Celebrate local farmers this Sweet Grown Alabama Day

Get ready to support Alabama farmers and celebrate all things local with Sweet Grown Alabama Day, this Saturday, July 13th.

Each summer the event is hosted by Sweet Grown Alabama, a nonprofit foundation that seeks to enhance marketing opportunities for Alabama farmers by connecting retailers and consumers to Alabama-grown foods and other agricultural products. Farmers markets across the state– along with growers, shoppers, and lovers of all things local—will celebrate Alabama farmers by promoting locally-grown produce and products.

“Sweet Grown Alabama Day is the perfect time to get out and support farmers in your community,” says Sweet Grown Alabama Assistant Director Aisling Walding. “We celebrate July 13th with the hope that people get out and purchase from a local farmer, pick local flowers or cook a dinner with local ingredients. These are all great ways to say thank you to farmers and continue to ensure Alabama’s economy will thrive.”

Sweet Grown Alabama’s searchable database allows consumers to easily connect with local farmers in their area and find specific Alabama-grown products. Farmers, product makers, restaurants, retailers, and others are encouraged to join the program and use the Sweet Grown Alabama logo on their products.

In recent years, there has been a growing movement to buy local—but this is much more than a trend, and the economic boost is one of its many factors. Studies show that for every dollar spent locally, 60 cents stay within Alabama’s economy. Consumers can ensure their hard-earned money stays in Alabama when purchasing Sweet Grown Alabama products.

Supporting Alabama farmers also significantly reduces carbon footprints. The average piece of produce travels an astonishing 1,500 miles from field to plate, but buying local cuts down on transportation emissions and helps Alabama sustain production to provide the best produce for Alabamians.

Buying local not only feels good—it tastes better too. Fresh, local products have better taste and are able to retain more nutrients. Crops picked at the peak of ripeness are full of flavor—in Alabama summer, that means juicy tomatoes, sweet corn, and okra that’s ready for the frying pan, among many others.

The best way to support Sweet Grown Alabama Day is to visit your local farmer’s market, and their website makes it easy. The nonprofit exists to connect families with local products, and consumers can search for locally grown products at SweetGrownAlabama.org, or by looking for the Sweet Grown Alabama logo when browsing at the store.

Happy shopping, and we’ll see you at the market this Saturday!

Farmers markets with Sweet Grown Alabama special events include: