Author: Amy Aldenderfer
Planning Unit: Hardin County CES
Major Program: Farmer's Markets
Plan of Work: Accessing Nutritious Foods and Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices
Outcome: Intermediate Outcome
The seven-year collaboration continues between the Hardin County Farmers’ Market, the Hardin County Cooperative Extension Service and the Lincoln Trail Area Master Gardeners.
The Master Gardeners provide samples, recipes and information to the shoppers at the Hardin County Farmer’s Market once a month through the growing/selling season. The Master Gardeners prepare two recipes from the Kentucky Proud Plate It Up! Series. Then, pass out samples to the patrons of the Market, encouraging vegetable and fruit purchases. With each successive month, the participation has doubled!
The patrons can then fill out a survey to receive a small incentive.
To date the market has doubled the number of shoppers as well as increased their sales 29%. This may be attributed to the Master Gardeners utilizing social media to advertise their presence at the market on the third Saturdays. Participants purchase the ingredients from the recipes that are sampled so that most days the vendors sell out of the items in the recipes.
Most tasters (about 81%) show an interest in eating more fruits and vegetables.
Master Gardeners have donated 351 hours to this project. This includes sample preparation, GAP training (now PBPT training), training for Sampling Certificate, and talking to everyone at the Farmer's Market about the recipes they prepared.
Grow-A-Patch is initiated to teach and support groups and churches to grow veggies and donate the pr... Read More
Hardin County has almost 40,000 households with over 105,000 residents. Extension Master Gardeners e... Read More
Summary: Kentucky has a population of about 4,454,000 citizens according to the United States Census... Read More
Obesity continues to be an issue across the United States. According to the State of Obesity organiz... Read More
This is the second full year for the Hickman County Farmers Market to be open to the public. To cele... Read More
The Mercer County Horticulture program has offered a new exciting program aimed at the back yard gar... Read More