By Mary Elizabeth Kidd
This week, we’ve been celebrating National Farmer Market Week (Aug. 2-8) with the National Farmers Market Coalition and decided the best way to show gratitude for farmers market managers, staff, and volunteers was to hear from the farmers who vend at these markets every week.
As anyone who’s shopped at a community farmers market knows: it’s far more than just a way to get your food.
In the landscape of the food we consume, from the farmer’s field to the home or restaurant kitchen, farmers markets are often the “third space” in between, a gathering place for not only the sale and purchase of food, but for connection to where your food comes from, the people who grow it, and the neighbors who value it as much as you.
While the pandemic has brought an unprecedented level of concern to these weekly gatherings, market managers across Georgia have risen to the task of keeping farmers and shoppers safe.
From hand-washing stations to online ordering to ensuring socially distant shopping, these market leaders have ensured that open-air, socially-distanced farmers markets remain one of the safest ways to obtain the healthiest, most sustainable local food.
Hand washing stations at Grant Park Farmers Market. (Photo credit: Jenna Shea Photography)
This week, we caught up with farmers from the Georgia Organics family, from farmer members to Farmer Fund Accelerator and Farmer Cohort participants, to learn why they appreciate their farmers markets. We hope this inspires you to support your local farmers markets this and every week, understanding that farmers markets are, indeed, essential.
Tamita and Gabriel, owners of Caribe United Farm (Oglethorpe)
“The Athens Farmers Market team is family. They are awesome. They have been very supportive from the very beginning and we love and appreciate them very much. We look forward to each Saturday to see everyone; to laugh, chat, dance, and fellowship together! We always look forward to seeing our regular customers and meeting new ones. It is also such a joy to see the children at the market, playing and partaking of the healthy foods, fruits, and vegetables offered at the market. It's really just irie vibes!!!”
Sarah Thurman of the Athens Farmers Market. (Photo credit: Bailey Garrot)
Tianna Neal, owner of Starlit Roots (Burke County), member of Georgia Organics Farmer Fund Accelerator program
“Augusta Locally Grown is an organization that is committed to providing food for the community, as well as supporting the hands behind the food production. They have created farmers' markets and online market platforms that assist farms in distributing their produce. They have worked in communities, building gardens, teaching youth, and connecting families to food. We are indefinitely grateful for their work!
“I have been blessed to work with Augusta Locally Grown since the year I started farming. Through their markets, they've blessed me and fellow farmers with the platforms to sell our products. I grow with confidence in knowing that I have their support in getting food to communities. My gratitude is indefinite for this organization and their focus on strengthening our local food system.”
Between The Rivers (Rome)
B.A. Lewis of Sapelo Farms (Silver Creek), Georgia Organics Farmer Member
“Between the Rivers has been fantastic for us. We moved from the coast and had previously only sold through CSA’s and other methods. So when we moved to Rome, transitioned to fresh-cut flowers, and began selling at the market, it was eye-opening for me and has been great. And the market has been amazing for downtown Rome; it’s brought a lot of people together and through it all, we’ve been able to do quite well”
“It’s been very different with the pandemic, of course, but they’ve continued to do their best. Our market manager, Julie, has everything always set up with hand-washing and masks and always visible. They’ve also capitalized on doing more social media and their email, highlighting visiting vendors, recipes, etc., which has just been great.”
Freedom Farmers Market at the Carter Center (Atlanta)
Charlotte Swancy, co-owner of Riverview Farms (Ranger), winner of Georgia Organics 2019 Land Steward Award
“Holly is the most amazing market manager ever, she makes Freedom such a joy to be at, even during COVID-19. It’s such a great atmosphere, and that’s really due to her attitude and management style”
Jess Plymale, co-owner of Row by Rowe Organics (Luthersville), member of Georgia Organics Farmer Cohort
“Ultimately, we are extremely proud and happy to be a part of the market and we owe that all to Holly. The market is organized, exciting, and very diverse - anything you need, it’s there. It’s like being at a festival with music and ready to eat foods, plus you get to buy nutritious and wholesome food to last all week. Every vendor is purposeful, she understands that the market is only as good as the vendors and the vendors only as good as the market. The relationship is symbiotic, we all win with Holly on our side.
“Plus - with COVID-19, Holly has rocked it - her and crew have worked tirelessly to keep the market going and vendors/customers safe. So very forward-thinking with hand washing stations, cleanest port-a-cans I’ve ever seen, and a much more spread out layout. You can even buy masks at the market, that’s cool. We are still growing vegetables, Holly knows it, and is making sure we have the customers to feed. Really a win-win.”
Grant Park Farmers Market (Atlanta)
Melanie Wade, owner of Golda Kombucha and Cultured South (Atlanta)
“In these trying times, farmers markets have been so important, both for the consumer, and as a business owner. They’re not only providing local food in an outdoor setting for those who feel nervous in indoor settings, they’re also especially places to get the healthy food that’s keeping us in tip-top shape during this virus.
“Being able to sell at farmers markets has definitely helped us out. We had to close our taproom temporarily, but with markets being essential, we could still be out there and able to sell products the products we’d invested a great deal in, expecting a busy spring season. Especially with fermented products, which have a longer lead time, it helped keep us alive and helped us get immune-boosting foods to market.”
Grant Park Farmers Market (Photo Credit: Jenna Shea Photography)
Mulberry Market (Macon)
Julia Asherman, owner of Rag & Frass Farm (Jeffersonville), member and co-founder of Middle Georgia Growers Co-Op, and member of Georgia Organics Farmer Fund Accelerator program
“It’s been really nice to see how the Lacey, Mulberry’s Market Manager, and longtime volunteer Paige have been so committed to keeping the market open and accessible to farmers and others during the pandemic.
“It’s really important, because this is one of the few markets in the region, and some customers really rely on this as a way to get their food each week. Because of them, it’s been such a relief for us each week.
“I really feel for all market managers right now. Every week we all have to adjust and do things differently; there’s simply no routine week over week, we’re having to constantly adapt.”
Mary Elizabeth Kidd is Georgia Organics’ Communications Manager. She can be reached at maryelizabeth@georgiaorganics.org. Lauren Cox is the Organic Procurement Coordinator at Georgia Organics and can be reached at laurencox@georgiaorganics.org. To learn more about Georgia Organics, visit www.georgiaorganics.org and follow us on Instagram @GeorgiaOrganics, Twitter @GeorgiaOrganics, and at www.Facebook.com/GeorgiaOrganics.