CALVERT COUNTY, Md. – Farmers market season is in full swing! For the next several months, the Calvert County Farmers Market Association and the Town of North Beach will be hosting several farmers markets across the county for people to buy and sell fresh grown or baked foods by local businesses.
From the Calvert Health hospital, to Sneade’s Ace Hardware, Dunkirk District Park, and North Beach, if you live in the area, one of these markets is sure to be conveniently nearby.
To get an exact list of dates and times, you can check out Calvert County’s official website.
“Farmers markets have been around for centuries, if not millennia,” Caroline Trossbach, the Agricultural Development Specialist with the Department of Economic Development at Calvert County Government, told TheBayNet.com. “We are seeing a significant resurgence of farmers markets as a result of recent supply chain concerns, inflation, reducing transportation time and energy with food production, sales and waste, farmers using a variety of agricultural production methods, customers wanting to more accurately know where and how their food is grown or baked, food allergies and sensitivities, building community connections, supporting small businesses, as well as quality and quantity of food available to a growing population.”
Trossbach also went into detail as to why she believes these markets will help boost relationships between local businesses and consumers.
“Selling at a farmers market is beneficial for the growers and bakers by building customer relationships, education on which products are available when and why, receiving direct product feedback, providing a low-barrier entry point to vendors selling products, diverse revenues, and reaching a variety of customers,” Trossbach explained. “Shopping at a farmers market is important by using consumer choice to support family operations, the availability of products with limited processing, freshness and flavor of local products, diversity and quantity of local products offered, competitive pricing, being able to ask specific questions and receive readily available answers regarding food questions.”
According to the United States Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service dollar visualization of 2021, data says the farm share for food production is $0.145 and the marketing share for food production is $0.855. When farmers market their products locally, they have to spend more of their time, energy and finances to do it, but they gain greater financial and community rewards.
“Buying locally is important because it is the foundation of our local economy,” stated Trossbach. “More local jobs are created when customers buy locally. Growers and makers of our food keep a greater percentage of the customer’s dollar when local food and products are purchased.”
If you or someone you know would like to become a vendor for one of the markets, or if you have any general questions, please email Calvert County’s Department of Economic Development at info@choosecalvert.com or call 410-535-4583. You can also submit an application here.
“We are open to suggestions about the farmers markets,” says Trossbach. “We can accept Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program SNAP, Women Infants and Children WIC and Seniors’ Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) funds throughout our farmers market season. With these programs, we can also accept matching grant and donated money through Maryland Market Money (MMM).”
For more info, click here.
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