The problem

Edmonton is the seat of Metcalfe County and has only two small grocery stores selling fresh produce.   The produce on offer at the grocery’s is often poor in quality, limited variety, and costly.  

The educational program response

The Metcalfe County Farmers Market (MCFM) was started in 2008 by the Metcalfe County Extension Agents for Family and Consumer Sciences and Agriculture Education in response to repeated requests from community members for access to purchasing locally grown produce.  MCFM operates on Extension property, with a paid market manager and volunteer board of directors with FCS/ANR Agents providing training/support, and nutrition education.  The sixteenth annual MCFM producer organizational meeting and chili supper occurred 2/16/2023, with the largest ever recorded participation of 32 potential producers.  Metcalfe County FCS Agent prepared a “local beef” chili supper and provided training on the Home-based processor and microprocessor certification programs, egg sale regulations, the KY Proud FM resource guide, and offered a general Q & A session.  MCFM saw a big administrative win this year, when it received its 501-C-3 status from the Federal Internal Revenue Service.  

The participants/target audience

During the 2023 season, MCFM operated 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. on Fridays from April 12, 2023 – December 22, 2023.  Each 2023 market day hosted an average of 15 participating paid member vendors with 7 selling their own farm grown fresh produce/accepting alternative payments.  

Program impact/participant response/Other partners 

In 2023, MCFM producers realized $68,759.00 in sales, $ 9769.00 of that income from the various alternative payment programs.   MCFM partners with Metcalfe County public schools FRYSC and Barn Lot Theater, to offer “MCFM Kids Coins” youth nutrition program, providing each child under age 18 who comes to the market a $5.00 coin to spend on any whole food, with $1400.00 distributed and spent in 2023.  This current season will see MCFM’s fifteenth year of participation in the WIC and Senior Farmers Market Nutrition voucher programs, with the FCS Extension Agent managing the enrollment, producer trainings, and mandated farm visits for these alternative payment programs resulting in reportable NEP/PSE efforts annually.   Sixteen producer vendors are trained and have been enrolled to provide their own locally grown fresh produce to our community, while accepting alternative payments for the 2024 market season.