Sustainable Food Center

The Weekly Dirt

In case you missed this message earlier this week, we are sharing it with you again today in our weekly newsletter.

It is with a heavy heart that we have to cancel Farm to Plate, our annual fundraising event, for the first time in its 13-year history due to the COVID-19 crisis. But as long lines grow at grocery stores and demand for food in our community spikes, our work is more critical than ever. Our SFC Farmers' Markets remain open and we are tirelessly advocating on behalf of growers to be sure locally grown food reaches those who need it most.

The cancellation of Farm to Plate this late in our fiscal year is having a severely negative impact on our ability to raise money for our vital services now. Please, help us reach our goal of raising $300,000 - the same amount we had hoped to raise through our Farm to Plate event.

With your partnership, we can continue our critical support of farmers who are facing unbelievable challenges and low-income families who have been the most impacted by this pandemic. Please, watch the video above for a special message from our Executive Director, Ronda Rutledge, and consider making a gift to Sustainable Food Center today.

THIS WEEKEND AT THE MARKETS
Highlights, Vendors, Events and more. Downtown and Sunset Valley - Sat, April 4

SFC Farmers' Markets are open this Saturday! Stock up for your week at home and shop from local farmers, ranchers, and small food businesses.

Due to our new safety regulations, you may experience a short wait to enter the market area. Please visit our website to learn more about this and other safety measures to help you prepare for your visit.

Would you like to get in and out in even less time? Check out our post on food access resources and a list of vendors you can preorder from before you arrive!

WHAT WE'RE READING THIS WEEK
We've dug up the dirt so you don't have to.

"Why Outdoor Farmers’ Markets Matter More Than Ever"
By Anne Barnard, The New York Times - Some customers prefer greenmarkets to shopping inside during the coronavirus outbreak. Last week, rules were introduced in New York to keep the markets safe. Read more »

"7 Tips For Making the Most of the Food Already on Your Shelves"
By Molly Schwartz, Mother Jones - Tamar Adler wrote a book on how to make use of the ingredients lying around your kitchen. Read more »

"Coronavirus kicks local food delivery companies into overdrive"
By Addie Broyles, Austin American-Statesman - Local delivery services pivoted overnight to meet consumer demand for fresh, local food delivered to their door. Read more »

"Austin urban farms add farm stands and produce delivery in fight to stay open"
By Adam Boles, CultureMap Austin - When Finegan Ferrebouf and Jason Gold moved back to Austin in January to start Steelbow Farm, the idea was to take their first year slowly. With the sudden onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, things have not worked out for them as planned. Read more »

SFC UPDATE
SFC events, news, blogs and more.

"Food Access Resources in Central Texas"
With the reality of the COVID-19 pandemic setting in, we have compiled a list of food access resources for our Central Texas community. From farmers' markets, CSA's, delivery options, and everything in between, we will keep our blog up-to-date with a list of ways you can ensure that healthy food stays on your table at home. Read more »

Texas Mamma Jamma Ride
Sept 19. Resolve to exercise more, connect with new people, and give back to your community in 2020 with the Texas Mamma Jamma Ride! Registration is open now and we're proud to be one of the beneficiaries. Learn more »

THE WEEKLY
We'll be sharing recipes to cook, terms you should know, and more in our weekly selection!

Recipe: Brown Rice Bowls with Parsley Pesto
For our next installment of "Quarantine Cooking with SFC", try this nutritious, delicious, simple and versatile recipe that can be modified with whatever ingredients you have on hand! Read more »

Term You Should Know: "Food Sovereignty"
A community’s right to healthy and culturally-appropriate food produced through ecologically sound and sustainable methods; a community's right to decide how they’re fed. The term was coined in 1993 by a gathering of farm workers and small stake food producers from around the world, called La Via Campesina.