Farmers Market Returns With Seasonal Flavors

LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 29, 2013) — Close your eyes and imagine — the smell of robust fresh herbs, the tangy-sweet taste of ripe berries, the crisp snap of cut-this-morning asparagus. Well, you no longer have to imagine the sights, smells and tastes of a local farmers market. In partnership with Lexington Farmer's Market, University of Kentucky Health and Wellness brings fresh foods once again to the campus community. 

The Lexington Farmers Market @ UK will set up shop, rain or shine, in the Commonwealth Stadium parking lot adjacent to University Drive from 3-6 p.m. every Wednesday through August 14. Shoppers do not have to be affiliated with UK.

The main campus CATS summer bus route and the summer Medical Center bus route will take shoppers to the market and back to the office. During the market's business hours, 3-6 p.m., parking will be available adjacent to the market in the Commonwealth Stadium parking lot. UK parking permits are not required, making it easy for the Lexington community to shop the UK Farmers Market.

This year’s Famers Market @ UK is bigger and better than ever.  Tours, a Farmers Market Insider Guide, weekly special guests and new recipes will be featured every week at the UK Health & Wellness table.

Sign up at the Health & Wellness table for the Farmers Market Tour, which departs at 4 and 5 p.m.

The Farmers Market Insider Guide, a collection of farmer bios, recipes and produce guides, will be available while supplies last and only for UK employees, spouses, retirees and sponsored dependents.The guide is also available online in a pdf version.

This week's recipe focuses on mint. A Derby Day must-have for juleps, the fragrant herb is the highlight of many dishes, including Mint Pineapple Salad.

Although there will be no special guest this week, on June 5 Shane Tedder will talk about the efforts of UK's Office of Sustainability to create policies and programs that will simultaneously advance economic vitality, ecological integrity and social equity, now and into the future. 

Shoppers can pay with cash, debit, or EBT card. If you choose to use an EBT card or debit card, first visit the Lexington Farmers Market table to buy tokens that can be used at individual stands for payment.

Visit the website for more info: http://www.uky.edu/HR/wellness/farmersmarket.html.

MEDIA CONTACT: Gail Hairston, gghair2@uky.edu