Grand Forks County to host mini-farmers market

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Grand Forks Public Health logo

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The Grand Forks Public Health Department will host a farmers market this summer, the second one in downtown Grand Forks.

The event will take place 4 to 6 p.m. Thursdays in July and August on the grounds of the county office building at 151 S. Fourth St.

It’s aimed at improving the health of city and county employees, but the market will be open to the public, according to Mandy Burbank, the city and county wellness coordinator.

She said it will not compete with the Town Square Farmers Market, which is held Saturdays downtown.

The county’s market is one of the few hosted by governments or businesses in North Dakota.

The Veterans Administration in Fargo started a weekly market last summer, according to Stephanie Sinner, a marketing specialist for the North Dakota Department of Agriculture. The market will return in June.

The market will include a maximum of four vendors and will sell only fresh produce, such as fruits and vegetables. Items such as eggs, meats and baked goods will not be allowed.

“Farmers markets have been shown to be an effective way to increase the consumption of fruits and vegetables,” Burbank said. “High consumption of fruits and vegetables is found to promote healthy weight, thus reducing a person’s risk of chronic diseases, like heart disease and cancer.”

Buying from local farmers is beneficial, too, she said, helping the local economy and fruits and vegetables that don’t spend too much time on the road are “nutritionally superior,” she said.

The project is funded through a $1,000 grant from Dakota Medical Foundation, she said, and complements the foundation’s similar effort to promote healthy eating and physical activity, especially for children, in Cass and Clay counties.

,b>On the Web: An application for vendors will be available later this month at www.grandforksgov.com/publichealth.

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