"RE-rooting post pandemic displacement: capacity building at cobblestone farmers market" will significantly increase market capacity through a one-time covid-related infusion of funds for market…

The Department of Agriculture Agricultural Marketing Service awarded a $410,647 Project Grant under the Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program to support Cobblestone Farmers Market in increasing its capacity. The three-year award running from September 2021 through September 2024 will fund targeted marketing, vendor recruitment of new and socially disadvantaged farmers, and strategic planning activities. Specifically, a robust marketing campaign aims to re-grow customer awareness and attract new customers to the largest year-round producer-only farmers market in Forsyth County, North Carolina. Funding will also support developing an inviting market activity area for demonstrations and seasonal events. Strategic planning with stakeholders and consultants will result in a post-COVID resilient farmers market model in a permanent location. The Good Stuff will implement project activities focused on increasing customer attendance, expanding the vendor base, and achieving higher annual vendor gross sales through this one-time COVID-related infusion of funds for Cobblestone Farmers Market.

"RE-rooting post pandemic displacement: capacity building at cobblestone farmers market" will significantly increase market capacity through a one-time covid-related infusion of funds for market promotion and long term strategic planning. Founded in 2012,cobblestone is the largest year-round producer-only farmers market in forsyth county, NC with 50 vendors. Due to covid-19 closures in 2020,cobblestone moved mid-season to a temporary location where IT has weathered the impacts of covid- 19 with a destabilizing 30% of its average customer attendance and a resulting imbalance of increased market expenses with reduced revenue from vendor fees. The purpose of the project is to RE-grow customer awareness through a robust marketing campaign and to develop a post-covid resilient farmers market in a permanent location with a comprehensive and inclusive strategic plan. The project goals include targeted advertising to attract new customers, an inviting market activity area for demos and seasonalevents, new vendor recruitment of new and beginning, and socially disadvantaged farmers to build a more inclusive vendor base; and strategic planning with our stakeholders and consultants. The project will result in higher customer awareness and attendance; more vendors, including new and beginning, and socially disadvantaged farmers; higher annual vendor gross sales; and a long term strategic plan.