Historic Lewes Farmers Marketsociety

THE HLFM IS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION COMMITTED TO NURTURING A VIBRANT LOCAL FOOD SYSTEM IN DELMARVA THAT IS SUSTAINABLE AND SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE. WE BRING TOGETHER OUR COMMUNITY AND FARMERS THAT GROW OUR FOOD. WE BUILD DELIVERY NETWORKS THAT CONNECT LOCAL GROWERS TO THE COMMUNITY THROUGH OUR PRODUCER-ONLY FARMERS MARKETS AND OTHER FOOD ACCESS PROGRAMS. WE FOCUS ON EMPOWERING EMERGING FARMERS AND EDUCATING OUR COMMUNITY ON THE IMPORTANCE OF PRESERVING LOCAL FARMLAND. OUR GOAL IS AN EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM THAT INCREASES HEALTHY FOOD ACCESS, REDUCES FOOD WASTE, AND BENEFITS OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY.

FIRST ACCOMPLISHMENT: FARMERS MARKET: IN 2023, 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.

FARM TO COMMUNITY PROGRAM: IN 2023, THE HISTORIC LEWES FARMERS MARKET WAS CHOSEN AS THE SUSSEX COUNTY PARTNER BY THE DELAWARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE IN THE LOCAL FOOD PURCHASE ASSISTANCE COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT PROGRAM CALLED FARM TO COMMUNITY. AS THE SUSSEX COUNTY PROJECT PARTNER IN THIS TWO-YEAR PILOT PROGRAM, THE HISTORIC LEWES FARMERS MARKET RECEIVES A TOTAL SUBAWARD OF 420,000 TO PROCURE, AGGREGATE, AND DISTRIBUTE PRODUCE, MEAT, EGGS, AND DAIRY FROM DELAWARE SMALL FARMERS AND OTHER LOCAL SOURCES TO FOOD PANTRIES ACROSS SUSSEX COUNTY. SMALL FARMERS IN DELAWARE TYPICALLY HAVE LIMITED CAPITAL AND RESOURCES, LIMITED ACREAGE, CAPACITY, AND PRODUCTION VOLUME TO COMPETE IN MAINSTREAM MARKET OUTLETS, LIMITED MARKETING, AND PROMOTIONAL RESOURCES TO MAINTAIN A CONSISTENT CUSTOMER BASE. MEANWHILE, SMALL FARMERS PRODUCE A WIDE VARIETY OF FRUITS, VEGETABLES, AND OTHER FOOD PRODUCTS EACH HARVEST SEASON THAT THEY SELL AT LOCAL FARMERS MARKETS AND ROADSIDE FARM STANDS. THIS PILOT PROJECT EXPANDS THE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY FOR SMALL SCALE FARMERS TO GAIN ENTRY INTO ADDITIONAL MARKET OUTLETS AND INSTITUTIONS, BY DEVELOPING A COOPERATIVE STRUCTURE FOCUSED ON MARKETING AND PROMOTION; AND INITIATES A PROCUREMENT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FARMERS AND DISTRIBUTION OUTLETS IN NEW CASTLE COUNTY AND SUSSEX COUNTY, SERVING URBAN AND RURAL COMMUNITIES IN THE STATE. IN THIS FARM TO COMMUNITY PROGRAM, THE HLFM IS PRESENTLY MANAGING THE PROCUREMENT, AGGREGATION, AND DISTRIBUTION OF FRESH FOOD FROM LOCAL FARMERS TO SUPPLY FRESH PRODUCE, EGGS, DAIRY, AND MEATS TO 13 SUSSEX COUNTY FOOD PANTRIES, FEEDING OVER 3,000 PEOPLE IN NEED WEEKLY. IN 2023, THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF FOOD DELIVERED TO THOSE IN NEED WAS 210,314. THE PROGRAM CONTINUES INTO 2024.

SECOND ACCOMPLISHMENT: FARMER SCHOLARSHIPS: THE HLFM AWARDED TWO SCHOLARSHIPS TOTALING 950 TO SMALL DELMARVA FARMERS IN 2023, ENABLING THEM TO ATTEND VIRTUAL SUSTAINABLE FARMING CONFERENCES, INCLUDING THE FUTURE HARVEST CASA CONFERENCE AND THE SOUTHEAST FRUIT AND VEGETABLE CONVENTION. 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:-HLFM FOOD ACCESS PROGRAMS SNAP/EBT: 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 AT THE MARKET. 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/EBT 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 PURCHASE PROGRAM: THIS PROGRAM BENEFITS BOTH LOCAL SMALL FAMILY FARMS AND LOW-INCOME LOCAL RESIDENTS. THE MARKET PROVIDES FUNDS TO PAY THE SMALL FARMERS IN THE MARKET TO SUPPLY FRESH LOCAL FOOD WHICH IS 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, AND MEAT, BENEFIT. IN 2023, A TOTAL OF 15,372 OF FRESH LOCAL FOOD WAS DONATED TO THE EPWORTH FOOD PANTRY.