America's Favorite Farmers Market Contest Underway

For those of us who enjoy shopping at the Los Altos Farmers Market, here's a chance to help it gain some national recognition.

Farmers market shoppers throughout the nation can vote for their favorite markets at www.votemyfarmersmarket.org during American Farmland Trust’s fourth annual America’s Favorite Farmers Markets contest.

The summer-long competition aims to see which farmers markets can generate the most votes from their customers. The goal of the contest is to promote the role that farmers markets play in keeping family farmers on the land.  

The 2012 America’s Favorite Farmers Markets contest has been expanded to include all 7,175 markets that are listed in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Farmers Market Directory.

Since the closure of the Rancho Farmers Market at the shopping center, there's one only one in Los Altos, downtown on Thursday evenings. Why not show it some love?

And do you have a favorite farm and farmer selling at the Los Altos Farmers Market? Here's a chance to throw some appreciation their way—not just in words, but in cold, hard cash.

As part of the contest, a $1,000 Farmers Market Inspiration Award, sponsored by the Farmers Market Coalition, will be presented to a farmer showing the greatest dedication to his/her market.

According to the contest rules, people can vote for as many participating farmers markets as they choose, but can only vote for each market once. 

Voting runs through midnight Sept. 3, when one small, one medium, one mid-size, and one large market will win the title of “America’s Favorite Farmers Market” for 2012. 

The winning markets will be featured in the media and will be honored at local celebrations organized by American Farmland Trust.

www.votemyfarmersmarket.org