The Metcalfe County Farmer’s Market was started by Lynn Blankenship and Brandon Bell, Metcalfe County Extension Agents for Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) Education and Agriculture and Natural Resources (ANR) in 2007 at the suggestion of interested community members. Over ten years, we have grown our Farmers Market from a free venue with limited structure, for a few local gardeners to sell some of their extra produce into a thriving, two day per week, April – October Farmers Market.  Continuing development efforts include registering with the Kentucky Proud Farmers Market program, participating in the Senior and WIC Farmer’s Market Nutrition Voucher programs, and getting the infrastructure in place to be able to accept SNAP (nutrition assistance) benefit, debit cards.  The Market has participated in the Kentucky Double Dollars and Farmers Market Manager cost share grant programs though Community Farm Alliance for four years.  

With a well-recognized location, solid base of loyal customers and 21 paid farmer producer members from a four-county area in 2018, the Metcalfe Co. Farmer's Market far outgrew the current infrastructure.  At the close of the  2018 season, reported income was $23, 383, with hours and days of operation: Fridays 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. from April 13 through October 26 and Tuesdays 2:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. from June 5^th – September 25^th.  July and August were very busy months for our 2018 market, with the greatest number of producers present with the greatest variety of products.  During these two months, Friday market sales averaged 8 – 15 producers set up, with over $1000 per day sales and customer attendance was consistently over 120.  The Tuesday afternoon market, which is 4 hours long, had average sales of $200, with 2 – 4 producers participating and an average of 50 customers per day.  Tuesday market for 2019 was changed to 1 - 5 and has had an average of 5 - 8 producers participating with larger customer draw, thus far in the season.

At the March 2019 Ext. District Board meeting, the Metcalfe County Extension District Board approved up to $200,000.00 in matching funds and gave Lynn Blankenship, FCS Extension Agent in Metcalfe Co. permission to move forward with development of a business plan for building a larger farmers market pavilion adjacent to the current pavilion infrastructure, with plans for building - in the current pavilion and creating a certified commercial, community value - added teaching kitchen and to complete the application for the KY Agriculture Development Farmers Market Development Grant matching funds.  Brandon Bell, Metcalfe County ANR Extension agent brought the completed business plan and grant application to the Metcalfe County Ag Development board meeting in April asking for $ 10,000.00 in County Ag Development grant matching funds, which was approved.  The application for the remaining $190,000.00 grant matching funds was presented to the State Ag Development Board at their April white committee review meeting, at which it was approved and then presented for final approval at the June 2019 full board meeting of the State Ag Development Board, at which it was unanimously approved for the full amount of State funds requested.  Construction for this Farmers Market expansion project is expected to begin in September/October 2019.