Greensboro, NC…501 Yanceyville Street. Greensboro Farmers Market, Inc. the community non-profit that operates the historic Greensboro Farmers Curb Market, is again participating National Farmers Market Week (August 7-13, 2022). Visitors can enjoy free activities, tastings, music and merchandise giveaways along with supporting local farmers, food artisans and talented craft vendors who produce goods within a 100- mile region.
The Greensboro Farmers Curb Market will host special programming at both the Wednesday 8/10 and Saturday markets 8/13:
Wednesday, August 10 8am-12 noon: The Mid- Week Market will feature live music by the touring band Watkins (10 -12 noon), a microgreen tasting bar by Petit Green Giants and sampling by UNCG’s health education group, Recipe for Success. Thrive Coffee will guest vend espresso and coffee drinks. The Mid Week Wednesday Market (open through October 12) features 12 vendors with an array of offerings from tasty artisan baked goods along with the peak of the summer bounty: okra, tomatoes, cantaloupes, corn, watermelon, beans and staples milk and ice cream (by the container or the scoop) from Homeland Dairy, eggs, meats, seafood, honey, floral arrangements, plants and more. Patrons can register to win Market gift tokens and merchandise give aways at the information hub.
Saturday August 13 7:30am-12 noon. The celebration continues at the Curb Market. Patrons can register to win Market gift tokens and merchandise, and sample recipes by Recipes for Success. On the lawn, all can enjoy music by Mark “Buddy Ro” Harrison (9am to 11:30 am), free activities for kids of all ages and the Market team will be sampling fruit smoothies.
Farmers Market Coalition’s (summer campaign is Farmers Markets Don’t Just Happen. Farmers markets are more than just an outlet for fresh produce and friendly farmers, and it takes quite a bit to keep one going!
Why are Farmers Market Essential?
- Preserve America’s rural livelihoods and farmland. Farmers markets provide
one of the only low-barrier entry points for beginning farmers, allowing them to start small, test the market, and grow their businesses. The Curb Market connects rural and urban communities year-round and seasonally on Wednesday from Spring to Fall. - Stimulate local economies. Growers selling locally create 13 full time farm operator jobs per $1 million in revenue earned. Those that do not sell locally create three.
- Increase access to fresh, nutritious food. Several studies have found lower prices for conventional and organic produce at farmers markets than at supermarkets.
- Support healthy communities. Four out of five farmers selling at markets discuss farming practices with their customers, and three in five discuss nutrition and how to prepare food. At the Curb Market, GFM offers free nutritional classes, tastings, and education opportunities and hosts medical services by Cone Health Mobile Unit and vaccine clinics from Guilford County Health Department.
- Promote sustainability. Three out of four farmers selling at farmers markets say they use practices consistent with organic standards.
- Farmers markets don’t just happen. Farmers markets are abundant sources of food, connection, and resilience in our communities across the country, but they don’t just happen on their own! Behind the scenes of every successful farmers market is a dedicated person or team working to make the market thrive. These farmers market operators are experts who need community and financial support to run their markets.
- Farmers markets serve as community hubs. Farmers markets foster direct relationships between community members and farmers which can work to create a more fair and sustainable food system. Farmers markets are a hub for connection and collective action around shared values.
- The culture of farmers markets is changing. The demographic of farmers markets has not always reflected their local communities and some markets have not always created a space where everyone can feel welcome. Together, there are farmers market operators and community organizers paving the way to make farmers markets safe, inviting, and accessible for all. GFM’s management team embraces equity, diversity and inclusion training to ensure the Market is addressing these important issues.
Patrons are invited to stop by the Market Information Hub on Wednesday and Saturday operation hours during National Farmers Market Week to get a free “I Heart Farmers Markets” temporary tattoo. Patrons are invited to photos of the tattoos and tag us at FB: @gsocurbmkt: Instagram: @gsocurbmarket Followers on social media can tag a friend to be entered to win in the celebration give away drawings at the Curb Market too during the National Farmers Market Week.
Connect At the Curb Market
Additional programming information is available on the “events” section at the website GSOFarmersMarket.Org for updates on programs and events.
Greensboro Farmers Market is operated by GFM, Inc., a 501c3 community non-profit which operates the Greensboro Farmers Curb Market on behalf of the City of Greensboro. The organizations mission is to connect farmers, food and friends to foster an equitable, nutritious food system, and support local entrepreneurs in an inviting, inclusive community. GFM is a farmers market with 75% of the tables dedicated to growers and producers with fruit, vegetables, plants, flowers, honey, livestock, eggs,
dairy, grains, seafood and more.
For more information, contact GFM Executive Director Lee Mortensen
GSOFarmersMarket@Gmail.com 336-373-2402
For More Resources see: https://farmersmarketcoalition.org/