The Why of The Market Lady

We have an invested interest in The Market Lady Project and here is why.

Nutritionists agree that increased consumption of fruits and vegetables would result in a healthier population. The first end objective of our project is to improve the health of the population in Southwest Missouri. We hope to achieve this through increased consumption of local specialty crops sold through farmers markets. The means to achieve increased consumption is education of adults and children as to the nutritional value, availability, selection and preparation of local specialty crops.

The second end objective of our project is to improve the financial success of specialty crop farmers in Southwest Missouri. This will be achieved through increased sales of specialty crops at local farmers markets. We want to see our local farmers flourish across the Ozarks.

With the increasing costs of health care and the social and personal costs of poor health, our project has the potential to impact issues of local and national concern. The White House initiative to reduce childhood obesity and the USDA initiative Know Your Food, Know Your Farmers tie directly to this project. The increasing interest locally and nationally in the culinary arts and in fresh high quality produce makes this project extremely timely. But, we need your help to make this project successful!

Get out and Buy Local Ozarks!