Contacts
Team Contact
Rob Hawk
County Extension Director
N.C. Cooperative Extension
Jackson and Swain Counties
828-586-4009
robert_hawk@ncsu.edu
Project Coordinator
Joanna Massey Lelekacs
Horticultural Science
Box 7609
NCSU Campus
Raleigh, NC 27695
919-244-5269
joanna_lelekacs@ncsu.edu
Additional Resources
See Also
Return to main SARE PDP project page.
Year 1 Project Plans and Stories
| Chatham County - School Garden | |
| Gaston County - Develop a Local Foods Strategic Plan that is Supported by the Community | |
| Guilford County - Community Garden | |
| Lee, Moore & Richmond Counties - Partner Presentation on Local Foods and Farm Tour | |
| Lenoir County - Farmers' Market Revitalization | |
| Swain County - Farmers' Market Revitalization | |
Project Plan |
|
Year 2 Project Plans and Stories
| Cleveland County – Building Community Awareness and Involvement in the Local Food System | |
| Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians – Farmers' Market | |
| Forsyth County – Increasing Awareness of Community Garden/Farm | |
| Forsyth County/GreenXscapes – Community/Educational Garden | |
| Greene County – Farmers' Market | |
| Montgomery County – Farm Tour | |
Other CBFS Efforts
SARE PDP Extension & Community Partnerships
SWAIN COUNTY: Local Food Project
(download this page as a .pdf file)
Needs Addressed
The Swain County Farmers Market struggled for several years, with leadership and location changing almost annually. Vendor participation and customer support were weak, while marketing efforts were almost non-existent.
Project/Process
In 2010, with the support of CEFS, seed money and a strong collaboration between Swain County Cooperative Extension Agents, as well as community partners, the Swain County Farmers Market became a success. The day of the week was changed from Saturday to Friday. This allowed for vendors from a neighboring county’s market another opportunity to sell their products without competition between markets. Next the location was changed to the parking lot of a doctor’s office that was closed on Fridays. The major road in front of the parking lot allowed for high traffic and visibility. The seed money was used to leverage matching funds from Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project, the Tourism Development Authority and Farm Bureau for marketing and insurance. Two billboards were purchased in highly visible locations along the same major road within several miles of the market. A Facebook page was created. Committed farmers took leadership in pursuing the location and additional funds. The farmers and Extension Agents together formed a market management team that developed bylaws and application for vendors. Vendor participation doubled from previous years and customer support increased.
Finally, the Farmer’s Market partnered with the Bryson City Food Pantry to develop a voucher program for food pantry clients. Each family member received a $5 voucher for fruits, vegetables, eggs and trout. By the end of the season, the redemption rate for the voucher program was approximately 67%, bringing in almost an additional $2,000 to the market.
Partnerships
- Swain Chamber of Commerce
- Swain Farm Bureau
- Sleepy Hollow Farm
- Balltown Bee Farm
- Bryson City Food Pantry
- Smoky Mountain Times
- Tourism Development Authority
- NC Cooperative Extension
Lessons Learned
- Set guidelines and have a market manager to reduce conflicts
- Location, date and time are key
- Don’t compete with other markets
- If you want something, “Just Ask”
Next Steps
- Form a Board of Directors
- Planning for 2011
- Address traffic safety issues
- Increase marketing
- Adjust vendor guidelines
- Discuss charging a fee
Funding for this initiative provided through the USDA, Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Professional Development Program.