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  • From: "SHEILA PAYNE" <srp75 AT msn.com>
  • To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Grower Only Farmers Markets
  • Date: Sun, 28 Jan 2007 20:32:20 -0700

John,
 
You said  "Each farmer has to get a farm certificate from their local county extension
agent."
 
What does the county extension agent do?  Go take a look, have knowledge of the farm operation, interview the farmer? 
Was this something the extension agent was already doing or was this a new program implemented at the request to market?  Does the extension office have criteria on what goes into granting a certificate?
 
Is there a cost to the farmer? Our extension offices in Colorado are going through budget reductions and are having to charge for some services that once were free.
 
Sheila
Boulder County Farmer's Market 
 
----- Original Message -----
From: John Drury
Sent: Friday, January 26, 2007 1:55 PM
Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Grower Only Farmers Markets


    Thought I would pass along the following to see if there's any useful
info.
John Drury
Fresh Harvest Cooperative
9407 McFarlin Rd.
Bon Aqua, TN 37025
jbd3 AT hughes.net
www.freshharvestcoop.com

http://www.franklinfarmersmarket.com/home.asp
The Franklin Farmers' Market in Franklin, Tennessee is a true farmer's
market. We do not allow food brokers into the market. The market is what it
says it is: A real farmers' market. Our farmers sow it & grow it and our
customers eat & enjoy it. Because the market features only locally grown
food, customers can ask the farmers questions about the produce, veggies,
fruits and other farm goods for sale & know exactly which farm the food came
from and how it was produced. The Franklin Farmers' Market is a non-profit
organization with 3 easy to understand goals:
Keep local family farms productive and growing. Offer the public easy access
to real food straight from local farms. And educate the public about the
importance of farming and how it affects both environmental and economic
issues in Tennessee. Productive farmland is a limited and irreplaceable
natural resource. The Franklin Farmers' Market works to protect it. No farms
equals No food. It's that simple.



The market began five years ago with only 8 local farmers. Now the market
features over 45 different farms, with new farmers asking for information or
a booth at the market each year. The market had to work to get farmers to
participate and used several venues in order to do so. To get the farmers'
attention, we worked with the state ag department. They were able to provide
us with a list of working farms and they helped to get the word out to
farmers regarding the establishment of the market. We also worked to get
media attention about the market and while most of that came initially came
under pubic service announcements, it still helped to get the word out. We
sent information on the market to such businesses as farmers' co-ops and
worked to get market info out to city officials.  The market management
consists of one paid manager, a board made up mostly of farmers plus
volunteers. After the first year of the market, word of mouth helped to gain
more farmers' to the market. Part of the hesitation of farmers to become a
part of the market had to do with whether or not this was a real farmers
market that would become a stable, dependable venue with only farmers
selling fresh produce, etc. That concern came in part because of a nearby
large "farmers" market that featured mostly food brokers. While our market
allows a small number of local crafts people, the main focus of the market
is and will continue to be Tennessee farmers.



Each farmer has to get a farm certificate from their local county extension
agent. Market management makes periodic visits to the farms to take a look
at the farm operations. Farms at the market must be within a 150 mile radius
of the market. And we rely on the farmers too, as they can give info on
farms not following market policies or provide info on farms that may be
interested in being at the market.



Booth sizes range in size and prices. We try to keep the prices of booths
low for the farms. Farmers can purchase a booth space for the entire season
of the market or booth space for market days on a per need basis. Farmers
can also sell the produce of another Tennessee farm, but they must have a
farming certificate from that farm and they must tell customers where that
produce was raised. They can sell the produce of only one other farm in
addition to their own products.



The success of the market comes from word of mouth and constant efforts to
get media attention for the market and/or participating farmers. The market
also conducts a steady stream of info to the public via brochures, website
and creative signage to get the market's goals out in attention-getting
materials. The market also participates in some local events, such as the
annual garden & flower show, allowing us to target an audience already
interested in gardening. Typically, most of these events have a few spaces
for local non-profit organizations.



It is a constant effort to keep the market top of the mind with both the
public and the farmers. The market has been very successful in that effort,
even though the organization operates on a small budget. Most of the
financial aid comes booth rentals, state grants and a very good rental rate
on our facility. But the largest part of the market's success comes from
staying true to our slogan:








----- Original Message -----
From: "Allan Balliett" <aballiett AT frontiernet.net>
To: "Market Farming" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Wednesday, January 24, 2007 8:15 AM
Subject: [Market-farming] Grower Only Farmers Markets


> I'm really interested in talking our town council into supporting a
> grower only market here. Although I can find many grower only markets
> advertised on the web, I can't seem to find any succinct 'grower only
> market' philosophy laid out, something that I could show the town
> council, something about how supporting local growers is good for the
> entire community. I thought there was actually a 'grower only market'
> advocacy group operating out of PA, but I haven't been able to find
> hide-nor-hair of that group.
>
> Can anyone help?
>
> thanks
>
> _Allan Balliett
> _______________________________________________
> Market-farming mailing list
> Market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org
> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/market-farming
>
>


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