Cooper Young Farmers Market Promotes Living Local, High Ideals at Media Day
NASHVILLE – The Cooper Young Farmers Market offers its neighborhood more than booths offering fresh, local foods in a convenient location. A sense of community and practical applications of social ideals are also on display at the market, which will host a Pick Tennessee Products media day with the Tennessee Department of Agriculture on Saturday, July 12, from 9:00 a.m. until noon.
“Our market distinguishes itself in two ways,” market manager Caitlin Dupuigrenet said. “We are committed to food justice. We work very closely with the Food Justice Ministry out of First Congo, and donate most market leftovers to the food pantry. We also facilitate the implementation of the ‘double greens program,’ which matches up to $10 of EBT money to buy fresh produce, and we actively try to involve surrounding communities in need in our programs.”
The market, located at 1000 South Cooper Street in Memphis is also structured to be “very ‘vendor friendly’ in the sense that vendor input is highly valued, and vendors make up more than 25 percent of our board. We do our best to provide advice and resources if needed, and are available any day of the week to discuss issues or visit production sites,” Dupuigrenet said.
Cooper Young has a roster of about 50 vendors this season, with typically about 35 or so at any given market. The majority are produce vendors, with several baked goods vendors, two meat vendors, and a rotating dozen or so artisans.
Cooper Young is a year-round market, with live music at every market and special activities planned every first Saturday of the month. In addition to its usual market events, during the Pick Tennessee Products Media Day participating media can interview farmers and area officials in attendance, get footage and photographs of visitors and receive a “goody bag” including digital images and information about local foods and farms.
Contact TDA marketing specialist Amy Tavalin at 615-837-5163 for more information.
Who: All media are invited. Local officials are also encouraged to attend.
When: Saturday, July 12. Media day activities will begin at 9:00 a.m. local time.
Where: Cooper Young Farmers Market
1000 South Cooper Street, Memphis, 38104
Market Contact: Caitlin Dupuigrenet, Market Manager
Cell Phone: (901) 570-0565
Office: (901) 725-2221
Email: caitlin@cycfm.org
Web: http://cooperyoung.org/tag/cycfm