Ohio Farmers Market

Welcome Autumn; the leaves are changing, pumpkins and mums are appearing, cider is ready, and most markets are winding down for the season.

We’d love to hear how your market went (or is still going for those of you who have year round markets). Don’t hesitate to shoot us an email about your experience. If you have pictures from the summer and would like to share, we’d love to recieve them. We may use them for promotion, Facebook, etc., so if there are people in the pictures, we hope to have their permission for us to use them as well. Still have market for several more weeks? Let us know and we’ll “tweet” it for you. Our Twitter account (twitter.com/ohiofarmersmkts) has over 1000 followers! Wow! With most markets winding down, the fall is a great time to reflect on what when well for your market and what may need tweaked for next year. So, we’re offering again this year some learning opportunities for you to attend and share your experiences with others:

Food Safety Listening Session – October 19, 2009 – 9:00am-12:00noon – Ohio Department of Agriculture 
~ This event for producers, vendors, managers and community leaders to help understand food safety issues in Ohio.  A panel of guest speakers will be present to share information and answer questions.  Guest speakers include Bob Jones, Ohio Producer Growers and Marketers Association, Doug Doohan, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, Karl Kolb, The High Sierra Group and Chuck Kirshner, ODA Division of Food Safety.  No RSVP is needed.  

Sharing Best Practices – November 17, 2009 – 9:00am-2:00pm – Ohio Department of Agriculture 
~ This workshop will be a roundtable discussion with various farmers’ amrkets across the state sharing best practices.  Add your input by sharing your practices with others.  New or portential market managers are encourage to attend to learn how to grow your markets!  (Cost for this workshop is $20 for members of the Farmers’ Market Management Network and $25 for non-members.  For more information about FMMN, log on to http://fmmn.org)

How to Recruit Vendors – December 16, 2009 – 9:00am-2:00pm – Ohio Department of Agriculture
~ One of the biggest concerns with farmers’ markets across the state is the need for more vendors.  This workshop will focus on how to recruit vendors and how to make your market enticing to retain vendors.  (Cost for this workshop is $20 for members of the Farmers’ Market Management Network and $25 for non-members.  For more information about FMMN, log on to http://fmmn.org)

Food Safety and Using EBT Machines – February 17, 2010 – 9:00am-2:00pm – Ohio Department of Agriculture
~ Market managers and vendors should be aware of food safety issues, the latest regulations, potential for food borne illness outbreaks and other resources you can utilize to educate consumers about food safety.  In addition, how to utilize EBT machines and how this can benefit your market will be discussed. (Cost for this workshop is $20 for members of the Farmers’ Market Management Network and $25 for non-members.  For more information about FMMN, log on to http://fmmn.org) 

To register for any of these workshops contact: Melissa Hurtt, 740-289-2071 Ext. 222 or email at hurtt.8@osu.edu

Mark Your Calendar  – March 4-5, 2010

 The first Statewide Farmers’ Market Managers Conference will be held March 4-5, 2010 at the Ohio Department of Agriculture.  This two-day conference will cover a variety of topics that are designed to help you improve your farmers’ market.  Check our web site for updates on topics, speakers, and how to register.  This will be an exciting and beneficial conference for farmers’ markets across Ohio.

Farmers’ markets are in full swing across the state.  Sweet corn and blackberries are arriving a most markets.  For the second year, the Ohio State Fair will be having a farmers’ market.  The Ohio Proud Farmers’ Market will be located near the north entrance of the fairgrounds under a tent.  (Here’s a map: http://www.ohiostatefair.com/osf/imagesOSF/online%20map.pdf)  This market will have at least 12 vendors each day from across the state who will be selling their products, produce, and other tasty treats.  The farmers’ market is open throughout the fair from 9:00am-7:00pm with a new feature this year.  You can purchase products throughout the day and the market will hold your products until 7:00pm so you don’t have to carry around your purchases or leave them in your hot car all day.  So, if you are planning to take a trip to the Ohio State Fair; which is from July 29-August 9, please take a few minutes to stop by the Ohio Proud Farmers’ Market. 

There are currently two nationwide contests going on right now that could potentially help your farmers’ market.  The American Farmland Trust is having a contest in which you vote for your favorite farmers’ market:  Click here for more information: http://action.farmland.org/site/PageNavigator/Americas-Favorite-Farmers-Markets/about_contest  

Care 2 and Local Harvest are also having a farmers’ market contest.  This contest could win up to $5,000 for your farmers’ market with random prizes of $250 for your market.  Log on to: http://www.care2.com/farmersmarket/ to vote for your farmers’ market.

Here’s some information from the Farmers Market Coalition.  They have issued a statement on food safety and have links to information about H.R. 2749.   http://www.farmersmarketcoalition.org/joinus/policy/

And finally,  we’re in the initial stages of planning a statewide farmers’ market managers conference to be held in March, 2010.  Managers from across the state and across the country potentially could network and attend sessions to learn more about food safety, how to attract vendors, social networking, and other management and marketing issues that farmers’ markets are currently facing.  If you have any input about this conference, like what you would like to learn about or hear from, send Melissa an email at hurtt.8@osu.edu  Thanks!!

It’s that time of the year that your market is either has started or will be starting within the coming weeks.  So how will you get the word out about your market?

First and foremost, utilize these FREE options that will get the word out without hurting your market’s bank account.

• Local Newspapers – Newspapers across the country are short-staffed so if you are willing to write up an article, the newspaper will more than likely be willing to put it in the paper for FREE.  Here’s some ideas: 1)Article about the market, 2)A specific vendor, 3)An upcoming special event at market, like a band, or a chef cooking, 4) Submit a list of what will be at the market each day, week, etc. 5) Recipes using products found at the market.  The options are limitless, so contact your local newspaper for what they will put in the paper for free.
• Radio Stations – Talk with local radio stations for opportunities to talk on the radio for free.  Maybe your station has a community calendar to add the market too.  Contact them to see if you can start up a weekly segment highlighting what is going on at the markets.  Many Extension Educators have early morning radio segments, so contact your county educator to see if he/she can highlight your market.
• Internet – There are endless free options to market your market on the internet.  The current trend is Twitter (twitter.com); create a page and post tweets on new vendors, start times, what specific vendors will be having, etc.  Also utilize Facebook (facebook.com), it’s not just for college kids anymore.  Set up a Facebook page and have people become fans, which will put your market’s page on the fan’s profile.  Creating a blog can easily become your market’s web site if your market doesn’t already have a web presence.  With a blog (wordpress.com or blogger.com), you can share what vendors are bringing, links to other pages, recipes, a day in the life of a farmer, etc.  Blogs can share a connection with your consumers and help educate consumers on various products and the benefits of shopping at a market.  Newspapers and other local forum sites may also have areas where you can plug your market for free.
• Email listservs - Collect email addresses from customers and send out weekly updates via email about what/who will be at the market, special attractions, recipes, healthy tips, the options are endless!

Several low cost options also exist:

• Brochures - Create a brochure for your market and distribute to local businesses, restaurants, chamber of commerces, etc.
• Coupons – Create a coupon for current customers to ‘bring a friend’ and receive a discount which helps the market and the vendors by the increasing the traffic at the market.
• Bookmarks, Magnets, or other little freebies - These low cost tools help promote the market.  Put logistics of date, time, and location of where the market is on these tools.  It’s a known fact that people love freebies.  So hand these out at local events, fairs and festivals, business after business events, etc. to gain awareness of when and where the market is and why to shop at a market.
• Shopper Bags – The current trend is recyclable shopper bags.  Purchase bags to share with consumers for free or low cost which can benefit both the market and the vendor.  Markets can make a little money off of the bag, or if providing for free, promoting the market on the bag.  Vendors can save money by not having to purchase bags for their consumers to take their purchases with them.

There are many free and low cost options to market your farmers’ market.  A couple of things to remember, attend other events outside of your farmers market to promote the market.  Work with other businesses, community organizations on marketing.  Working together to promote events will benefit several organizations.  Also, always make sure the date, time, and location is on the marketing material.  People won’t come if they don’t know where to go.
Need help with your marketing?  Contact Christie (welch.183@osu.edu) or Melissa (hurtt.8@osu.edu) for assistance.

We know you are all very busy planting and getting ready for the start of your markets or continuing for those markets that are year round.  We’d love to help!  Well…we’re not going to come help plant tomatos and such but we’d like to help get the word out about your market.  Send Melissa an email @ hurtt.8@osu.edu of when and where your market is located and she’ll put it on Twitter and Facebook.  Don’t understand the benefits of Twitter?  Well, how’s this.  We (ohiofarmersmkts) have almost 200 followers that means that 200 people will see our “tweets”.  So 200 people will see when and where your market is!  Then, let’s say just one of our followers reposts our “tweet” about your market.  So then, not only will our 200 people will see that; however many followers that person has, will see when your market is as well.  Some markets already have Twitter; so let us know and we’ll follow you!

So, send Melissa an email about when your market is and she’ll work to post it on Twitter and Facebook as well.

Also, don’t forget about the Cottage Foods meeting at 8:30 on May 13 at ODA.  Here’s more info: http://localfoodcolumbus.wordpress.com/2009/04/18/oda-expands-list-of-cottage-foods/

Here at the OSU South Centers, we are working to kick off more assistance for farmers’ markets in the areas of marketing and education.  Check back soon for more information!

We’ve been contacted by several folks in the Columbus area who are looking to start new farmers’ markets.  These are in a variety of formats – college campuses, health related facilities, etc.  Please let us know if you are a vendor looking for a market to attend and if you would be interested in a market in the Columbus area.  We will forward your contact information to these potential markets.  Please include your name and either an e-mail address or phone number.

We also realize we have several existing markets looking for additional vendors.  If your market is seeking additional vendors (any where in the state), please let us know that as well.  We are going to try to make some connections with the markets and vendors.

Please contact Christie at welch.183@osu.edu

Also, don’t forget that the Deadline for the ODA’s Farmers’ Market Cost Share Advertising Program is April 17.  For more information, log on to our web site.

On Tuesday, April 7th, our Taking Charge of Technology course had it’s last class and graduation ceremony.  Some of the graduates shared their web sites with the class for feedback and advice on improvements.

Our graduates not only received the knowledge of web site development and maintenance, but also received Adobe Contribute, a media card reader, headphones/microphone, a jump drive, and a certificate of completition.

Our graduates:
* Vivian Pfankuch
* Emma Stout
* Mark Krist
* Cathy Krist
* Alecia Williams
* Sue Donahue
* Lisa Klancher
* Diane Conroy
* Cynthia Brown
* Chris Kellough
* Jim Lambert
* Ryan Potter

If you know any of these people, ask them to see their web site!

A special thank you to our awesome teachers, Duane Rigsby and Jerry Driggs for their hours of teaching and preperation of the course.  Another thank you goes out to our funding support by USDA through the Rural Business Enterprise Grant.  And to our graduates who all took time out of their busy schedules to travel to the seven classes that were held in Piketon and their hard work that was put into the web sites.

Several of our farmers’ markets have been busy over the last several weeks.  Since January, managers and vendors from across the state have been attending the OSU South Centers’ Taking Charge of Technology course.  Taking Charge of Technology is a 12 week course teaching attendees how to create and maintain a web presence through the software Adobe Contribute.  Some students have started their web sites from scratch and others are just revamping their current sites.  Duane Rigsby and Jerry Driggs, both with the OSU South Centers, have taught the course.  Along with the ins and outs of using Contribute, Jerry and Duane have discussed an overview of the internet, importance of search engines, what to look for in a good web site, pros and cons of the various hosting sites, and many of the free or low cost technology tools to enhance and improve the web sites.

Next week is our last class with graduation at lunch where the participants will show off their completed (or close to completed) web sites.

Along the same lines as web sites, we now have a farmers’ market Twitter and Facebook page…here’s the links:

http://twitter.com/Ohiofarmersmkts then follow us!

http://facebook.com  then search for the Ohio Farmers’ Markets page and become a fan!

Don’t forget that the deadline to register for the farmers’ market at The Ohio State Fair is April 10th.  The form is on our web site.

Yesterday we wrapped up our Growing! Ohio Farmers’ Markets Workshops that were held in Piketon and Zanesville each month from October through March.  We covered great topics such as best practices, accounting, utilizing technology, marketing, and buisness planning.  And of course, the most valuable tool during the workshops was the networking with other markets.  We had a great mix each month of vendors and managers as well as start-up markets, early stage markets, and long running markets.  We had over 50 different people who came to at least one workshop over the six month course. Thanks so much to all of the attendees, guest speakers, caterers, and the OSU Extension in Zanesville for all of your help with these workshops.

Now that the workshops are over but still fresh in our minds, it’s time to reflect.  We’d love to hear from you on what you learned, what you’d like us to cover in the future, what you liked or didn’t like, or anything else you think we need to know.  Please send Melissa Hurtt – hurtt.8@osu.edu any comments you’d like to share about our workshops.

We’re moving up in the technology world and joined the Twitter craze.  Here’s our screen name:  Ohiofarmersmkts so feel free to follow us!  We’ll give updates of any information we get.

Website update: We’ll be posting the rest of the information from the presentations on the web site as well as many more updates in the coming weeks!  So bookmark us and keep checking back.

Did you want to go to one of our monthly training programs and didn’t want to travel to Piketon or Zanesville, or had other conflicts?  Well, have no fear! We have posted our training presentations at http://ohiofarmersmarkets.osu.edu/training.htm (February coming soon) These presentations are all in PDF format so you should be able to open them.  If not, send us an email and we’ll email a copy to you.

Our last training session will be held on March 18 in Piketon and March 19 in Zanesville.  We’re going to be discussing all of the available resources to help start up or grow your market and best practices to grow and sustain your markets and your vendors.  Let Melissa (hurtt.8@osu.edu) know by Monday, March 16 if you are coming to either of these workshops.

“Farming looks mighty easy when your plow is a pencil and you’re a thousand miles from the corn field.”

- Dwight D. Eisenhower

Welcome Ohio Farmers’ Markets managers, vendors, producers, and friends!  This blog is meant to be a resources for you and I hope that you will share your in site about Ohio’s farmers’ markets.

I am interested to know how your market conducts ‘Friends of Market’ programs?  Does your market have such and program and if so, how does it work?  If you would be willing to share best practices, we’d love the see them hear!