While visiting Pottruck seven days a week will help you burn calories, it is often overlooked that a large part of staying healthy has to do with consuming nutritious food - not just eliminating carbs or candy.
Finding fresh produce might at first seem difficult in West Philadelphia, but in fact it's possible at Clark Park, located on 43rd Street and Baltimore Avenue.
The Clark Park Farmers' Market is celebrating its 10th anniversary tomorrow and is hosting a huge celebration from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Entertainment will include The West Philadelphia Orchestra, Kenny & Jerry, Paul Green's School of Rock, Anne-Marie Mulgrew and Dancers Co., Imhotep African Dance and Drum Ensemble, an arts and crafts table sponsored by the UC Arts League and The Philadelphia Zoo on Wheels.
This farmers' market is interested in providing locally grown food produced by ambitious farmers. Not only are there organic heirloom vegetables and vibrant, high quality fruits, but there are also pastries for people with a sweet tooth.
This market also stocks milk, eggs, cheeses, meats and more. The aroma of baked bread from Amish ovens, fresh cut flowers, dried herbs and honey are there to greet customers every Saturday year-round and on Thursday afternoons from April through December.
The farmers' market is associated with the University City District and The Food Trust, which was founded in 1992 to improve children and adults' health, promote good nutrition, increase access to nutritious foods and advocate for better public policy.
The Clark Park Farmers' Market keeps customers well-informed by providing nutrition facts, shopping tips, recipes and other forms of nutritional education.
Its goal is to make people aware of what they are putting in their bodies and to increase the consumption of fresh food.
Many Penn students enjoy the farmers' market because it provides natural produce, but at the same time it is more expensive and hard on a college student's budget. College freshman Laura Bridgman said, "I don't prefer farmers' markets over grocery stores because they are more expensive and everything isn't there."
Even though it may be a little more of an expense, money spent at the Clark Park Farmers' Market is going back to the farmers - which in turn is helping to keep our West Philadelphia neighborhood a bit healthier.
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