Health and Fitness

August 2, 2009

Where’s the Tomato? Mapping Your Fresh, Locally Grown Produce With Kaiser Permanente

Use This Google Maps Feature to Find a Kaiser Permanente Farmers Market Near You

Looking for a fresh, locally grown peach? Kaiser Permanente’s new map of its farmers markets across the country can help you locate fresh produce in your region.

As the number of farmers markets grows across the country, Kaiser Permanente’s own markets are providing fresh produce to patients, staff and surrounding communities. This feature, created using Google Maps, lets you find any of Kaiser Permanente’s 35 farmers markets in four states.

Kaiser Permanente supports farmers markets because we recognize that healthy eating is critical to healthy living. The movement started in May 2003, when Preston Maring, MD, founded one of the first hospital-based farmers market at the Kaiser Permanente Oakland Medical Center. The farmers market was embraced by the community.

The farmers market movement also is growing nationwide. In celebration of this growth, this week is National Farmers Market Week. There are nearly 4,900 farmers markets operating across the country, up from 4,685 in 2008.