It's officially National Farmers Market Week, and we're celebrating at BAFM! You can participate with us lots of different ways.

First, you can sign up to be a Burke Area Farmers Market Farm Fan by following this link. As a Farm Fan, you'll receive just one text message reminder about the Market each week during the summer season. This week, if you come to the Market and show us your Farm Fan text you'll automatically be entered into a drawing to win a $15 BAFM gift certificate.

There's also fun for the KIDS this week as we continue our Children's Garden Activity Series. You can RSVP to the event series here and get reminders about each event on your Facebook. They will take place this week (August 10th), as well as August 17th, August 24th, September 7th and September 14th. This week, Monika Baker of Star Valley Retreat will be reading The Little Red Hen and demonstrating wheat crafts.

Farmers Markets are an important part of the U.S. and the South Dakota economies. For example, "for every $100 spent at a farmers market, $62 stays in the local economy, and $99 stays in state," and "growers selling locally create 13 full time jobs per $1 million in revenue earned. Those that do not sell locally create 3." Additionally, customers shopping at farmers markets are very often shopping at other businesses nearby, too: "A 2010 study of the Easton Farmers Market in Pennsylvania, for example, found that 70% of farmers market customers are also shopping at downtown businesses, spending up to an extra $26,000 each week."

You can read more about the economic impact of farmers markets here and here.

So come down and see us tomorrow and celebrate all the wonderful economic and health benefits of shopping at your local farmers market!