In the News -
May 2007
Farmer's Market
(4 minutes: 12 seconds)
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Audio/Video Script:
Dr. Ron Rainey - Extension Economist - Agricultural Economics
Jody Hardin - Hardin Farms, Grady, Arkansas
Abraham Carpenter, Jr. - Carpenter Produce, Grady, Arkansas
[Rainey] Right now we're standing in the Arkansas Rivermarket, the Little
Rock Rivermarket. And as you look around, you can see lots and lots of fresh
produce, a variety of fresh produce, as well as some vendors selling some items
as well.
[Hardin] We're transitioning, trying to eliminate the middle-man. So, we
come direct to the market with 80 percent of our produce. Every year we're
increasing it by 10 or 15 percent. Trying to be exclusively market garden
driven.
[Rainey] You may ask yourself, "Why is it important for me to support a
farmer's market?" Well, one, it's economic development in its purest sense. You
go back to the old market system where people used to gather to buy their
produce. Behind me, if you talk about fresh produce that's grown by the farmers,
you're actually talking with the person that raised this produce. So every
dollar you give to that farmer goes back to that farmer's operation.
And what you'll notice, if you look in the background, you'll see consumers
interacting with these farmers, because that's the direct and dynamic link of a
farmer's market. It provides the consumer with an opportunity to know how their
produce was raised - to get to know the farmer in terms of what their ethic and
what their expectations are and the things that they value.
I think that what you'll really be surprised with is the personalities.
You'll really gain an insight of the farm, the farm families, the local
communities, their entire heritage of how their connected to the areas in which
they farm.
[Carpenter] We originally started at the farmer's market on the grassroot
level. That was the initial market that we established. And we've always
remained loyal to the farmer's market. It's always been there for us, we
appreciate and value the friendships we developed over the years. And plus it
provides a good economic base for us. It provides a good income.
[Rainey] One thing you'll notice as you go to farmer's markets through
out various cities is that every market has its own kind of identity. There's no
cookie cutter approach in terms of the structure, in terms of the organization,
in terms of the days that they're open.
A number of communities are involved with farmer's market as a way to
revitalize their downtown because this is really a social setting. Lot's of
entertainment, it's just lots of human interaction and it really gives you a
good sense of community. There's also an entertainment value because people like
to come out and just visit with the farmers and learn about what's happening
down on the farm. They want to know what happens out in the country, for people
that don't have that rural background.
Extension plays a role in development of these markets just to provide
farmer's an additional marketing outlets. But also to enhance local communities,
because as you see, the social interaction that occurs - a market provides a
very direct connection with the community and a sense of community.
[Carpenter] Everybody is more health conscience now. They want to eat
more fresh veggies and rightfully so.
[Rainey] A lot of the products you'll see behind me or in markets, local
markets, they're picked the day before. To be picked so soon, there's a couple
of things, they've just been harvested so it's a very shortness from coming from
the field. But also because there's a shortness of time going from the field to
the market the product is allowed to ripen more in the field. It gives a more
richer, more full taste.
[Carpenter] It provides our families with the nutrition that they
actually need and, in another sense, it provides income to all of the farmers
that you see coming down through here.
[Rainey] When you go up and buy their product there's a satisfaction for
them of saying "Job well done. I've raised something that is of value and
customers like it." And you can see it, and it's a win/win for the consumer and
the farmer to get that interaction.
Announcer
To learn more,
contact your county Extension agent, and follow the links in this section.
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