Meals from Iverstine Butcher and fresh pasta from Overpass Merchant at Tuesday farmers market

The seasonal Tuesday Red Stick Farmers Market at the Main Library on Goodwood Boulevard resumed this month, and it’s been adding new amenities to make life easier for one of its target markets: busy families. Iverstine Farms Butcher, which got its start as a Saturday Red Stick Farmers Market vendor, is now selling prepared meals at the Tuesday market. On Tuesday, November 1, look for an Italian-themed bundle that also includes fresh pasta made by the founders of Overpass Merchant as well as gelato and cannolis from market vendor City Gelato.

Look for fresh Louisiana-grown satsumas at next Tuesdays farmers market. Courtesy BREADA

“The market’s been great,” says Iverstine Farms Butcher founder Galen Iverstine, who opened a new, expanded location of his nose-to-tail butchery and café on Essen Lane this summer. “There’s been a lot of interest and we’re excited about bringing different things to the market to try.”

The Tuesday market has been open for several years, but earlier this spring, market organizer BREADA shifted the market’s hours from morning to afternoon to help capture new customers, including working families from the neighborhoods around the Main Library.

Fall produce and prepared foods are available at all four Red Stick Farmers Markets. Courtesy BREADA

“We’ve been looking for new ways to make the markets reach more people,” says BREADA executive director Darlene Rowland. “We’re always asking ourselves, ‘what elements can we add to encourage more traffic?’”

Meatballs are a regular menu item at Iverstine Farms Butcher. The restaurant-retailer will bring Italian meatballs and fresh sausage to the farmers market on November 1. Courtesy Iverstine Farms Butcher.

While smaller than the Saturday and Thursday markets, the Tuesday market features a steady group of vendors selling seasonal fresh produce and prepared items. Along with Iverstine Farms Butcher, next week’s round-up includes Davis Citrus, City Gelato, Louisiana Farm Life goat milk soap, Fekete Farms, Seasoning & Sauce, Yes, Chef and Baton Roots.

El Supremo pasta served at Overpass Merchant. The fresh pasta is made by the restaurant’s parent company and will be available at the Tuesday, November 1 Red Stick Farmers Market. Courtesy Overpass Merchant.

At the October 25 Tuesday market, Iverstine sold fresh cuts of meat, sausage po’boys and hot boudin, along with meals to-go featuring roast pork loin with tasso fried rice and mustard greens. Next week, he’ll sell a pasta dinner kit comprised of Iverstine meatballs and Italian sausage, housemade red gravy and a new line of fresh pasta made by Hufft-Marchand Hospitality. The fresh pasta, called El Supremo, is served at two of the group’s restaurants, Overpass Merchant in Baton Rouge and Junior’s on Harrison in New Orleans. It will also be available for retail at Iverstine Farms Butcher, Hufft says. Along with El Supremo fresh spaghetti, look for specialty shapes including radiatore, canestri, campanelle, mafalde and creste de gallo.

Contact BREADA for additional market details.