Farmers’ Market Workshop

In Southeast Missouri

Aufdenberg, D.I.1 1. Donna I. Aufdenberg, Regional Horticulture Specialist, University of Missouri Extension, Marble Hill, MO, 63764, Bollinger County, aufdenbergd@missouri.edu

Abstract

In the past several years, there has been an increase in the number of small vegetable

growers that want to sell produce and value added products at Farmers’ Markets in

Southeast Missouri. There is a great need for educating these growers on vegetable and fruit

production, marketing, selling, and local rules and regulations. The Farmers’ Market

Workshop offered topics to beginner and experienced growers alike covering Health

Department Regulations, Conventional and Biological Insect Control, Educational and Grant

Funding Opportunities, Marketing at Farmers’ Markets, Building the Soil Organically,

Certifying Scales and Growing Specialty Crops in a day long program split into 45 minute

sessions. Participants networked with other growers and extension professionals as well as

gained knowledge of valuable resources. The Farmers’ Market Workshop attracted

participants from a 10 county area with a total of 69 attendees representing 6 area markets.

Participants rated the value of the topics covered in the Farmers’ Market Workshop at 4.66 on

a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being most effective. The overall rating for the workshop was 4.71.

Objectives

• To inform growers on organic or natural ways of building the soil and insect control.

• To educate Vendors and Growers about current grants and funding opportunities.

• To encourage Farmers’ Market Vendors to certify scales with Weights and Measures, a

division of Missouri Department of Agriculture.

• To educate vendors on current food safety Regulation and Consumer Safety.

• To educate vendors on marketing techniques and encourage creativity.

A participant’s booth at the Farmers’ Market in

Farmington, MO selling vegetables.

Impacts

• 69 participants from 10 counties represented 6 local Farmers’ Markets.

• 100% of participants who returned the survey indicated that the Farmers’ Market

Workshop was a worthwhile use of their time.

• Of Farmers’ Market vendors who attended the program, 70% indicated they were likely to

make changes in the next season based on what they learned at the workshop.

• 43% of participants indicated they would make changes in insect control and/or soil

management practices.

• 36% of participants indicated they would be reviewing their business plan and making

changes to their marketing strategies.

• 40% of Farmers’ Market Vendors certified their scales.

Workshop Information

The Farmers’ Market Workshop was conducted on January 31, 2012 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00

p.m. It was held in Fredericktown, Missouri. During the workshop, there were seven topics

that were presented by instructors lasting 45 minutes each. The topics included:

• Certifying Farmers’ Market Scales

• Health department regulations

• Building the Soil Organically

• Educational and Grant Funding Opportunities

• Marketing at Farmers’ Markets

• Conventional and Biological Insect Control

• Growing Specialty Crops

Evaluation of the program was done by surveying participants who attended the workshop.

Forty-seven out of 69 surveys were returned.

Foo

d

Safety

11%

Soil Im

pro

veme

nt

40%

Bu

sine

ss Skills

26%

Marketin

g

23%

Inse

ct Co

ntro

l

36%

Improvements Planned By Participants To Market Operations

Pe

rcen

t of P

articipan

ts*

Areas of Planned Improvement *Some participants indicated more than one area of planned improvement.

Try Spe

cialty C

rop

s

15%

5

10

20

15

25

35

30

40

45

A participant’s booth at the Farmers’ Market in

Marble Hill, MO selling flowers and bedding

plants.

Katie Kammler, Plant Science Specialist with

University of Missouri Extension, teaching about

Specialty Crops during the workshop.