Battlefield Farmers' Market - Growing New Opportunities

Battlefield Farmers' Market - Growing New Opportunities

Summary

During the first four months of the project, the Walker County Young Farmers have made great progress in implementing The Battlefield Farmers’ Market-Growing New Opportunities grant. All objectives and performance targets have been met to date and the board is preparing to open the market in early June. Growers, consumers, and local governments are working in concert to make the Battlefield Farmers’ Market a great success.

Objectives/Performance Targets

The primary objectives for the first four months of the Battlefield Farmers’Market grant, were to establish a board to govern the market, to hire a market manager, to hold an orientation workshop to explain the rules and regulations for the market, and to develop a marketing campaign to promote the market.

Accomplishments/Milestones

Since receiving approval to begin work in early December 2004, much progress has been made in meeting the objectives and milestones of the grant.

A board of directors has been established from participating counties to manage the farmers market, a temporary market manager has been hired, and the board is the process of incorporating. The board held a public orientation workshop on February 8, 2005 to explain how the market will function to potential growers and consumers. A representative from the Georgia Department of Agriculture was present and reported on the state’s rules, regulations, and licenses required to sell items at a farmers markets. Approximately 100 people attended the workshop.

As part of the marketing campaign, a PowerPoint presentation has been created explaining the goals and rules for the market, a website is under construction entitled www.battlefieldfmkt.org, and 10,000 post cards promoting the market have been printed and are in the process of being distributed.

Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes

The establishment of the Battlefield Farmers’ Market has created interest and excitement in the in the surrounding communities. Numerous growers have contacted the board about selling at the market and a lot of citizens have indicted their desires to shop at the market.

Most newspapers in participating counties have written articles about the market and/or the orientation meeting. Additionally, several board members have made presentations promoting the market on local television stations.

The Walker County Department of Family and Children Services has contacted the board and offered help in getting vendors setup to receive their fresh food vouchers. A representative will work with the board to get all members certified to take vouchers. The market will provide a convenient location for DFACS clients with limited transportation resources.

Local and county governments in the area have expressed satisfaction with the establishment of the market and have offered help in making the market a success.

Collaborators: