Main Street Food Truck Park in Pineville expanding to include farmers market store

PINEVILLE La. (KALB) – Meals insecurity exists in every single place, together with Central Louisiana. However with the addition of a Meals Truck Park in downtown Pineville, extra individuals are capable of entry contemporary produce.

When you don’t assume grocery purchasing is a problem, assume once more. That’s as a result of meals deserts exist in Cenla, whilst shut as downtown Pineville.

“That’s been known as that by metropolis corridor a number of instances, as a meals desert all the best way from Kingsville all the best way to Jackson Road Extension. There aren’t any groceries down right here, it’s a must to go both to Kingsville or down MacArthur Drive in Alexandria,” stated Tyler Crochet, who runs the Pineville Farm Stand and the Really Cajun Market Meals Truck.

Discovering contemporary produce is much more of a problem.

“You would need to go additional than Alexandria or Kingsville, perhaps down in the direction of Lafayette to really get a real, native residence items farm retailer. That’s one thing that every one of Cenla wants,” stated Crochet.

Nevertheless, discovering contemporary produce in Pineville simply bought a bit of simpler. That’s as a result of a few professionals bought collectively and reworked what was once an empty lot on Important Road in downtown Pineville right into a meals truck park.

“Important Road Truck Park began on an empty lot. Then he (Taylor Cottano) instructed me in regards to the constructing and the plans for the truck park and it simply expanded from there,” stated Steve Saia, one of many founders of the farmers markets in Alexandria and Pineville and proprietor of Saia Wholesale Firm.

Individuals can get meals from the meals vehicles each day, take pleasure in out of doors leisure and go to the farm stand inside. That’s the place you will discover Steve Saia.

“I am going out and go to all of those little farms and decide up contemporary produce and ship it to this marketplace for sale, typically the day of, which is unparalleled, particularly for downtown Pineville,” stated Saia.

Six days per week, folks can go to the farm stand to get contemporary produce like okra, cucumber and contemporary tomatoes.

“You may truly be consuming a few of that Okra that we introduced on this morning for lunch or supper and it was on the plant this morning,” stated Saia.

The farm stand is increasing. In a number of weeks, the indoor facility might be reworked right into a full-fledged farmers market retailer.

“We’re attempting to supply a spot and a storefront the place all of those farmers market distributors can have all of their native merchandise that they’re actually pleased with, the place all of their prospects can come to get them six days per week, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., proper right here on Important Road.”

The farmer’s market retailer might be residence to extra produce, meat, natural cures and quite a lot of different merchandise.

“Now we have now coolers, now we have now freezers, now we have now extra show for produce and so we’re hoping to have extra milk, eggs, butter, native grass-fed beef, regionally caught seafood, contemporary baked bread from Brick Home Bakery.”

That is all a stone’s throw away from a close-by bus cease, so folks can actually stroll in and pick what they need.

“Quite a lot of our prospects truly stroll in. There’s a bus cease throughout the road so folks can catch the town bus after which get their groceries after which look forward to the bus cease,” stated Saia.

Throughout the river, different organizations just like the Meals Financial institution of Central Louisiana are attempting to supply extra produce to residents.

“We need to ensure that everybody has sufficient to eat and we’re attempting to take {that a} step additional with produce to ensure everybody has sufficient wholesome meals to eat,” stated Jayne Wright-Velez, CEO of the Meals Financial institution of Central Louisiana.

The non-profit can be residence to the Good Meals Challenge, which teaches children the best way to be self-sustainable and develop their very own meals.

“We’re in search of to show kids the best way to develop their very own meals and to reconnect them to find out about the place meals comes from, and to know that they will truly develop the meals themselves,” stated Wright-Velez.

Making a more healthy Cenla and offering a serving to hand to those that want it’s the final aim.

“We’re working to attempt to present help the place individuals are so that individuals don’t all the time need to drive into Alexandria to get meals help,” stated Wright-Velez.

Proper now, the park accepts farmers market diet coupons, that are given to seniors. They’re within the course of of constructing EBT and SNAP advantages obtainable to prospects as nicely.

The farm stand, positioned at 936 Important Road in downtown Pineville, is at present open Monday by way of Saturday from 11 till 7 p.m.

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