, as well as other goods — of the season.

Healthful, local eating: Community Supported Agriculture increases in popularity in Holland area [Holland Sentinel] (Michigan)

Excerpt: Need that extra push to eat more healthfully?Community Supported Agriculture is an increasingly popular way to infuse fresh, local produce into meals.

West

New ‘TinyFarm’ in town wants zoning change to sell veggies from home [Colorado Springs Independent] (Colorado)

Excerpt: Cities are for farming. That’s the idea a partnership of local food aficionados have planted in a project that’s starting to take root.  

Agrihoods take root: a housing trend rooted in agriculture [ABC News] (California)

Excerpt: ‘How ya gonna keep ’em down on the farm?’ asks the old song. The answer may be: Build them an agrihood.  

Green plate special: Seattle students get a taste of urban farming [Seattle Times] (Washington)

Excerpt: One Monday morning, shortly after the start of spring, 21 fourth-graders and their teacher trooped through a garden gate at the corner of 25th Avenue South and South Walker Street in Rainier Valley on a field trip to Green Plate Special.