It is the final stretch for horse racing in the Spa City, AND it’s also the final days of voting for “America’s Favorite Farmers’ Market”! This national contest is sponsored by American Farmland Trust (www.farmland.org) and voting ends on Saturday, August 31. Our very own Saratoga Farmers’ Market is in a close three way dual for first in the medium size division of the 4-category contest. It’s NY vs Delaware and Virginia. It’s Spa City vs the beach town of Lewis, DE and suburban Falls Church, VA. The odds makers might have us losing by a vote or two, but New Yorkers love the underdog, so lets show it and vote for our own Saratoga Farmers’ Market!
This is the second year of the contest. Last year the contest had only
one category (Saratoga came in 12th in the nation) and offered only
on-line recognition/listing of the voting for the top 20 markets. This
year the contest has not only 4 categories (boutique, small medium and
large), it is offering the winner in each category cash and advertising.
A win would be a win not only for the Farmers’ Market but for Saratoga
Springs–*our community would be put in the national media as a
community that supports local food and farm land! This is a very
deserved award for this community.
Last year the contest did not give out cash awards, but we had a big win
as a result of the being listed in their Top Twenty Markets in
American. The Toyota Company took note and used the list to choose 7
markets across the country for sites for their Toyota’s Farm to Chef
Across America Tour. The Saratoga Farmers’ Market was one of the 7
chosen. This event brought a couple thousand people into our market/city
to experience 12 local chefs cooking market product into scrumptious
samples. It gave the market and Saratoga Springs recognition, infused
the market with quite a few new clients, inspired old clients, paid
local farmers and chefs for product and labor and added around 20 Toyota
workers into the local hotels and restaurants.
This year’s American Farmland Trust contest will not only give
recognition to the winning farmers’ markets, but provide money and
advertising. While the money goes directly to the farmers’ market the
*national advertising will go to touting the region/town as a
sustainable oriented area that supports agriculture, local food and
farming. All absolutely true for Saratoga. *Vote and let the world know!
Got to www.farmland.org
Currently Saratoga Farmers’ Market is in third place in medium market
category and only 250 or so votes shy of first place. With the voting
neck and neck between the top three, this is going to the wire to
determine the winner. *Every vote counts!!*
*We encourage any and all who enjoy the Saratoga Farmers’ Market,
believe in local food, sustainability and local farms to go to
www.farmland.org http://www.farmland.org and vote for us!!!*
