August is National Breastfeeding Month | August 21, 2023

Fresh & Local:

August is National Breastfeeding Month

August is National Breastfeeding Month! According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, breastfeeding is the best way for most babies to get their nutrients. The U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025 recommends that infants be solely breastfed for about the first six months while continuing to breastfeed while introducing solid foods for one year or longer. Week three of National Breastfeeding Month is Asian American Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Breastfeeding Week. Shoutout to our partners, NOLA Baby Cafe and Cafe au Lait for providing a safe space for breastfeeding moms in our community.

Picks of the Week:

Thank You for Raising Over $3K
to Support Edgar!

Thank you to everyone who has donated to and shared the fundraiser for Isabel Mendez, one of Crescent City Farmers Markets longest standing vendors, and her 14-year-old son, Edgar. So far, the fund has raised $3,354.15 to support the family’s medical costs! The Mendez family is currently seeking a living donor willing to give one of their kidneys to Edgar, please share this with anyone you may know who is able and willing to donate a kidney or donate to help with medical expenses. Please use this link to learn more about how to become a donor and to complete a living donor evaluation, Edgar’s blood type is O+.

When tragedy strikes Crescent City Farmers Market vendors and disrupts our local food system, Market Umbrella's Crescent Fund has historically operated to collect donations from market friends and supporters to provide immediate, direct relief to our vendors. 100% of donations received will go to the Mendez family. We suggest a donation amount of $25; any amount helps! Thank you for your support; see you at market!

Realcycle Sunday Market Metrics

Over the past 15 weeks of Sunday markets, CCFM shoppers have diverted thousands of pounds of waste from landfills through Realcycle waste drop-offs. Our collective contributions include:

• 21,000 lbs of glass
• 8,400 lbs of compost
• 1,100 lbs of cardboard
• 345 lbs aluminum
• 250 lbs of tin

Realcycle is a local waste solution company that provides free compost and recycling collection at Sunday Markets. Carts are available on-site to bring over recyclables and compost. Please check that waste meets the guidelines below to help things run smoothly. We appreciate your help to minimize landfill use!

Acceptable recycling:

• Cardboard (broken down)
• Aluminum
• Glass
• No plastic or trash please

Acceptable compost materials:

• Food waste
• Leaves
• Wood chips
• Clippings
• Coffee ground
• No oily foods, meat, or dairy please

Coolinary Chefs That Support
the Regional Food System

August is Market Umbrella’s birthday month, and also the annual summer restaurant celebration - Coolinary!! Get ready to plan your meals; participating restaurants that also prioritize local produce and proteins include Atchafalaya, Carmo, Central City BBQ, Commander’s Palace, Gianna Restaurant, GW Fins, Josephine Estelle, Maypop Restaurant, Palm & Pine, Patois, Seafood Sally’s, Shaya, and Toups Meatery. Experience the delicious ways these restaurants uplift the regional food system and local farmers by prioritizing fresh, high-quality, seasonal ingredients in their menus. Bon appétit, y'all!

Pearl River Pastures Lowers Price of Pasture-Raised Chicken

“Transparency is key to our success.” Pearl River Pastures lowered the price of their chicken by saving costs on bulk feed, just in time for a back-to-school BBQ. Many of you know Farmer Rob and his wife, Jodie Harrison, with their forest-raised pork, delicious eggs, and pastured chicken as Sunset Oaks Farms. The Harrisons recently joined forces with the team at Juniper Creek Farm in Poplarville, MS to form Pearl River Pastures. This small farm partnership, united by a vision of regenerative farming, food access, and animal welfare, allowed Pearl River Pastures to reduce the cost of their pasture-raised chicken due to shared processing costs and bulk non-GMO feed. You can find them at the Thursday and other Sunday Crescent City Farmers Markets.

Vendor of the Week:

Pearl River Pastures

Pearl River Pastures is a regenerative partnership between Rob Harrison, owner of Sunset Oaks Farm of Picayune, Mississippi, and Summers White, the owner of Juniper Creek Farm of Poplarville, Mississippi. Each farm is family-owned, operated, and bucking conventional thinking by stepping away from industrial, chemical, and pesticide-based agriculture that degrades the land. PRP's mission is to provide access to nutrient-dense meat and eggs produced with integrity and transparency to the communities of the Gulf South while maintaining the highest animal welfare standards and leaving the land better than before. They raise Pineywoods cattle for beef production and land management, their cows have access to a diverse range of forages like their ancestors, including grass, wild herbs, and other native plants that produce bold, lean, beef. PRP's expanded offerings include wild-foraged beef, forested pork, pastured eggs, and chicken. Their products are available through regional Farmers Markets, Home Delivery, and their farm store at Sunset Oaks Farm starting in the Summer of 2024.

Recipe of the Week:

Roast Chicken with Tomatoes

With newly lowered prices and the appeal of home delivery or a quick trip to market, Pearl River Pastures chicken is the perfect main ingredient for a simple, stunning weeknight meal. Opt for a whole chicken for the best value, or leg quarters for the most flavor. This recipe for Roast Chicken with Tomatoes adapted from Bon Appétit marries succulent chicken with tangy creole tomatoes at peak season, brightened by a zesty feta sauce on the side. The warm juices from the chicken, onions, and lemon meld with the freshly sliced tomatoes, softening without cooking them down for an aromatic bite so flavorful, you’ll head back for seconds. Many CCFM vendors carry tomatoes these days, check out who will be at market this week to plan your visit. Greek yogurt from T&R Dairy and feta cheese from Huckleberry Farms rounds out the meal.