A community guide to local produce, TasteBuds, will be released at Crabtree Farms on April 17 at 11 a.m.

Crabtree will celebrate the release with the Spring Plant sale April 18 and 19 from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday and from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday. The celebration will end at the Chattanooga Market, which is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on April 26.

The community will be able to pick up their guide at any of the events or at any of the partners listed in the guide for free.

Crabtree Farms’ main focus educates the community about sustainable foods and living a healthy lifestyle.

Vanessa Mercer said, "Crabtree Farms launched the Buy Fresh Buy Local chapter to expand farmer access to profitable markets and to engage and educate consumers. Forty advisory committee members who all work at the heart of our food system lead the chapter. We are excited to present TasteBuds."

A team of the Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce’s, Leadership Chattanooga program 2009 class also saw the local chapter as a wonderful opportunity to make a lasting impact in the community.

Leadership Chattanooga 2009 class member Jaime Melton said, “I see multiple benefits in our local chapter (Buy Fresh Buy Local). First and foremost, an awareness of the nutrition of locally grown, fresh foods is essential. Specifically, this printed guide will help in educating others about the nutritional benefits and value of fresh, locally grown food. Additionally, this chapter is just one more example of ways in which the Chattanooga community is sustaining itself financially. The more dollars we are able to keep local, the better for our environment, small businesses and our surrounding area.”

The two partners reached out to Leslie Jensen-Inman and her Professional Practices of Graphic Design students at UTC to help design the brand and guide. Working together in teams, the students came together to design the guide, websites and other promotional materials and to organize the launch of TasteBuds.

Junior Melinda Dukes, excited to work on the project and benefit the community, said the students "think it's an awesome opportunity to engage with the local community and do something and work on a project that will benefit the area.”

Ms. Mercer said, "Crabtree Farms feels fortunate to have Leadership Chattanooga and UTC Design Students partner on this vital community project. The campaign to savor local flavor will inspire Chattanoogans of all ages to think about their food choices. TasteBuds will provide resources on how to make locally based and tasty choices."

Buy Fresh Buy Local serves to connect the community with locally grown food. The benefits are numerous, including a healthy lifestyle, a smaller footprint, and boosting the local economy, it was stated.

The guide and website is expected to boost the local economy as well as teach people that a healthy and green lifestyle is in their community, Ms. Mercer said.

Crabtree Farms of Chattanooga is located at 1000 East 30th St.

For more information please contact Vanessa Mercer. info@crabtreefarms.org. 423 493-9155 x10