GREENSBORO FARMERS CURB MARKET CELEBRATES FARMERS MARKETS’ RESILIENCY FOR NATIONAL FARMERS MARKET WEEK 2021 BEGINNING JULY 31, 2021
Greensboro, NC- Greensboro Farmers Curb Market kicks off festivities for National Farmers Market Week with a Summer Celebration on Saturday, July 31 st and wraps up the week with the annual Peach Pancake & Celebration Day on August 7th, 2021.
The Curb Market joins markets across the country in celebrating National Farmers Market Week. The celebration will begin with a Summer Celebration on July 31st, 2021 from 7:30- 11:30am with free prizes, games, raffles, and live music on the Lindsay Lawn by Randy Condor Williams from 8:30-11:00am. The celebration will continue with free raffle entries and tastings at the Wednesday Mid-Week Market on August 4 th from 8a-11am. The week-long festivities will conclude with Peach Pancake & Celebration Day on August 7th, 2021 from 8:00-11:00am, also featuring live music from Jack Gorham from 8:30-11:00am on the Lindsay Lawn, games, and other activities.
In the midst of a global pandemic, farmers markets — like all other small businesses — have innovated to continue supporting the farmers and communities that depend on them. Market managers and leadership have been at the forefront of adapting rapid solutions to protect staff, customers, and community. When conventional food supply chains failed at the start of the pandemic, farmers markets and local food systems made good use of short supply chains as interest in local foods spiked nationwide. Now, farmers markets are continuing to adapt this community treasure by bringing people together and building resilience in our community alongside farmers and crafters.
National Farmers Market Week is an annual celebration of farmers markets coordinated by the Farmers Market Coalition, a membership-based nonprofit organization that supports farmers markets nationwide through training, technical assistance, and network-building. This year, the campaign is centered around the essential role that farmers markets play in our local food systems and in developing local resilience in communities as hubs for connection.
“In the last year, farmers market operators have gone to herculean lengths to keep their markets open and to protect their communities,” said Ben Feldman, Farmers Market Coalition Executive Director. “Throughout National Farmers Market Week 2021, we will be highlighting the vital work of farmers market operators across the nation that provide a space for communities to come together around shared values and work together to change our food system.”
The Curb Market Response to the Meet the Challenges of the COVID Pandemic
The Greensboro Farmers Curb Market was founded in 1874 and has been operated by the 501 c-3 community non-profit, Greensboro Farmers Market, Inc. since 2012 on behalf of the City of Greensboro. The Curb Market currently is comprised of 95 vendors who are farmers, ranchers, growers, bakers, and makers with 75% of the Market’s annual tables designated to farmers. Shoppers buy producer-direct seasonal produce like corn, tomatoes and melons in the summer and more locally grown items including CBD hemp products, with vendors raising pastured raised meats and offering artisanal prepared foods from probiotic rich ferments to fruit preserves and even a knife sharpening service. During the last 15 months, the Market implemented creative approaches including helping facilitate the reactivation of temporary road stands, drive-through model, curbside pick-up and pre-order functionality, and expanding outdoor market space.
Executive Director, Lee Mortensen notes, “We operate a traditional indoor and large market model. As Greensboro’s largest all-local and original farmers market, our vendors, customers and staff were so rooted in our longstanding model. We’ve been here at the historic armory building since 1963. The pandemic was disruptive to our well honed operations as we pivoted from being a favorite social gathering place to an essential marketplace. It’s been no picnic for any of the frontline essential workforce, and our small crew of dedicated and passionate staff showed up every day to implement the creative and multiple changes required of us to stay open for our vendors and customers.” Historically, the Market served as an outing for community members and gathering place before the pandemic; 5,000 to 7,000 customers visited the Market on many Saturday mornings. “From an offsite drive-thru to curbside pick-up and outdoor market, the Market evolved as needed while maintaining safety and delivering our connections between farmers and our customers. Not only have we survived, but our customer counts are increasing weekly by 15% this Summer, and we are so thankful to see everyone’s smiling faces once again” added Mortensen.
The Greensboro Farmers Curb Market is operated by the community non-profit Greensboro Farmers Market, Inc which coordinates multiple food security programs. These programs include SNAP/EBT, WIC, GCCN Orange Card, Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program, and Farmer Foodshare. The Market is growing its food security outreach every year, with 2021 being the highest distribution of food security support in its history.
The pandemic has had a deep impact on this community and we thank our funders for the Orange Card (GCCN) and the SNAP double up (to $15) that became available to those who are most vulnerable in our community. We offer hunger relief programs twice a week. We’ve partnered with others to provide food pantry boxes. Farmer Foodshare has returned to the Market and has a direct delivery process to the Spartan Open Pantry at UNC- Greensboro.
Greensboro Farmers Market, Inc. connects farmers, food, and friends to foster an equitable, nutritious food system, and support local entrepreneurs in an inviting, inclusive community by being a producer-only farmers market with all products originating 100 miles or less from Greensboro. GFM relies on fundraisers, grants, and community donations to operate the Market, subsidize vendor tables, and coordinate food security programs.
For more information visit: www.gsofarmersmarket.org
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