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required on the farmer’s part to participate.
When all is said and done, the market is a day-long commitment, taking time away from production and other work on the farm. Farmers must come early to the market, prepared with a tent, change for customers, and all of the produce they hope to sell. Whatever they don’t sell is loaded up and taken home, a scenario that farmers can avoid by selling via the Web site.
CSAs require tons of marketing on the part of the farmer and off-farm sales mean that producers must be on hand to greet prospective customers when they arrive.
Selling wholesale to largescale retailers, like grocery stores and restaurants, is another option, but it has it’s share of challenges as well. Making the sale takes a certain amount of savvy and growers typically make only about half of the retail price.
Child and W’illiamson hope to one day be able to connect even large-scale buyers with local farmers through the Web site.
For now, though, they are focused on getting the site up and running and then working out the inevitable kinks.
They credit area Extension agents will tremendous amounts of support and assistance.
In fact, they said, Fauquier County Extension Agent Tim Mize, who knew both women through their local food efforts, played match-maker to bring the farmer girls together initially.
“They’ve been just wonderful. Tim Mize, Matt Benson, Kenner Love, Corey Childs - they’ve been very supportive,” Williamson said
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