Local families have demonstrated with their wallets their desire to purchase food for their tables directly from the farmers that raised the product.  Farmers are positioning themselves to take advantage of that desire by offering a larger number of products.  Consumers are struggling to achieve their purchases because of the farmers lack the ability to properly market their products.

The Grant County Farm Bureau Federation and the Grant County Extension Service partnered together to educate our friends and neighbors about the negatives and the opposition that the industry is currently facing.  A local farm has developed and delivered a wonderful agritourism presentation that explains the backgrounds behind organizations that make up the opposition to the industry.    

The Farm & Family Field Day was planned as a collaborative event to bring farmers and their neighbors to the same table to enjoy some good food and learn a little more about life on the farm.  This event was focused on various aspects of animal agriculture with an emphasis on beef and dairy.  Further focus was on pumpkin, grain and tobacco production.  The audience was treated to a hay ride that had stops at areas on the farm to backdrop the area of emphasis.  

88 Grant County Farmers and their non-farm neighbors gathered at Country Pumpkins in Dry Ridge.     

Participants were treated to presentations on the economics of proper hay storage and direct to consumer livestock production and marketing techniques

Individuals were polled following the event.  Most everyone was satisfied with the overall arrangement of the event.  25% of the attendees indicated that they had a better understanding of purchasing food directly from the farm that produced it.   53% of the respondents reported that they plan to purchase food directly from a local farm family.  30% of the respondents indicated that they had already made local food purchases from a farm either through a CSA or directly working with the farm.