The Warren Farmers' Market
opens July 11.
The market is a member of GRO-Warren and
PASA
(Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture). Visit PASA's
Buy Fresh Buy Local
site for more local food sources.
The market is closed
but many of the
vendors sell local products at their homes and farms.
Call or email them for current product availability.
What:
Fruit, vegetables, baked goods, plants, herbs, flowers,
eggs,
maple syrup, jelly, jam, and a variety of meats and meat products.
When:
The Warren Farmers' Market is open Saturday mornings, 8
a.m. until noon, from July 11 through October 30.
Where:
It is located on the Second Ave side of the city parking
lot, behind the Conewango Club, in downtown Warren, PA.
IN THE NEWS
Buying
local, going global
PA church’s farmers market supports Presbyterian Hunger
Program
by Bethany Furkin, Presbyterian News Service
Posted 4/29/2009
Source link:
http://www.pcusa.org/pcnews/2009/09353.htm
The farmers market at First Presbyterian Church in
Warren, PA, offers more than fresh produce and baked goods — it also
helps provide hunger relief to people across the country and globe.
More...
State Helps Market
Farmers Market receives grant to boost business
By BRIAN FERRY
bferry@timesobserver.com
Posted 4/12/2009 on the
Times Observer website
Source link:
http://timesobserver.com/page/content.detail/id/515095.html?nav=5006
The
Farmers Market in downtown Warren won't open for three more months, but
the program brought in a lot of money recently.
The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture announced
$96,400 in grants through the 2008 Farm Bill for 39 projects in 27
counties.
The local Farmers Market will receive $3,500 to
increase awareness, attendance, and sales.
"It's for the marketing and promotion of the Warren
Farmers Market," Dana Ekey of the Penn State Cooperative Extension said
Monday. "We're looking at advertising- getting the word out."
A Monday night meeting was held to hammer out the
details of the use of the grant. "$2,000 will be used on reusable cloth
grocery bags with the Farmers Market info printed on them," Ekey said.
"$1,200 will be used for five or six road signs to be placed on the main
roads coming into Warren."
Another $300 will be used for signs that vendors can
put up at their homes, farms or businesses.
The advertising might increase the number of vendors
from about 20 a week last year as well as the number of customers; Ekey
said vendors report 200 to 300 people each week.
"We're always looking for new vendors," he said,
adding, "There are a lot of people that still don't know the Farmers
Market exists."
"The Farmers Market has set a goal of obtaining at
least 5 new vendors this year," Ekey said. "If anyone is interesting in
joining, please call Bill Dyke at 723-6944."
The Penn State Cooperative Extension does not have a
role in funding Farmers Market and is simply funneling the funds. The
extension office provides educational programming during the events.
According to the Department of Agriculture, applicants
must match at least 25 percent of the grant amount.
"Coleen Christy GMAC Real Estate is once again
sponsoring the Farmers Market," Ekey said. "They are a big help with
marketing and advertising the market."
The market is already successful, so the money is not
a bailout. However, the grant was intended to help farmers through tough
economic times.
"It's going very well," Ekey said. "Hopefully this
will expand it even more."
Local produce has a number of advantages, according to
Ekey.
The market gives local producers a chance to keep
their produce close to home.
"In the eyes of producers, they'd rather sell to their
neighbors," Ekey said. "It's an outlet for their products rather than
sending them to who knows where."
Ekey said the average food travels 1,500 miles to
market.
Local produce is "fresher, tastes better," Ekey said,
adding that the producer doesn't have all the additional costs
associated with transporting food long distances.
"It means more money in their pocket," he said. "It's
a dependable source of supplemental income."
Eliminating the shipping is also better for the
environment and the economy.
"When you buy local, the money stays in the local
economy," Ekey said. "For every $20 you spend at the Farmers Market you
put almost $44 in the local economy."
Finally, Farmers Market helps people feel proud of
their community and of supporting local farmers and growers, Ekey said.
Products available at Farmers Market include "anything
from fruits and vegetables, canned goods, baked goods, candy, jams and
jellies, meat products, flowers, honey, and maple syrup."
"There's a wide variety," he said. "A little bit of
everything."
The market will be held on Saturday mornings from July
11 through Oct. 31, at the Midtown Parking Lot/
