Kicking off the New Year with Savor the Season

The Savor the Season program is back in full force!  We are ready to get markets signed up for Savor the Season 2012, cost shares, and mini grants.  We will also need help from you to put together our recipe library.  We know that the best recipes come from your kitchen so we want to share them with the rest of Kansas. Your recipe could even be featured on one of the new Savor the Season color photo cards that will be available at participating markets!  Please read on below for IMPORTANT information and dates. 

Recipe Submissions

Do you have some recipes or tips and tricks that incorporate the 2012 featured crops?  Are they so awesome, the rest of Kansas should know about it?  Perfect!  Just send us your recipes, tips for storage and preparation, and anything else you'd like to share about any of the following specialty crops:

Spring Crops: Spinach, Arugula, Snow Peas, Rhubarb

Summer Crops: Basil, Bell Peppers, Garlic
Autumn Crops: Spaghetti Squash, Turnips, Pumpkins

Your recipes could be selected for inclusion in the 2012 Savor The Season program, published on colorful cards to be distributed throughout the state, and posted on ksfarmersmarkets.org and ourlocalfood.org.  To submit a recipe or tips, contact Tracey Graham at twinrivers.olf@gmail.com.

Savor the Season Program Sign-Up

This year 20 farmers markets will be able to take advantage the Kansas Rural Center sponsored program.  Highlights will include:

·         10-4” by 6” color photo crop cards with selection, storage and preparation tips as well as a recipe. (printed)

·         10 FYI Tip Sheets providing additional crop info such as preservation, nutrition and seasonal availability. (PDF format)

·         reprint 16 previous Savor the Season cards.

·         4 press release templates highlighting the program and featuring information on the selected crops by season.

·         program banner, 18” by 36”, for display at market

·         40 additional recipe entries on the ksfm web site featuring selected crops

To participate in Savor the Season 2012, a farmer’s market representative can click here for the 2012 Savor the Season Program onlineApplication or visit the program website by clicking here.  If a paper copy of the application is needed, please contact me, Natalie Fullerton, at 402-310-0177.  Markets have until March 15 to sign up to participate.   For more information about the 2012 Savor the Season program please visit the 2012 Program Overview & Sign-Up page. 

Q&A Call: Savor the Season Cost-Share and Mini-Grant

If your market is interested in the Savor the Season program, please join for a toll-free call on Monday, January 30 at 7:30 p.m. for brief overviews of the Savor the Season program and the two associated funding opportunities.   KRC is accepting both mini-grant and cost-share proposals from markets. The application deadline for both programs is March 15.

Click Here to Register for the call

Mini-Grants: Markets can submit applications requesting up to $250 in funds to support specialty crop promotions. This program is targeted to smaller or new markets interested in testing a special event program. Total available funding is $2,000.

Cost-Shares: Markets can submit applications requesting up to $400 in matching funds to support specialty crop promotions. This program is targeted to markets with existing special event programs. Total available funding is $2,100.

Important: Before submitting proposals, markets will need to have completed the online 2012 Savor the Season Program Application.