The Pikeville Farmer’s Market since its inception has brought more than $300,000 into the local economy and has far outweighed expectations.  A cooperative effort between the City of Pikeville, grant sources, local leaders and Extension, the project itself has been a real accomplishment of teamwork and leadership.

An exciting and somewhat unexpected side effect of the market has been the promotion of Kentucky Proud fruits and vegetables in our community.  In 2018 the Pikeville Farmers Market had 76 farmers participating in the market. We reached 30,257 families for healthy food purchases.  The market is open twice each week, May through November.   A member of the Family and Consumer Sciences staff (agent or assistant) is available at approximately one market per week to offer samples and recipe cards for a Plate It Up Kentucky Proud recipe.   Ninety-eight percent of market visitors report purchasing recipe ingredients featured in PIUKP recipes when sampled at the market that week.  In 2018, that resulted in $121,000 in sales for our farmer’s market vendors and an increase in fruit and vegetable consumption for our market visitors.

“The Plate It Up recipes using zucchini have been so great.  My family thought they only liked it fried, but after we tried the Zippy Zucchini Cakes, they were willing to try other things.  Now they will even eat it raw in salad!” shared one program participant who frequents the market.