The bounty of the summer is certainly apparent at the Harvest Kitchen local-foods café! Our menu has been updated to highlight seasonal favorites such as tomatoes, beets, and pesto. It’s the best menu in town featuring locally source ingredients …

Don’t miss this food system news from around our region: Saturday, August 25, join URI researchers, staff, and volunteers for a behind-the-scenes look at the university’s three farms, and the research projects and people leading them! Plus, get your tickets now for the next Chef Challenge Providence coming up August 28 at Feast Sandwich Company in East Greenwich.

Take a peek into Market Mobile. See a few of the many restaurants, grocers, institutions, and other businesses that purchased from local farmers and producers this week, and check out some of the local food on offer like stunning Rainbow Blend microgreens from Farming Turtles in Exeter, RI.

This week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) announced a $4,628,765 grant awarded to local nonprofit Farm Fresh RI to expand its work increasing access to fresh, locally grown foods across New England. For Rhode Islanders who receive federal food assistance in the form of SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits, this means more dollars to spend on fresh food.

You may have heard various news reports this summer about issues affecting SNAP/EBT use at farmers markets across our country. While all Rhode Island farmers markets will continue processing SNAP/EBT transactions with no break in service, there is still some confusion around the situation. Thanks to the Farmers Market Coalition for providing this information from Novo Dia Group to help answer some common questions from market managers.

Our Harvest Kitchen Local Foods Café is all about eating with the seasons. We’re excited to share our updated menu, now with some new seasonal dishes for August! Visit us Monday through Friday 7am – 3pm, on the corner of Main St and Bayley St (2 Bayley St) in downtown Pawtucket.

Who’s buying local in our community, and what are they ordering? Take a look at a few of the customers who just purchased from local farmers and producers through Market Mobile, and get a sneak peek at some of the local food on offer this week like adorable Mouse Melons from Hocus Pocus Farm in Chepachet, RI!

Have you visited the Armory Farmers Market yet? Stop by the welcome table every Thursday 3:30-7pm and pick up your punch-card! Then get stamped every time you shop at the farmers market. Once you get four stamps, you’re eligible for 10% off at nearby West Side businesses. And there’s no limit — just keep shopping to keep saving!

Harvest Kitchen was pleased to host a group from Southside Community Land Trust’s Youth Employment Program, giving a tour of our commercial kitchen and local-foods café, and discussing sustainability and food waste reduction on local farms through increased production of value-added products using locally sourced ingredients. The visit culminated in some hands-on learning in the kitchen!

Take part in our First Annual Instagram Photo Contest in honor of National Farmers Market Week! The winner will receive $50 in Fresh Bucks tokens to spend at Rhode Island farmers markets, and have their winning photograph featured in our newsletter. Be sure to hashtag #NationalFarmersMarketWeekRI!

Who’s buying local in our community, and what are they ordering? Take a look at a few of the customers who just purchased from local farmers and producers through Market Mobile, and get a sneak peek at some of the local food on offer this week like colorful beets from Wishing Stone Farm in Little Compton, RI!

Don’t miss this food system news from around our region: Stay updated on the latest news about our country’s Farm Bill with the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition’s “Guide to the 2018 Farm Bill Conference Process.” And read about Chef Challenge Providence’s very first pop-up mystery dinner in Rhode Island coming up July 30th.

Who’s buying local in our community, and what are they ordering? Take a look at a few of the customers who recently purchased from local farmers and producers through Market Mobile — including four of Boston Magazine’s “Best of Boston” winners! Plus, peaches are in from Horse Listeners Orchard in Ashford, CT!

Harvest of the Month is a local food promotion campaign offered by our Nutrition Education team that promotes a different Rhode Island grown food each month (September through February) in school cafeterias and meal sites across the state. See the full Harvest of the Month schedule.