Sustainable Food Center

The Weekly Dirt

THIS WEEKEND AT THE MARKETS
Highlights, Vendors, Events and more. Downtown and Sunset Valley - Sat. July 3

It’s Fourth of July weekend and time to celebrate and enjoy the market offerings. Find the SFC Farmers’ Market at Sunset Valley at the Toney Burger Center with over 30 vendors offering fresh local produce, pasture-raised meats, and homemade food this and every weekend. Also find us Downtown at Republic Square; both markets run Saturday, 9 AM to 1 PM.

Downtown: It’s Fourth of July weekend and time to prepare for your backyard get-togethers to celebrate the holiday! Visit Texas Food Ranch and ask for either Rick and Alik, two self-proclaimed “Armenian Cowboys” growing an assortment of veggies and fruits, all local, sustainable, and organically, in the Texas Hill Country. Also say hello to Melissa at The Cake and The Spoon and find out why she has a line of customers each Saturday waiting for her delicious, freshly baked, and wonderful assortment of treats! Finally, don’t forget to stop by Hamsa Heal as they have a very nice variety of nomo lotions, all made from organic and vegan ingredients, to support healthy skin and also perfect for mosquito bites from those backyard gatherings.

Sunset Valley: Start your day at the market with a visit to EDG Coffee. They support a sustainable living for their Nicaraguan farmers and offer a variety of rich, aromatic, and delicious coffee - hot, iced or for making at home. For your backyard bbq weekend, check out all the farmers for your veggie sides or main meals and stop by Copper Creek Ranch for delicious meats and smoked beef sausage. And to go with those meats, visit Hi-Fi Mycology for gourmet mushrooms and grow-at-home kits, tinctures & powders.

SFC Farmers' Market match SNAP, WIC and FMNP benefits with Double Up Food Bucks! Visit our website for more information on which vendors will be at market, what products are in season, and more.

SFC UPDATE
SFC events, news, blogs and more.

Wheatsville Community Action Month!
We're thrilled to be Wheatsville's Community Action partner for the month of July. Visit all month long to stock up on fresh, local food, pantry staples, or a meal to-go and round up your change at the register for SFC!

SFC on FOX 7 Austin
This week, Sayuri Yamanaka, SFC's Community Engagement Manager, spoke with FOX 7 Austin about the Fresh for Less Mobile Markets, run in partnership with Farmshare Austin and City of Austin Government. They are back up and running again to help residents in Austin and surrounding areas access fresh, local food at affordable prices. Watch the video to learn more!

We're Hiring!
We are looking for part-time associates to assist at our Double Up Food Bucks booth on Saturday's at our SFC Farmers' Markets.

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

"It’s Some of America’s Richest Farmland. But What Is It Without Water?"
By Somini Sengupta, New York Times - A California farmer decides it makes better business sense to sell his water than to grow rice. An almond farmer considers uprooting his trees to put up solar panels. Drought is transforming the state, with broad consequences for the food supply.

"These farming techniques can help trap carbon dioxide in the soil and make farmers an extra buck"
By Magdalena Petrova, CNBC - Regenerative farming focuses on replenishing the soil's nutrients by using things like no-till cultivation, rotational cattle grazing and planting cover crops.

"This Farming Video Game Is So Popular, People Pay To Watch Gamers Play It"
By Jonathan AHL, NPR - The video game Farming Simulator has found a loyal and niche audience in the gaming world. This isn't the cheesy Farmville game from years ago, but one emulating the real challenges of running a farm.

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

Recipe: 27 Portable Fourth Of July Recipes Perfect For A Picnic
Nothing says independence like eating on the go. Bring the party with you with these portable recipes and picnic ideas from Delish. They've got sandwiches, salads, skewers, and more...plus a few desserts to round things out.

Submit Your Feedback: Planet Texas 2050
Want to have a say in making access to food more equitable and sustainable in Texas? Planet Texas 2050 is gathering community input as part of their Equitable and Regenerative Cities Project. Don’t miss your chance to provide valuable feedback, take the survey, and learn more about the project’s mission for local food systems.