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Re-Invigorating the Local Farmers Market
| Name | James Hodges | | Situation | The Greenwood County Farmers Market has been struggling to maintain a good customer base and vendor base for 5-10 years. Fewer local farmers and gardeners remain active and have not been encouraged to come to the market. The market is run by a board of market participants with a seasonal market manager and an advisor from Clemson Extension service. Because of budget cuts and personnel leaving or retiring, the board essentially ran itself.
The number of vendors was less than 30 per season and only the sale of vegetables was encouraged. The board membership had not been rotated in many years.
The Senior Nutrition program from the Department of Agriculture added $145,000.00 to the market in senior citizen vouchers during the last 4 years, but this created a need to revise market rules, educate vendors and insure that the grant money would continue to be offered to Greenwood.
As many new people move to the Greenwood area, few realize the facility is open. Other markets in the state have expanded their scope to include landscape plants, homemade farm produces such as bread, honey and herbs. Some of the markets hold plant festivals to boost spring sales of garden related products. Greenwood needed to expand their scope in order to remain viable in years to come. | | Response | During the last three years James Hodges has taken an active role with the Farmers Market Board. New and additional board members were recruited to brainstorm ideas and investigate potential changes. Extension helped to recruit these new members, provide information on potential festival ideas, rules changes necessary to meet the requirements of the Department of Agriculture grants and a yearly program and market manager review form and procedure. Extension helped with the process of hiring a new market manager during 2004.
The reorganization of the market board, rules, product sales items and Plant Festival schedules were completed in 2004 after several years of changes. Extension has provided extra training for vendors when necessary to qualify them for the voucher program and hosted a regional training at the Extension office in February 2005 to accommodate local farmers. Yearly vendor meetings are held in May with subject matters such as organic methods, new display techniques and marketing presented by Extension and outside sources.
James Hodges and Steve Odom have actively advertised the market in their weekly newspaper articles to inform the public of products currently available.
During the plant festivals, Extension and the Master Gardeners provide information bulletins, answer questions and provide demonstrations on many plant and food related subjects. Many more local residents are visiting the market on a regular basis. | | Impact | The market operation is much smoother and sales opportunities for small farmers, backyard gardeners, small nurseries and greenhouse growers have improved. Many seniors who participate in the voucher program visit the market more often because of the additional items offered.
The number of vendors registered at the market for 2005 is currently 54 and in addition to fresh vegetables, honey, fresh bread, cut flowers, herbs and herb plants and landscape flowers and plants are sold by local small growers and greenhouse growers. Many people attend the yearly plant festival to purchase plants and attend educational events and pick up educational materials from Extension and the Master Gardeners.
Extension and the Farmers Market Board continue to investigate and plan additional trainings, market activities and programs for market vendors and local residents at the farmers market. The current Market Manager and board chairman attended an Agro-tourism conference in Edgefield with the Extension agent to look for more possible ideas and products to improve our local market. |
Last update4/24/2008
This website is maintained by Bryan Smith.
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