When the weather is fine and the produce is at its peak, chances are you'll find an outdoor market near you, filled with riotous colors, sounds, and smells; not to mention seven varieties of organically grown lettuce. Outdoor farmers markets have doubled to more than 8,000 venues in the U.S. in the last decade. The markets are also attracting a broader group of patrons: those on federal food assistance who qualify for discounts, as well as those willing to pay top dollar for freshly picked huckleberries.

These are signs that the fresh food system is maturing, expanding into new markets like farm-to-school outreach programs. "There are literally thousands of schools that would like to do this," U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom