Celebrate the Taste of Summer with Love Your Farmers Market Contest

Summertime conjures images of of warm, sunny days abundant with farmers markets that bring the goodness of local farms…fresh to you! As farmers around the country get ready for the summer months, Care2 and LocalHarvest will hold an exciting new online contest called Love Your Farmers Market.

With an all too gloomy global economic outlook, media alerts about food safety issues, and growing concern over industrial farming practices, Americans are searching for ways to to make local, healthy and safe foods choices. Recession gardens are popping up around the country. First Lady Michelle Obama, has been the talk of the “green” town given her new White House organic vegetable garden. As Americans understand the value of going local when it comes to the food they eat, they are increasingly looking to support their local farmers.

Care2.com and LocalHarvest.org will raise awareness of local foods, family farms, and community farmers markets by launching a fun, summer-long contest during which you can vote for your favorite farmers market. $5,000 will be awarded to the farmers’ market that receives the most votes.

But the contest is as much about the voters as it is about the markets. Online voters can invite friends to vote for their favorite market too. The top 10 people who recruit the most friends to vote will each receive a $50 prize and a free Care2 organic cotton tote bag that they can use at their farmers market.

“People across the country are rediscovering the benefits of local food,” said Erin Barnett, Director of LocalHarvest.org. “Not only is the food at your farmers market fresher, tastier, and better for the environment, it’s also good for your local economy. By supporting farmers markets, we support family farmers and help them stay in business.”

From Friday, June 19th to Sunday, September 22nd, you can visit http://www.care2.com/farmersmarket to vote and show your farmers market some love.