Farmers Market Support Activities

Project Overview

CS07-058
Project Type: Sustainable Community Innovation
Funds awarded in 2007: $2,570.00
Projected End Date: 12/31/2008
Region: Southern
State: South Carolina
Principal Investigator:
Grady Sampson
Email

Commodities

  • Agronomic: general silage crops

Practices

  • Education and Training: demonstration
  • Farm Business Management: marketing management
  • Pest Management: economic threshold, field monitoring/scouting, integrated pest management
  • Sustainable Communities: new business opportunities, community services

    Abstract:

    The promotion of collard greens in Marlboro County has brought publicity as well as more customers to the Farmers Market. The collard IPM demo plots provided experience to help the small farmers to continue using IPM. Other small farmers have expressed an interest in the IPM program and the farmers market to sell their locally grown produce. The increase in sales depleted the local collard crop to a total sell-out before January 1 which is traditionally a collard eating day.

    Introduction

    This is a community development activity to build resilient farms and support the farmers market. Farmers in Marlboro County will promote collards greens as a profitable alternative for local farm production. This project will link various businesses, families, professionals and farmers in a collaborative problem solving effort to provide economic benefit to farmers and vendors at the farmers market. A local team including the local Government, Entomologist, Agronomists, and County Agents from Clemson University are working to promote sustainability at the Marlboro County Farmers Market.

    This project will enhance the local farmers market, which was recently built. The intent is to provide opportunities for engagement of local farmers, businesses with other members of the community and provide local grown produce for consumers. The increase in the numbers of persons visiting the market will increase the sales at the market and local businesses.

    Project objectives:

    The objectives of this project are:
    1. To promote collard greens as a profitable alternative crop.
    2. To build the capacity of the farmers market.
    3. To demonstrate sustainable agriculture practices for growing collard greens.
    4. To provide fresh vegetables locally grown to the community.

    Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture or SARE.