CUESA Announces Mission Rock Farmers Market Pop-Up Series at The Yard
August 13, 2015
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monthly Series Will Run on Four Sundays, September through December
Sustainable Food Leader Partners with San Francisco Giants and Bank of America to Bring High-Quality Monthly Farmers Market to Mission Rock Neighborhood
SAN FRANCISCO (August 13, 2015) – CUESA (Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture), the nonprofit operator of the acclaimed Ferry Plaza Farmers Market, is excited to launch a series of farmers market pop-ups at The Yard at Mission Rock, across from AT&T Park, in partnership with the San Francisco Giants and Bank of America.
The Sunday pop-ups will be held once a month from 10 am to 2 pm, September through December. Each pop-up farmers market will feature a unique theme highlighting the bounty of the local harvest and the holidays. Tentative themes include “Preserving the Season” (September 27), “Harvest Festival” (October 25), “Thanksgiving Market” (November 22), and “Holiday Market” (December 20).
Expanding on the high standard of excellence set by the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market, CUESA aims to curate approximately 10 to 15 agricultural producers and food crafters and 5 restaurants for each pop-up market, with the goal of showcasing new and innovative food businesses to provide a sustainable marketplace for the Mission Rock community.
“CUESA is known for operating a high-quality farmers market three days a week at the Ferry Building, and we are excited to partner with the San Francisco Giants and Bank of America-two iconic San Francisco organizations-to bring delicious offerings to this new Mission Rock community and provide additional direct sales opportunities for our local farmers and food makers,” said CUESA Executive Director Marcy Coburn.
CUESA will offer fun and compelling activities related to food and sustainability to educate market-goers of all ages, such as cooking demonstrations by local chefs, seasonal produce tastings, and hands-on activities related to DIY kitchen skills. From apple cider pressing to pie demos, these programs will support CUESA’s mission to connect urban eaters with talented farmers and food makers from Bay Area foodshed and beyond.
The CUESA Mission Rock Farmers Market Pop-Ups at The Yard represent a timely moment for the country’s preeminent farmers market and agriculture education organization, as it extends its operations beyond the Ferry Building to reach residents in the emerging Mission Rock neighborhood and broader San Francisco community.
Launched earlier this year by the San Francisco Giants, The Yard at Mission Rock is a pop-up village constructed out of recycled shipping containers that houses local establishments such as Anchor Brewing, Peet’s Coffee, The North Face, and Off the Grid. Open year-round, The Yard serves as gathering place for those who live and work in the South Beach and Mission Bay neighborhoods by providing regular events and cultural programming. The Yard provides surrounding neighbors the opportunity to experience the future Mission Rock neighborhood on a smaller scale.
“The Giants are excited to collaborate with CUESA and our longtime partner, Bank of America, to bring these fun and innovative experiences to our neighbors and contribute to the growth of the Mission Rock community,” said Larry Baer, Giants President and Chief Executive Officer.
CUESA received a generous commitment from Bank of America’s Charitable Foundation to fund up to $150,000 to activate these farmers market pop-ups with the potential to launch a permanent new market next year and to expand the organization’s educational programming to more local schoolchildren. The bank has a focus on making connections amongst its vast network, which includes many food- and agriculture-industry related businesses as well as the Giants.
“Supporting pop-up farmers markets is a great way we can help bring small food producing businesses to scale and connect something so uniquely local to more families and households,” said Emily Shanks, Small Business Banking Executive at Bank of America. “Doing so with our community partners CUESA and the San Francisco Giants makes these types of opportunities even more special.”
“Our Mission Rock Farmers Market Pop-Up series will be a perfect testing ground to gauge the potential for CUESA to expand our reach and operate more high-quality farmers markets beyond the Ferry Building,” stated Coburn. “Depending on the community engagement this fall, we hope to launch a permanent weekly farmers market at The Yard in spring 2016.”
CUESA is in the process of finalizing the vendor lineup and seasonal activities for the pop-ups and will announce details about the first pop-up in September. Visit www.cuesa.org and follow CUESA on Twitter for updates.
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CUESA MISSION ROCK FARMERS MARKET POP-UPS AT THE YARD
Who: CUESA, San Francisco Giants, and Bank of America
What: CUESA Mission Rock Farmers Market Pop-Ups at The Yard
When: Four Sundays in fall 2015, from 10 am to 2 pm: September 27, October 25, November 22, and December 20
Where: The Yard at Mission Rock (located at the corner of 3rd St. and Terry Francois Blvd., across from AT&T Park)
Why: Celebrate the bounty of the season through the fall harvest and holidays
How: Approximately 10 to 15 local farms and food crafters and 5 restaurants, plus fun and educational seasonal activities for the whole family
About CUESA
CUESA (Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture) is a mission-driven nonprofit organization dedicated to cultivating a sustainable food system through the operation of farmers markets and educational programs. Founded in 1994, CUESA has operated the world-renowned Ferry Plaza Farmers Market at the Ferry Building in San Francisco since 1997, and remains a cutting-edge force in influencing how people grow, produce, and eat food in America. Since 1993, the market has been a crucial link between San Francisco residents and the farmers who practice sustainable agriculture in the region.
Contact
Brie Mazurek, Communications Director, CUESA, 415.291-3276 x104
Stay in Touch
Web: www.cuesa.org
Email: www.cuesa.org/subscribe
Twitter: @cuesa
Facebook: www.facebook.com/cuesa
Instagram: www.instagram.com/cuesa
Photo courtesy of San Francisco Giants.
Topics: Farmers market, Press release