Final Report for FS13-269
Project Information
During 2014, the researcher gathered data from 8 farmers that sell at the Downtown Hattiesburg Farmers Market. The farmers grow the following crops in the spring, winter and fall: beans, cauliflower, corn, cucumbers, eggplants, herbs, lettuce, okra, onions, peas, peppers, potatoes, pumpkins, radishes, rutabaga, spinach, tomatoes and other produce. Cucumbers were sold more than all of the aforementioned crops.
Beans are grown in the spring and summer, yet are sold year round. Although cauliflower is grown in the spring, the chart indicates that it is not sold at the farmers’ market by any of the vendors that were surveyed. Corn, on the other hand, is grown in the spring and summer and is sold in the spring and summer. Cucumbers are grown mainly in the summer and fall and sold in the winter as well, depending on the supply.
The chart indicates that the best-selling produce at the farmers’ market that were surveyed are in the spring, which are cabbage, greens, peas, peppers, and onions. In the fall, we see greens become a commonly grown vegetable crop, followed cucumbers, peas, spinach, onions and peppers. Finally, by winter, cabbage reclaims its place as the most commonly grown vegetable followed by greens, cucumbers, and lettuce. The best-selling vegetable crop of the spring season is cabbage, which is followed by greens, lettuce, onions, peas, peppers, and potatoes.
The best-selling crop for the summer is typically beans, cabbage, green and peas. According to the survey, watermelons and potatoes were shown to have the highest number of times an item was purchased from the Downtown Hattiesburg Farmers Market. In contrast, rutabagas, artichokes, and others had the lowest number of times an item was purchased from the market.
The results of the accumulated surveys also show that a large number of customers visit the farmers market at least 1-2 times per month or weekly. Visiting the farmers market 2-3 times per month had the second highest marks. Furthermore, the surveys show that the market and its vendors have consistent customer who has shopped at the Downtown Hattiesburg Farmers Market for 1-2 years. However, the survey results also that customers have been buying products from the farmers market for 2-5 years or more than 5 years. 
