Subscribe to this blog 
Posts Tagged ‘farmers markets’
Hilltowns Build on Local Foods
April 29th, 2010
Can the development of farmers markets lead to larger economic activities than just selling fresh food? Many Hilltowns residents in rural Albany County, NY believe it can. And they’ve formed the Helderberg Hilltowns Association to lead the charge.
According to an article titled “More than farmers markets,” the new association will seek to “promote sustainable economic development in the small, rural towns by featuring their farms, hiking trails, historic sites and sweeping vistas.” (Source: Christen Gowan, “More than farmers markets,“ Albany Sun-Times, April 9, 2010).
Sustainable economic development; that’s awesome. As I looked into the Association a little closer, several items caught my attention:
- The region is rural. Of the four communities represented in the Association, the largest has a population of 3500.)
- The organization is tapping into an underutilized asset as its foundation. The region is already blessed with a cluster of farmers growing foods for local farmers markets. They hope to connect these and other craft businesses with the region’s natural beauty to attract visitors.
- It’s a grassroots organization. Membership is open to anyone who shares the association’s goals, and decisions about the organization’s future will be shaped by those who participate.
- They’ve got a good start with Web 2.0 tools: They used wiki technology to build their website and have a Facebook Group to connect with their community. Transparency in community development is becoming increasingly important.
I still sense that most South Dakotans don’t see the local foods industry as real economic development. Just a couple weeks ago, I was told by a person who operates a bed and breakfast on a rural acreage that South Dakotans can’t make money from growing local foods. It caught me totally by surprise because I believe B&B’s and local foods are a perfect marriage.
I responded to this criticism saying local foods is economic development and pointed out the success of Hardwick, VT. I also mentioned the Business Week article touting the local foods industry as an economic development strategy. Unfortunately, I sensed my argument fell on deaf ears.
Now I realize the local foods strategies employed in rural South Dakota would have to be different from those of the Helderber Hilltowns Association; we don’t have the population base nearby like they do in the Hilltowns of Albany County. But we do have other assets that we can marry with local foods to build a new economy. We just need to be creative and open to new ideas.
After all, isn’t that what we mean by “ReImagine Rural?”
Photo Credit: Miamism – Flickr
Tags: farmers markets, Helderberg Hilltowns Association, local foods, New York
Posted in Community Development, Economic Development, Rural | Comments (0)
Marketing help for farmers markets
February 9th, 2009
If you’re a manager of a farmers market or local foods vendor in eastern South Dakota or western Minnesota, you’ll want to check out a workshop offered by the South Dakota Cooperative Extension Service.
Scheduled for February 21 in Brookings, SD, the workshop will feature Karl Foord, a marketing educator from the University of Minnesota Extension Service.
Topics to be discussed include:
- Understanding the customer’s perspective/Assessing the value of products
- Marketing farmers markets to vendors and customers
- State and federal grant programs
- Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) at markets
- State rules and regulations that apply to selling produce and other market items
- Information on the new South Dakota Buy Fresh, Buy Local chapter.
With the deadline for the South Dakota Farmers Market grant only a month away, the timing couldn’t be better.
The workshop will be held 9:30 -4:00 at Northern Plains Biostress Laboratory on the campus of South Dakota State University. Registration will cost $25 for those who sign-up on or before Feb. 18, and $30 after that date. The cost includes a noon meal, refreshments, and materials. Pre-registration is strongly encouraged.
To register, send checks to Rhoda Burrows, Box 2140A, 201 SNPB, SDSU, Brookings, SD 57007. Make checks payable to “Horticulture Extension Operating.” For more information, call Burrows at (605) 688-4731, or e-mail her at Rhoda.Burrows@sdstate.edu.
Tags: Brookings SD, Buy Local, farmers markets, local foods, south dakota state university
Posted in Agriculture, Economic Development, Rural | Comments (0)
Farmers Market Grant Announced
December 19th, 2008
South Dakota’s Farmers Markets were a popular item in 2008. And with the help of some federal grant money, I’m hoping they will attract even more attention in 2009.
Existing farmers markets and groups interested in establishing new farmer’s markets may apply for up to $1000 from the grant program. Administered by the South Dakota Department of Agriculture, the grant may be use for such expenses as “start up costs, promotion, advertising, marketing, vendor recruitment, market infrastructure, consumer education, “buy local” programs, and efforts to define a customer base.”
I’ll let you read the rest of the grant information in the press release. If you are already chomping at the bit to apply, you can download the application here.
But for those who are still on the fence and want to learn more, I’ll provided the following resources:
- SD Specialty Ag Producers. Rhoda Burrows has been instrumental in helping this group of local food producers. I’d highly encourage anyone looking for some advice on establishing a farmer’s market to contact Rhoda (605-688-4371 or burrows.rhoda@ces.sdstate.edu).
- Dakota Rural Action has been very interested in supporting local food production. They publish a “Local Foods Directory“ and are interested in helping more producers get started.
- A South Dakota “Buy Fresh Buy Local” chapter is currently being established by Pat Garrity (605-660-1034 or garrity@iw.net). “Buy Fresh, Buy Local” is an educational campaign to raise awareness of and support for local food systems.
- Other Producers. Before jumping into a project like a farmers market, I’d highly recommend networking with existing producers. Obviously the SD Specialty Producers Association is a great place to start, but you may also want to check out producers who publish their own blogs, like Flying Tomato Farms.
- Dakota Flavor: This site provides a listing of existing farmers markets in South Dakota .
- Be inspired: Learn more about what groups around the country are doing. There’s a lot of innovative stuff out there.
Good luck, and please share other great resources through the comments section below.
(Photo from Tim Schlitzer of the Food Routes Conservancy)
Tags: Buy Local, farmers markets, local foods, SD Dept of Ag, South Dakota
Posted in Agriculture, Rural | Comments (0)