The Homegrown Alabama Farmers Market invites you to its first annual Herb Festival this Thursday, August 4th, from 3-6 pm. An herb demonstration from Josalyn Randall, a local herbologist, will feature basil as the “herb of summer.”
Randall will prepare two salads with basil and other fresh produce from the market, provide take-home recipe sheets, and have information on how herbs affect the body and their various nutrition and health benefits. Randall will also have herbal iced teas, lotions, medicines and other products available for sale.
Emily Conner, of Jean and Carol’s farm, will host a pepper roasting demonstration at this week’s market, and a new poster by Lindsey Reynolds will be on sale at the Homegrown information tent.
In addition to the children’s crafts offered at every weekly market, kids at the Herb Festival will have the opportunity to plant seeds and take them home to grow their own fresh herbs.
The farmers market is held on the Canterbury Episcopal Chapel lawn, 812 5th Avenue in Tuscaloosa on the University of Alabama campus, every Thursday from 3-6 pm, May through October.
Approximately 18 vendors attend the market throughout the season to sell fruits, vegetables, baked goods, beef, cut flowers, coffee and tea, eggs, homemade herbal teas, soap, pralines, canned goods, hot foods, and arts and crafts.
Other highlights of the 2011 market season include the availability of designated parking for all market customers, craft vendors every 3rd Thursday, locally grown, all natural grass feed beef, and the acceptance of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, formerly known as Food Stamps.
A Tuscaloosa One Place representative will be at the market on August 4th to sign-up area residents for SNAP benefits. An Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) machine will continue to be available for market customers to transfer SNAP funds into $1 and $3 tokens with the Homegrown Alabama label.
Homegrown Alabama has matched $10 spent using SNAP with an additional $5 in tokens as part of an ongoing incentive program. SNAP has been so successful at the market in its first year that the funds for the matching program are running out. If you would like to take advantage of the incentive program while it is still available, head to this week’s market.
For more information on the EBT incentive program and how to donate, call (205) 210-9621 or visit www.homegrownalabama.org/support
Vendors at this year’s market include:
Produce Vendors
Snow’s Bend Farm
Burnett Farms
Miss Emily’s Tomatoes
B & S Farms
Druid City Garden Project
Mockingbird Farm
Todd’s Produce
La-Ren’s Farm
AA Farm Creamery
Bubbles Bailey Honey
Beef
Folsom Custom Cuts
Oak Hill Angus
Miscellaneous
Cheeky Maiden Soap Company
Johnson Greenhouses Webb Farm
Margaret’s Pralines
The Urban Herbwife
Prepared Foods
Snap Decisions
Chloe’s Cup
Homegrown Alabama is a non-profit, student-led group at the University of Alabama that seeks to educate students and community members about the value of local produce, as well as foster partnerships between local farmers, the University of Alabama, and the greater Tuscaloosa community.
Homegrown Alabama 