Appalachian Farmers Market Association
– Spring Retreat –
April 12, 2019
** Register by April 5th! **
Join Farmers Market Managers and Vendors from across the region for a full day of relationship building and brainstorming Farmers Market best practices at the first Appalachian Farmers Market Association Retreat.
When: April 12, 8am-4pm
Where: Kingsport Renaissance Center
1200 E Center St.
Kingsport, TN 37660
We have an all star line up of our regions top Farmers Market specialists to guide us through region specific marketing techniques, market food safety regulations, utilizing EBT at market and more. Cost of the event is $15 and includes a catered lunch from Serenity Knoll Farm.
Speaker Line Up:
Molly Nicholie – Local Food Campaign Program Director from Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP) out of Asheville, NC will be bringing us two workshops aimed at building direct marketing strategies and improving sales at farmers markets.
Direct Marketing Strategies: Connecting with Your Customer Base- Whether you are a new operation trying to be noticed or looking to expand your existing customer base, targeting your marketing will make better use of your time and money. Join us in this workshop to learn more about marketing strategies and connecting with your consumer demand.
Sell More! Improving Sales at Your Farmers Market How can you improve your sales at market? This workshop will share best practices for selling at farmers markets and offer practical tips, recommendations, and resources for increasing sales. Content will focus on three key elements of sales: presentation, information, and invitation.
Mike Brown – Outreach Coordinator for the TN Department of Agriculture’s Consumer & Industrial Services
TN Focus -Regulatory Road Map for TN Food Manufacturers: Mike Brown is Tennessee’s leading expert on Farmers Market food and manufacturer regulations. This presentation will offer an overview of 2019 TN food manufacturer regulations and state compliance for TN Farmers Markets. If you have food regulation questions, this is the perfect opportunity to ask the expert! You’ll also be provided with the 2019 TN Farmers Markets State Compliance Guide.
Kim Hutchinson – Executive Director of the Virginia Farmers Market Association
VA Focus – VA Farmers Market Manager Certification Program Overview: Known for her expertise in strategic planning and capacity building, Kim will provide Virginia participants with an overview of the Virginia Market Manager Certification Program. This session will also offer insight into the VA Farmers Market Association and the good works happening across the state.
Erin Fitz – Agroforestry AmeriCorps VISTA with Appalachian Sustainable Development
Growing and Marketing Medicinal Herbs: With an emphasis on sustainable agroforestry, this presentation will offer an overview of forest grown products, marketing opportunities for fresh and value-added herbs, and regulations for herbal value-added products.
Charlotte Tolley – Executive Director of Nourish Knoxville and Regional Director of the TN Association of Farmers Markets
Growing Nourish Knoxville: Knoxville Tennessee’s Market Square Farmers Market grew to be one of the nations top producer-only farmers market under the guidance of then Market Manager, Charlotte Tolley. Tolley went on to be a founding member of Nourish Knoxville, a 501(c)(3) organization “cultivating healthy communities by supporting relationships between local farmers, producers, and the public.” This presentation will offer an organizational overview of Nourish Knoxville highlighting their philosophy of “floating all the boats.
Sharon Rice of VA Cooperative Extension – Virginia Cooperative Extension Agent and Feeding America Southwest VA Coordinator
EBT Use at Farmers Market: Drawing on her expertise in health education in both VA and TN, Sharon Rice will be presenting on SNAP/EBT programs at Farmers Markets. This will presentation will give participants a more in depth understanding on how these programs work and benefit local economies by supporting agriculture.
**Appalachian Farmers Market Association Members, this will take the place of our regularly scheduled April meeting.
This event is brought to you in collaboration with the Appalachian Farmers Market Association, the Appalachian RC&D Council, and Appalachian Sustainable Development, supported by the USDA, TN Dept. of Ag., and VA Cooperative Extension.
If you have questions please contact event coordinator Rachel Wheeler: rachel@arcd.org
-OR- You can call our office: Appalachian RC&D Council (423) 979-2581