Markets Matter

Darlene Adams Rowland

LSU Ag Leadership Class XVII

When I travel, whether in the U.S. or internationally, the first thing I seek out is the local farmers market. This is no surprise to those who know me as my job at BREADA includes organizing and executing the Red Stick Farmers Market, which has a 26-year history of connecting farmers and consumers. As important as that is for the economic livelihood of family farmers, markets serve an equally important job creating vibrant gathering places for communities.

Flags fly above vendors' tents in the Feria de agricultura in Zapote, Costa Rica.

Carambola, also known as star fruit, could be found at nearly every fruit vendor's tent and each vendor would tell you that theirs is the best, el major, in Spanish.

Upon visiting the Feria de agricultura in Zapote, Costa Rica, I was immediately immersed in the fabric of this community. Colorful flags flying above the vendors’ tents against the bright blue sky reflected the joyful spirit of the people. Their tables piled high with fresh, locally-grown fruits and vegetables mirrored this same pride. It was a feast for the eyes and the belly with both familiar and exotic fruits of varying colors and shapes. Vendors’ chants beckoned you to their stall, promising that their offerings were superior. I began with a cold coconut, sliced open onsite with a machete and perused the market offerings that also included fresh seafood, a butcher shop, a coffee truck, fresh-squeezed juice stands, and a myriad of pop-up hot food vendors with tortillas, pupusas, and anything else you could imagine. After sampling cappuccino with fresh slivered almonds, arroz con leche, and the freshest jugo de naranja (oj for us), it was time to go. 

While I will always remember the sights, sounds, and flavors of the market day, what remains is the knowledge that food is the great connector. It matters not if people speak the same language, share the same socio-economic status, or live in the same place, food breaks down these barriers and provides a simple way for all to connect. I see this every day at the Red Stick Farmers Market. And agriculture is what drives it all. It’s what makes farmers markets so important for communities. And as I reflect on my last 3 years in the Ag Leadership program, many of the most special moments included sharing a meal with my fellow classmates. Whether it was a class social fish fry or a sharing dinner together at a local restaurant, I will cherish the special connections I’ve made with my fellow classmates who I now call friends. 

Darlene Rowland, Will Killen and his wife, Lindsey, enjoy coconut juice direct from the source, bought fresh here at the market.