Travis hosts Farmers’ Market Published June 4, 2015 By Senior Airman Nicole Leidholm 60th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Farmers from the Pacific Coast Farmers' Market Association brought their produce to the Travis Bowl parking lot June 2 for the first farmers market at Travis Air Force Base, California. "We wanted to be able to bring better produce and organic produce to the base," said Kymberly Wayne, 60th Force Support Squadron marketing director. "We're working with farmers to help educate the base on what is good as well as organic and nonorganic foods and recipe options for them." 1st Lt. Crescent Henry, 60th Diagnostic and Therapeutics Squadron nutritional clinician, added that the importance is not only about supporting local business, but also the fresher produce available to families. "The food at the farmers' market goes from farm to table quicker than at a store," Henry said. "The produce retains its nutrients better, where it hasn't been frozen to be shipped to a store." The parking lot was full of local farmers and their produce, providing teaching opportunities to families about better foods. "Farmers' markets are able to teach kids about healthy eating and show them that fruit and vegetables taste good," Wayne said. "We're also able to show families healthy alternatives and how to give their meals a burst of flavor without having to put seasonings and gravy on them." The farmers were able to teach families how to prepare new recipes with the produce, that they can feed a family of four at reasonable price. At the same time, they teach families where their food came from. "Our hope is the farmers' market teaches families about eating healthy, the different food options available to them and how to prepare these meals on a regular basis for sometimes only $12," Wayne said. Before being showcased, all the produce brought on the base was inspected by Military Public Health, where they instructed the farmers about proper food handling such as temperature and which foods can be in the sun and which need to be in the shade. "We want to make sure any food that has been prepared at home and brought to base is healthy," Wayne said. To avoid illness, Henry recommended that raw fruits and vegetables be washed with clean, cold water to reduce bacteria that may be present on fresh produce before being consumed. "We also encourage families to bring their children, to get them involved and let them pick it out," Henry said. "That way, they will be more excited about preparing it when they get home." The famers markets will run every Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in June.