A Focus on Community: Letcher County Farmers Market

The Letcher County Farmers Market began sowing the seeds for a healthier community three years ago when community leaders launched the market. Today the small market that began with just a few farmers has grown as a result of the strong community support.

“The farmers selling at the market have increased each year since we started, and this year sales are more than double what they were this same time last year,” explained Valerie Horn, Market Co-Chair. “Looking back I can say with certainty that being accepted into Community Farm Alliance's Farmers Market Support Program at the end of the first year was a significant turning point for the market. During market workshops and training sessions we were introduced to KCARD."

KCARD partnered with Community Farm Alliance (CFA) to provide educational assistance for the Farmers Market Support Program (FMSP). The program was developed to provide business development resources, technical support, and grant and loan assistance for farmers' markets, with the goal of building farmers' market capacity and farmers' market vendor skills.

“While resources for farmers' market infrastructure, signage and equipment are abundant in Kentucky, many markets still struggle to meet their needs for manpower, marketing support and capitalization," explained Nathan Routt, KCARD Business Development Specialist. "Our staff was actively involved with providing training assistance at the workshops on business planning basics for farmers' markets, incorporation basics, how to choose a business structure for farmers' markets, Bylaws and market rules development, board training basics, and board governance.”

Horn explained that when the idea for the market was developed with a small group of farmers and volunteers she was working within her role with Grow Appalachia at the time. The group established the market with a small number of farmers and the emerging market applied to become a part of the CFA FMSP. The market leaders began working with KCARD at the end of their first season, after meeting Nathan Routt during the CFA Farmers Market Support Program.

"As the market grows, it will benefit from: incorporation assistance, board training, and business planning", stated Routt. "After discussing the market with Valerie Horn and Hilary Neff, it was clear that the Letcher County market is growing, and they realize the need for sound planning to successfully manage that growth. The planning done now will really benefit farmers that sell at the Letcher County marketin the long term.”

"KCARD is a valuable resource for farmers," said Valerie. "It is good to know there is a resource and agency out there to help the small farmer when they are ready to scale up.”

Valerie pointed out that the CFA FMSP also provided a great networking opportunity for the market leaders by connecting them with market managers in the region and state.

"When starting the market we really didn't know what to expect, so being able to share ideas and hear what has worked in other communities was a great resource," said Valerie. "These relationships have been great as we have continued to grow our market and the programs we offer.”

While the heart of the Letcher County Farmers Market remains the local farmers, it is the programs offered by the market that make it a community market.

We have three main community focused programs at the market this year, the Summer Feeding Program, the Double Dollars Program, and the Farmacy Program," explained Valerie.

Valerie learned about the Summer Feeding Program at a CFA meeting in 2014, and soon began working within the community to make the program a part of the market. The USDA sponsored program is designed to provide school children afree healthy meal at a safe location during the summer break. The market partnered with the Letcher County Public Schools to bring the program to the community.

“Letcher County Public Schools was the sponsor and we served as the feeding site for the program for the first time in summer 2014," explained Horn. "The program was well received by the community. Our busiest day last summer we served 73 meals made with products fresh from the farm.”

Horn explained that the summer feeding program has been more than just a community service for the children, it is been an opportunity for the growers to build a market relationship with the local school system. For the program, the school purchases food from the growers on Saturday morning to make the meals, and the growers invoice the school and are reimbursed by the school board.

"One of our vendors had to get an egg license and go through that process to be able to sell to the school for the program," said Valerie. "The farmer saw the opportunities this new market could provide down the road and benefits to the community, and took the initiative to secure the licenses needed to sell to the school.”

In fact, the Summer Feeding Program was such a success last summer that the local health care provider, Mountain Comprehensive Health Corporation (MCHC), stepped in and continued sponsoring meals when the Summer Feeding Program ended.

"We had allotted the money for the first weekend after school started back, but we were not sure if we could continue the program after that date," explained Valerire. "Mike Caudill, CEO for Mountain Comprehensive Health Corporation visited that morning and agreed to continue providing fresh, local meals for youth for the remainder of the market season."

MCHC also stepped in this year to help the market expand another community focused program, the Double Dollars program. Letcher County Farmers Market was awarded $1000 through the CFA FMSP to provide market customers using SNAP or WIC cards double their funds for purchase of products. With the program customers making a $20 SNAP purchase at the market are given another $20 in market credit for purchases the same day, making it a total of $40 spent at the market.

"This year we knew we would need more than just the CFA funds for the Double Dollars program, so we reached out to the community for support," explained Horn. "MCHC purchased t-shirts and bags for the market to sell at the market to raise funds for the Double Dollars program.”

Abby Maggard, the Letcher County Farmers Market manager, explained that the relationship with MCHC led to the development of the most popular program at the market to date, the FARMACY Program.

The MCHC FARMACY program provides eligible patients with prescriptions for healthy produce at the market. Abby explained that customers visit with their MCHC physician who prescribes a prescription for fresh fruits and vegetables to be redeemed at the Letcher County Farmers Market at no cost to the patient. Patients receive $1 per day per family member, example a family of four may get aprescription for $28 per week for the family to spend at the market. Funding for this program is provided by Mountain Comprehensive Health Corporation, with support from Passports Health Plan and WellCare.

“The Farmacy program not only provides fruits and vegetables for those with diet related health needs, but also provides increased sales for the growers who in turn spend those dollars in the community," explained Valerie. "We wanted to be a market that is accessible to all, and it is thanks sponsors that we are making this possible in our community.”

The CFA Farmers Market Support Program also provided the cost share funds the Letcher County Farmers Market needed to hire Abby as a part time market manager beginning the second year of the market. The City of Whitesburg provides the matching funds for Market Manager to allow the market to have dedicated staff for managing the market.

"The first year of the Letcher County Farmers Market, I helped my dad at the market each week and I just fell in love with the market," said Abby. "So when they advertised for the manager position I applied for the job. It has been a great opportunity to work with the community, it is just the place I feel like I belong.”

While both Abby and Valerie can see how the programs offered through the market have been key to developing a strong customer base, they also recognize the need to provide the support to the farmers that make the market possible. Grow Appalachia, hosted by Cowan Community Center, has been a strong supporter for the grower and market providing support to the grower and resources for the market including tents, tables, scales, and more.

"Each week we put up the tents and tables with the farmers, plus we provide the bags. All a farmer has to do is show up at the market and sell their products. I know this makes a difference, because that first year I was helping one of the farmers,” laughed Abby.

"What I have seen in the past two years is what an impact one idea can have on a community," said Valerie. "This market is putting a positive spotlight on our community as we talk about the importance of supporting our farmers and making healthy food choices for the future of our community.”

The Letcher County Farmers Market is open on Wednesday from 3:30 to 6:30 in July and Aug. and open on Saturday from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm until the end of October.

To learn more about the market like the Letcher County Farmers Market on Facebook and visit www.letchercountyfarmersmarket.com.