Helping to give the gift of a healthy lifestyle and diet just got a little bit easier now that several of District 5 Farmers Markets have reopened for the season. Located throughout the community, including locations in Brownsville, Liberty City and Overtown, the markets offer local and/or organic fruits, vegetables and other food supplies. SNAP/food stamp users are even offered a buy two for one discount for up to $10 or $25 per visit.
The market is definitely an encouragement for all people to eat more local foods and eat healthy,explained Roger Horne, the director of programming and projects for Urban Greenworks, a non-profit organization which manages the farmers market at the Belafonte TACOLCY Park. Reopening for its second year, the park’s market will now be open two days a week, Thursdays and Saturdays, because of popular demand, according to Horne.
In addition to offering affordable food, many of the markets are dedicated to educating local residents of how to live and eat healthier and often provide cooking and educational lectures during their market times.
Youth L.E.A.D, a non-profit organization dedicated to educating teens about food and environmental justice, has also partnered with the markets. The program now offers an apprenticeship program to train local youth.
For Jasmine Johnson-Noel, 16, the Youth L.E.A.D program has been a great learning opportunity.”They teach you how to eat healthy, to drink more water, basically it teaches you how to get on the right track to live healthily,” she explained. “You’ll have more energy, you actually lose weight and the food tastes a little bit better.‚ The information she learned will be valuable as she provides food demonstrations at the local farmers market as part of the program.
Miami District 5 Farmers Markets
Liberty City / Brownsville:
Jesse Trice Community Health Center, 5361 NW 22nd Ave, managed by Urban Oasis Project
Fridays 11-3
Monthly food demonstrations coordinated by Youth L.E.A.D.
www.urbanoasisproject.org
TACOLCY Park, 6161 NW 9th Avenue, managed by Urban Greenworks
Thursdays 12-5
Saturdays 11-4
Weekly nutrition education workshops and food demonstrations
www.urbangreenworks.org
Upper East Side / Lemon City:
79th & Biscayne Blvd parking lot, managed by Urban Oasis Project
Saturdays 9-2
Year – round
Monthly food demonstrations coordinated by Youth L.E.A.D.
www.urbanoasisproject.org
Overtown:
Corner of NW 3rd Ave & 16th Street, managed by Roots in the City
Fridays 10-5
www.rootsinthecity.com
Coconut Grove:
Grand Ave & Douglas Road, managed by Roots in the City
Saturdays, 10-5
www.rootsinthecity.com
By Kaila Heard kheard@miamitimesonline.com
Little Haiti Farmers Market/Bochika
January 5, 2012 at 2:44 pm
There is a new District 5 market opening this weekend, the Little Haiti Farmers Market. Part of the same group listed above, the Little Haiti Farmers Market will bring easy access to affordable and healthy food, Haitian specialty goods, and health screenings.
The full announcement is available here: http://www.prweb.com/releases/Bochika/FarmersMarket/prweb9078787.htm
Please contact market(at)bochika(dot)org for more details!