Historic Lewes Farmers Marketsociety

PROVIDE EDUCATION AND MARKETING FOR FARMERS AND OTHERS TO CREATE LOCAL AND SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEM THAT ARE ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND, ECONOMICALLY VIABLE AND SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE.

FIRST ACCOMPLISHMENT: FARMERS MARKET: IN 2022, THE HLFM (HISTORIC LEWES FARMERS MARKET) CONTINUED TO OPERATE TWO FARMERS MARKETS IN LEWES, ONE EVERY SATURDAY FROM MAY-NOVEMBER AND ONE EVERY WEDNESDAY FROM JUNE-SEPTEMBER. THESE MARKETS PROVIDE AN ACCESSIBLE, FAMILY-FRIENDLY COMMUNITY GATHERING PLACE WHERE CONSUMERS MAY PURCHASE THE FRESHEST LOCAL FOODS AVAILABLE DIRECTLY FROM LOCAL PRODUCERS. CONSUMERS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN DIRECTLY FROM THE FARMER HOW THEIR FOOD IS GROWN/RAISED, AND ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE IN TERMS OF NUTRITIONAL VALUE. THE MARKET ALSO GIVES SMALL, LOCAL FARMERS/PRODUCERS AN OUTLET FOR THEIR PRODUCTS AND AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH EACH OTHER AND WITH THE HLFM MARKET TEAM TO SHARE IDEAS AND LEARN 'BEST PRACTICES' ON ORGANIC AND SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE AND DIRECT MARKETING. THE HLFM ORGANIZES WEEKLY DEMONSTRATIONS PROVIDED BY LOCAL CHEFS, FARMERS, MASTER GARDENERS AND HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS DESIGNED TO EDUCATE CONSUMERS ABOUT HEALTHY LIFESTYLES, COOKING TECHNIQUES AND HEALTHY RECIPES. ALSO, AS PART OF THE MARKET, THE HLFM ORGANIZES A GLEANING PROGRAM WHERE THEY TAKE DONATIONS OF EXTRA PRODUCE FROM VENDORS AT THE END OF EACH MARKET, ORGANIZE THE PRODUCE, AND DONATE IT TO CASA SAN FRANCISCO IN MILTON, DE, A CHARITY WHICH RUNS A SOUP KITCHEN AS PART OF ITS MISSION. THE HLFM IS RECOGNIZED FOR ITS EXPERTISE IN SUPPORTING LOCAL FARMING, SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE, AND FARMERS MARKET MANAGEMENT. IN 2018, HLFM PUBLISHED "CREATING A FARMERS MARKET LIVING LAB: LESSONS LEARNED IN GROWING A FARMERS MARKET", WHICH WAS THE RESULT OF A 2-YEAR STUDY CONDUCTED BY HLFM WITH FUNDING FROM THE USDA. HLFM SHARED THE FINDINGS FROM THIS STUDY WITH FARMERS MARKET ORGANIZATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES, CANADA, AND EUROPE BY PRESENTING AT CONFERENCES AND CONTINUES TO PROVIDE COPIES OF THE FINAL PUBLICATION.

SECOND ACCOMPLISHMENT: FARMER SCHOLARSHIPS: THE HLFM AWARDED FOUR SCHOLARSHIPS TO SMALL DELMARVA FARMERS IN 2022, ENABLING THEM TO ATTEND VIRTUAL SUSTAINABLE FARMING CONFERENCES, INCLUDING THE PENNSYLVANIA ASSOCIATION FOR SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE (PASA) CONFERENCE, THE MID-ATLANTIC FRUIT AND VEGETABLE, AND THE FUTURE HARVEST CASA CONFERENCE. THESE CONFERENCES DRAW FARMERS INTERESTED IN EDUCATION ABOUT SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE PRACTICES FROM A BROAD SECTION OF THE EAST COAST, MID-ATLANTIC, AND THE SOUTH WITH SIMILAR GROWING CONDITIONS TO THE DELMARVA.

THIRD ACCOMPLISHMENT: SNAP/WIC/SFMNP: THE HLFM PROVIDES ACCESS TO HEALTHY LOCAL FOOD FOR LOW- INCOME OR UNDERSERVED LOCAL RESIDENTS BY COORDINATING VENDOR PARTICIPATION IN ACCEPTING SNAP (SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM) EBT, WIC ((WOMEN, INFANTS, AND CHILDREN) COUPONS, AND SFMNP (SENIOR FARMERS MARKET NUTRITION PROGRAM) COUPONS. THE HLFM ALSO PROVIDES MATCHING DOLLARS TO HELP SNAP RECIPIENTS STRETCH THEIR DOLLARS TO PURCHASE LOCAL, FRESH, NUTRITIOUS FOODS. THE HISTORIC LEWES FARMERS MARKET MATCHES UP TO 20 IN TOKENS FOR SNAP/EPT USED AT THE MARKET. THIS 20 MATCH IS FOR EVERY SNAP CUSTOMER, EVERY MARKET. THE HISTORIC LEWES FARMERS MARKET ALSO DOES OUTREACH TO LET SNAP PARTICIPANTS KNOW ABOUT THE HEALTHY FOOD THAT CAN BE PURCHASED WITH THE MATCH AT THE HLFM MARKETS FOOD PANTRY PROGRAM: IN 2022, THE HLFM EXPANDED A UNIQUE PROGRAM THAT BENEFITED BOTH LOCAL SMALL FAMILY FARMS AND LOW-INCOME LOCAL RESIDENTS. THE MARKET PROVIDED FUNDS TO PAY THE SMALL FARMERS IN THE MARKET TO SUPPLY FRESH LOCAL FOOD WHICH WAS DONATED TO A LARGE, LOCAL FOOD PANTRY RUN BY THE EPWORTH UNITED METHODIST CHURCH IN REHOBOTH BEACH, DELAWARE. BOTH THE FARMERS AND THOSE WITHOUT ACCESS TO FRESH LOCAL PRODUCE, DAIRY, MEAT, AND BREAD BENEFITTED.

FOOD PANTRY PROGRAM: IN 2021, THE HLFM STARTED A NEW AND UNIQUE PROGRAM THAT BENEFITED BOTH LOCAL SMALL FAMILY FARMS AND LOW-INCOME LOCAL RESIDENTS. THE MARKET PROVIDED FUNDS TO PAY THE SMALL FARMERS IN THE MARKET TO SUPPLY FRESH LOCAL FOOD WHICH WAS DONATED TO A LARGE, LOCAL FOOD PANTRY RUN BY THE EPWORTH UNITED METHODIST CHURCH IN REHOBOTH BEACH, DELAWARE. BOTH THE FARMERS AND THOSE WITHOUT ACCESS TO FRESH LOCAL PRODUCE, DAIRY, MEAT, AND BREAD BENEFITTED.