Press Release

Thursday, April 21, 2011 – SPRINGFIELD, MO. – Looking for a FRESH perspective on eating local in the Ozarks?  Looking for ideas in cooking seasonally that incorporate food that is grown by local farmers?  Want to learn how to shop at your local farmers market?  Ever wonder exactly what the terms organic, all-natural, grass-fed, low pesticide or even humanely-treated mean?  The Market Lady is here to help.

The Market Lady, Lane McConnell, offers consumers healthy eating tips through a rainbow of flavors with weekly visits to local farmers markets across the Ozarks. She will take consumers on a tour of farmers markets to bring families simple recipe solutions using local foods purchased at the farmers market and help consumers put a face to their food.

“I will provide tips on selection, preservation and preparation of produce that you can use in your kitchen and advice on spicing up your family’s dinner table that all ages will appreciate,” said McConnell, The Market Lady. “Farmers markets offer a rich variety of homegrown fruits and vegetables as well as other farm fresh goods such as meats, dairy, eggs and value-added products – something for every family.”

With the help of Missouri State University’s William H. Darr Agricultural Center, The Market Lady project comes to life through television and online video segments.  Videos will include onsite farmers market cooking demonstrations, interviews with farmers about the sustainable methods in which producers grow, raise and harvest farm fresh products and ways to preserve the freshness of local produce year-round.  All information will be archived at themarketlady.com.

Videos will be distributed to KY3 News in Springfield, Mo., and KSNF TV 16 in Joplin, Mo., weekly throughout farmers market season, beginning after May 10, 2011.

The Market Lady plans on filming at the following markets: Aurora Local Farmers Market in Aurora, Mo., C-Street Farmers Market in Springfield, Mo., Cabool Farmers Market in Cabool, Mo., Christian County Farmers Market in Ozark, Mo., Eastland Farmers Market in Springfield, Mo., FARM, Camdenton, Mo., Fair Grove Farmers Market in Fair Grove, Mo., Greater Polk County Farmers Market in Bolivar, Mo., Greater Springfield Farmers Market in Springfield, Mo., Greater Springfield Farmers Market – Downtown Springfield, Joplin Farmers Market in Joplin, Mo., 10th Street Farmers Market in Lamar, Mo., Lebanon Farmers Market in Lebanon, Mo., Marshfield Farmers Market in Marshfield, Mo., Monett Farmers Market in Monett, Mo., Mountain Grove Farmers Market in Mountain Grove, Mo., Neosho Farmers Market in Neosho, Mo, Webb City Farmers Market in Webb City, Mo., and West Plains Farmers Market in West Plains, Mo.

Find Lane and The Market Lady Video Crew at farmers markets across the Ozarks presenting cooking demonstrations, interviewing local food producers about their farming practices and talking with consumers about seasonal produce and other farm fresh products.  Learn more at themarketlady.com or find videos and recipes on The Market Lady Blog at themarketladyblog.com or follow The Market Lady on Facebook.

The Market Lady is funded through a Specialty Crop Block Grant through the Missouri Department of Agriculture and filmed through partnership with Missouri State University’s William H. Darr Agricultural Center. The Market Lady mission is to engage southwest Missouri consumers to buy local food via their local farmers markets and encourages healthy eating habits. The project helps consumers learn about healthy eating, provides fresh recipe ideas and aids in linking consumers with local farmers.