NEWSC o l u m b u s C o u n t y C o m m u n i t y

Farmers MarketRegular Market Hours: Saturdays 8a - 1p | May through DecemberMobile Market at CRHS: Thursdays 3p - 6p | June through October

New

Saturday

Market

Hours

See page 1 for more

informationBuy LocalEAT FRESH

Be Healthy

w w w. c o l u m b u s c o u n t y f a r m e r s m a r k e t . c o m

Meet Our Farmers/Vendors...2-3Youth Ambassadors Program...4

Promoting Good Nutrition & Physical Activity...5Poster Contest Winners...6-7

Cookbook Exchange...8Partner of the Year...9

Eat & Explore North Carolina...1010 Reasons to Buy Local Food...11

Special Events Listing...12

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Columbus Regional Healthcare System is one of the Columbus County Community Farmers Market’s strongest partners in promoting health, wellness and good nutrition. As a result, the hospital will continue to host a remote, mobile farmers market on Thursday afternoons from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. from late May through October.

Welcome to the Columbus County Community Farmers Market

© 2018 Columbus County Community Farmers Market, Inc.

All rights reserved.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Lindy Harold Shuman

President

John Fipps Vice President

Jackie Lewis Secretary

Carol Shuman Treasurer

Barbara Fipps David Lewis

Susie Rockel Market Manager

Kip Godwin Marketing Consultant

132 Government Complex Rd Whiteville, NC 28472

(910) 840-6743 columbuscountyfarmersmarket.com

Kipling Godwin Editor/Publisher

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Visit our Mobile Market at Columbus Regional Healthcare System

This year’s market season will continue to promote physical fitness through the annual Farmers Market 5k Fun Run & Walk. We will also host a number of monthly special events (see page 12) that include free cooking demonstrations, health screenings, local entertainment, recipes and nutritional information, and product sampling.

The remote, mobile farmers market at Columbus Regional Healthcare System on Thursday afternoons during peak season will provide additional access to local farm products to hospital employees and the general public (see article below).

Our cookbook exchange is a great way for “cookbook lovers” to “give a book and get a book.” (see page 8 for details.)

The Columbus County Community Farmers Market is a wonderful place for the whole family to experience the farm way of life and benefit from the wholesome nutrition of locally grown, farm fresh fruits and vegetables. Visit the Columbus County Community Farmers Market at 132 Government Complex Road (near the Columbus County Department of Social Services) in Whiteville. Hours of operation are Saturdays from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

The mobile market is open to the public as well as hospital employees and will feature the same locally grown, farm fresh fruits and vegetables available from farmers/vendors at the farmers market on Saturdays.

Gift certificates are available in $5 denominations at the Farmers Market and “The Sunshine Shop,” the hospital gift shop, and may be redeemed at the Farmers Market or at the mobile market.

Columbus Regional Healthcare System is located at 500 Jefferson Street in Whiteville. Look directional signs and banners.

For more than 20 years, the Columbus County Community Farmers Market has brought farmers and artisans together with loyal patrons every week from May to December for some of the finest and freshest locally grown produce, handmade crafts, sweet and savory treats, local honey, eggs, herbs, and more. Patrons gather to wander around the more than a dozen booths, chat with farmers and friends, and fill their baskets with some of the best local food money can buy.

“Community” is more than just part of our name, “community” is a way of life. As a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization, Columbus County Community Farmers Market focuses on promoting healthier lifestyles, better nutrition, and more physical fitness in not only the local food products we offer, but in the programs and special events we sponsor.

This edition of Farmers Market News is filled with information about your community farmers market, the local farmers/vendors, and the fresh fruits, vegetables and other farm products they produce. The recipes featured in this publication utilize many of the fresh farm products available at the market.

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Meet Our Farmers/Vendors Meet Our Farmers/Vendors For many people, one of the highlights of shopping at the local farmers market is the opportunity to buy directly from the growers.

At any given time during the spring and summer growing season, there may be as many as 20 different farmers/vendors at the Columbus County Community Farmers Market. Buying directly from the growers allows customers to ask questions and get answers directly from the source.

Some vendors come for the day when they have something to sell. Others have an annual booth space to sell at the market and they are there most every day the market is open. Listed below are annual vendors who sell at the Columbus County Farmers Market and the mobile

Teresa Lengner — “T’z Beez”

Phone: (910) 653-5336E-mail: tzbeez@gmail.comFacebook: www.facebook.com/TzBeezProducts/Farm is located in the Roseland communityProducts: honey, honey products, handcrafted honey soap, lip balms, body scrubs

John & Barbara Fipps — “Higher Ground Gardens”

Phone: (910) 653-5022E-mail: johnfipps@centurylink.netFacebook: www.facebook.com/Higher-Ground-Gardens-236666586526171Farm is located in the Lebanon communityProducts: beets, carrots, cucumbers, daikon radish, garden peas, fennel, garlic, gourds, green beans, kohlrabi, leafy greens, lettuce, melons, okra, ornamental squash, peppers, potatoes, scallions, squash, sweet corn, sweet onions, tomatoes, winter squash, pickles, honey, jams, jellies, baked goods, and more

L. H. & Carol Shuman — “Shuman Farms”

Phone: (910) 642-3789Farm is located in the New Hope communityProducts: beets, carrots, cucumbers, lettuce, potatoes, peas, peanuts, radish, squash, sweet corn, sweet onions, tomatoes, turnips, watermelons, baked goods, honey, plants, eggs

Jackie Lewis — “Jackie Lewis Photography”

Phone: (703) 623-7515E-mail: jleec27@aol.comFacebook: www.facebook.com/JackieLewisPhotographyProducts: photography, photo tiles, coasters and other photo products

Ruth King — “Nuthouse Farms”

Phone: (910) 212-7601E-mail: nuthousefarms@yahoo.comFacebook: www.facebook.com/NutHouseFarms/Products: baked goods, jams, jellies, crafts, “cow patties”

market location on a regular basis along with their contact information and the products they have for sale. Regular daily vendors on page 3 are those who are at the regular market location occasionally throughout the market season.

The Produce Availability Chart on page 3 gives a general idea of when certain products should be available.

Please remember, locally grown farm produce is affected by many factors including climate, adverse weather, and pests. Plan to visit the Farmers Market on a weekly basis to check current availability. You may also visit our website at www.columbuscountyfarmersmarket.com to sign-up for our weekly e-newsletter that alerts you to current availability.

Source: North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services • www.ncagr.gov

Produce Availability ChartSusan & Fred Rockel — “Byrdville Farm”

Phone: (252) 588-0300Email: susanphyllis2010@hotmail.comFarm is located in the Byrdville communityProducts: plums, figs, grapes, blueberries, lettuce, beets, tomatoes, okra, greens, pears, cucumbers, cut flowers, cakes, cookies, jams and jellies, pimento cheese, quiche

Regular Daily VendorsMyles and Donna Cartrette Baked goods, crafts

Annie Cole Crocheted craft items

Myra Tyner Godwin The Farm at Huckleberry Bay Plants, herbs, fresh-cut flowers

Lester Jacobs Nature’s Twist Wood carvings

Sue Jenkins Fresh produce

Celia Lynch The Crafty Gardener Plants, crafts, baked goods

Men & Women United for Youth & Families Youth Ambassadors Seasonal fruits and vegetables, plants

Randy & Mary Lynn McGirt McGirt Farm & Homestead Eggs

Nanette Strickland Vinyl expressions

Allison Turbeville Wooden signs

Gary & Terrie Tyree New Hope Organic Seasonal fruits and vegetables, eggs

Evelyn M. Waddell E Etc. Machine embroidered items, crafts

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Promoting Good Nutrition & Physical Activity

Farmers Market Fun Run & Walk

Seniors & WIC Nutrition Programs

Youth Ambassadors Program: Making Youth & Communities Better

The Columbus County Farmers Market participates in two programs that encourage consumption of locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables in an effort to improve nutrition for senior adults as well as low-income women, infants and children.

The Seniors Farmers Market Nutrition Program provides vouchers valued at $3.00 each to senior adults, age 60 and older, who participate in the Columbus County Department of Aging Nutrition Program. Congregate meals (and some home-delivered meals) are provided during the lunch hour at the seven senior centers located Bug Hill, Bolton, Chadbourn, East Columbus, Fair Bluff, Tabor City, and Whiteville.

Seniors who participate in this meal program receive 1/3 of the recommended daily dietary allowance for older adults as well as nutrition education and other services to enhance their independence. For more information, call (910) 640-6602.

The WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program provides vouchers valued at $4.00 each to low income women, infants and children who are already enrolled in

Although some progress has been made over the past few

years, Columbus County continues to be ranked among the least healthy

counties in North Carolina. Many factors influence this low ranking, but some that can definitely be positively impacted are increased physical activity and better nutrition by eating more fresh fruits and vegetables. The Columbus County Community Famers Market partners with many other community partners to help promote better health among Columbus County residents. One way to encourage physical activity is through the annual Farmers Market Fun Run and Walk held each year in mid-May, which includes a ½ mile kid’s run and a certified 5k (3.1 mile) run and walk for adults.

Started in 2010, the annual 5k run and walk attracts hundreds of local residents as well as avid runners from throughout the State of North Carolina and from other states. Recent partnerships with YMCA of Southeastern North Carolina, which helps sponsor more than a dozen elementary and middle school Girls on the Run,

The Youth Ambassadors for a Better Community (YABC) Program, sponsored in Bladen, Brunswick and Columbus counties by the Community Development Corporation called Men & Women United for Youth and Families, helps youth between the ages of 10 and 19 to gain self-confidence and develop valuable life skills in a variety of areas including public speaking, researching, writing, presenting, project planning, organizing, and working in teams.

For the past two years, the Youth Ambassadors have had a vendor space at the Columbus County Community Farmers Market where they sell fresh local produce, that they grow in their community gardens located in small rural towns of Bolton, East Arcadia, and Sandyfield, as well as herbs, flowers and other plants.

“The real life entrepreneurial experience that the youth get from having a booth at the Columbus County Farmers Market is invaluable,” said Randolph Keaton, Executive Director of Men and Women United for Youth and Families, CDC, and coordinator for the Youth Ambassadors. “They learn to interact with customers, answer questions about their products, and how local commerce works,” he added.

YABC was started in 2015, as a mission-based youth leadership group. The goals of the program are to (1) increase garden activity opportunity; (2) increase food stability; (3) bringing communities together; and (4) promoting environmental awareness & social justice.

In addition to growing and selling produce at the Columbus County Community Farmers Market, the Program works to increase locally grown access to foods; encourages leadership and social skills among youth;

increases profitability of community gardens; organizes local workshops, garden tours, field trips and seminars.

For more information, visit www.menandwomenunited.org/youth-ambassadors.html.

the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, popularly known as WIC.

The WIC Program provides supplemental foods, health care referrals and nutrition education at no cost to low-income pregnant, breastfeeding and non-breastfeeding postpartum women, and to infants and children up to 5 years of age, who are found to be at nutritional risk. For more information, call (910) 641-3904.

Farmers must be certified to participate in the program by attending a training seminar. Direct purchases from local farmers helps to increase their share of the food dollar, keeps more of the consumer dollar circulating in the local community, and helps to revitalize rural areas.

Both programs are funded at the federal level through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food & Nutrition Service and are administered at the state level by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services in cooperation with the North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services.

STRIDE, and Heart & Sole teams that participate in the Farmers Market event. Columbus Regional Healthcare System along with other local businesses and community organizations help to sponsor the event.

Rachel Smith, event coordinator, says “This is a fun event for people of all experience levels – from beginner to experienced. The main thing is to get everyone moving more and enjoying the benefits of a healthier lifestyle.”

For more information or to register for the event or see results, visit www.fmrun.com.

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Poster Contest Poster Contest Winners

The Columbus County Community Farmers Market, with funding from Columbus Regional Healthcare System and the Columbus County Arts Council, held the eleventh annual poster contest for students in Kindergarten through 5th grade.

The theme for the 2018 contest was “Know Your Famer, Know Your Food.” Contest participants were encouraged to create a drawing that effectively highlighted the importance of eating locally-grown, fruits and vegetables and other local farm products as well as the getting to know the farmers and gardeners who produce them.

The contest gave public, private and home-schooled students an opportunity to creatively express their understanding of the importance of good nutrition, regular exercise, and healthy lifestyles and how farms, farmers, and the farmers market support and promote better health for the residents of Columbus County.

A panel of independent judges selected the grade winners based on creativity, originality, artistic quality, adherence to theme, use of color, and message communicated. The grade winners then competed with each other for selection of an overall winner.

Each grade winner, listed below, received a framed certificate and a $25 Farmers Market gift certificate.

• Kindergarten — Riley Medford, Whiteville Primary School

• 1st Grade — Xa’Nia Fleming, Whiteville Primary School

• 2nd Grade — Brayden Pridgen, Whiteville Primary School

• 3rd Grade — Jayden Lopez, Edgewood Elementary School

• 5th grade — Charleigh Hewett, Edgewood Elementary School

Edgewood Elementary School Principal Jared Worthington, left, congratulates 4th Grader Carrie Medford as the overall winner in the annual Columbus County Community Farmers Market poster contest. She is pictured with Farmers Market Manager Susie Rockel, second from right, and Art Teacher Christy D. McCall, far right.

Farmers Market poster contest winners (l-r, front row, l-r) Riley Medford, Xa’Nia Fleming, and Brayden Pridgen are congratulated by (back row, l-r) Farmers Market Manager Susie Rockel, Art Teacher Christy D. McCall, and Whiteville Primary School Principal Kimberly Ward.

4th Grade & Overall winner Carrie Medford (right) and 5th Gradewinner Charleigh Hewett, both students at Edgewood ElementarySchool, show off the framed certificates they received as winners ofthe 2018 Farmers Market poster contest. Third grade winner wasEdgewood Elementary School student Jayden Lopez (not pictured).

Kindergarten — Riley Medford Whiteville Primary School

First Grade — Xa’Nia Fleming Whiteville Primary School

Fifth Grade — Charleigh HewettEdgewood Elementary School

Second Grade — Brayden Pridgen Whiteville Primary School

Third Grade — Jayden LopezEdgewood Elementary School

Carrie MedfordEdgewood Elementary SchoolChristy D. McCall, Art Teacher

Fourth Grade &Overall Winner

The 4th Grade and overall winner was Carrie Medford, student at Edgewood Elementary School, received a framed certificate, a $50 farmers market gift certificate, a farmers market t-shirt, and a framed original copy of the 2018 Farmers Market promotional poster which features her drawing. In addition, her art teacher, Christy D. McCall, was awarded a $50 farmers market gift certificate sponsored by the Columbus County Arts Council.

www.columbuscountyfarmersmarket.com 98 www.columbuscountyfarmersmarket.com

In Columbus County, there are a number of farmers and agribusinesses that could be recognized as leaders in the agricultural sector … in fact, there is a room is the Columbus County Agriculture Center designated as the “Hall of Fame” which honors just such a list of worthwhile leaders in our county. Each year, for the past eight years, the Columbus County Community Farmers Market has chosen to honor a community partner who works closely with the Market to promote locally grown, farm fresh fruits & vegetables, healthy eating, good nutrition, physical activity, and overall good health for our citizens.

Previous recipients are: 2008 — Brunswick Electric Membership Corporation 2009 — Columbus County Healthy Carolinians 2010 — Whiteville City Schools 2011 — Columbus County Health Department 2012 — Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) 2013 — Columbus Regional Healthcare System 2014 — Columbus County Department of Aging 2015 — Columbus County Arts Council 2016 — Columbus Regional Healthcare System 2017 — Columbus County Schools

The 2018 recipient is a community partner whose name is synonymous with agriculture in Columbus County. They are the “go to” organization for farmers, gardeners, forester, homemakers, and others who seek

information and support for everything from animal production, commercial horticulture, turf and nursery operations, farm health & safety, field crops, food safety & processing, forestry, health & nutrition, home & family, lawn & garden, pest management, specialty crops, 4-H youth development, and, of course, local foods.

The North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service, Columbus County Center has been a partner with the Columbus County Farmers Market well before the official 1998 incorporation date. In fact, Cooperative Extenion’s work on supporting and developing a local farmers market in Columbus County dates back to the late 1970s or early 1980s. Columbus County Cooperative Extension has been an integral part of our success.

Perfect Together — WIC Program Promotes Fresh Fruits & Vegetables

The Columbus County Health Department is excited to provide WIC clients with special vouchers through the Farmers Market Nutrition Program that can be used at the Columbus County Community Farmers Market each summer.

The purpose of the program is:

1. Provide fresh, nutritious, locally grown fruits and vegetables to WIC participants

2. Provide nutrition education to participants

3. Expand awareness & use farmers markets and increase their sales

For more information, please call (910) 641-3904 or visit the Columbus County Health Department,

302 Jefferson Street, Whiteville, NCwww.nutritionnc.com/nondiscrimination.htm

Cookbook Exchange — “Give a Book – Get a Book” Partner of the Year

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Everyone loves cookbooks and we enjoy sharing delicious, healthy, nutritious, and mostly easy to prepare recipes with family and friends.

In many families, the cookbook is a treasured heirloom possession. But, if you have a cookbook or two that you would like to “swap” for a different version, here is your chance.

The Columbus County Farmers Market has established a free “Cookbook Exchange.”

A mobile library cart contains donated cookbooks, recipe cards, and other food preparation resources. Thumb through them to see which ones are appealing to you and feel free to “borrow” one and try some new, exciting recipes. If you have cookbooks to donate or exchange, please bring them by the Farmers Market during normal hours of operation.

Member of the Columbus County Community Farmers Market Board of Directors Lindy Harold Shuman, President (center); John Fipps, Vice President; Barbara Fipps; Carol Shuman, Treasurer; Jackie Lewis, Secretary; and Dave Lewis present the “Partner of the Year” Award to North Carolina Cooperative Extension staff from the Columbus County Center (left to right) Michael Shuman, Extension Technician; Meleah C. Evers, Extension Agent, Family and Consumer Sciences; and Dalton Dockery, County Extension Director

The Columbus County Community Farmers Market is pleased to be the only farmers market featured in our state’s edition to the Eat & Explore cookbook series, Eat & Explore North Carolina.

Author Christy Campbell compiled the North Carolina edition as a part of the Eat & Explore State Cookbook series which will eventually cover the entire United States. In addition to North Carolina, the series currently includes Arkansas, Illinois, Minnesota, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Virginia.

Campbell, on staff with Great American Publishers, works closely with state tourism agencies, state and local organizations, and local chambers of commerce to produce an “Eat & Explore” cookbook and travel guide that gives the reader a fun and unique way to explore food, culture, events, festivals and exciting destinations throughout each state.

The sample recipes below are just a few examples of

the more than 200 recipes contained in the Eat & Explore North Carolina Cookbook & Travel Guide.

Copies of Eat & Explore North Carolina are available for purchase at the Columbus County Farmers Market for a special price of $15.00 each. Copies are also available at retail shops throughout North Carolina and the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences in Whiteville for the cover price of $18.95 each.

For our patrons not local to the Farmers Market, you may go online to www.columbuscountyfarmersmarket.com to place a mail order (in the continental United States) for $18.95 including shipping.

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10 Reasons to Buy Local Food

HoMeMade BLueBeRRy ICe CReaMThis one is a favorite of the vendors and patrons at Columbus county Community Farmers Market. I make it with fresh blueberries, but you can easily substitute peaches, strawberries, or any other fresh fruit. — Myra Tyner Godwin4 cups fruit1 cup sugar1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk1 (3¾ ounce) package vanilla instant pudding mix1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk4 cups half-and-half Combine fresh fruit and sugar; let stand for 1 hour. Process in food processor until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides. Stir together evaporated milk and pudding mix in a large bowl; stir in fruit puree, condensed milk and half-and-half. Pour mixture into freezer container of a 4-quarter hand-turned or electric freezer; freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions. Spoon into an airtight container and freeze until firm. Makes 2 quarts.

SweeT PoTaTo CaSSeRoLe — Evelyn McNeill Waddell3 cups cooked sweet potatoes Dash of salt1 cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla3 eggs ½ stick butter, melted ½ cup milk Topping:1 cup brown sugar ½ cup butter, softened¼ cup flour ¾ cup chopped pecans

Combine casserole ingredients and beat with mixer until smooth. Place in a 2-quart casserole. Mix topping ingredients together and spread over casserole. Bake uncovered 30 minutes at 350 .̊

CaRaMeL PeCaN FReNCH ToaST1½ cups firmly packed brown sugar¾ cup butter¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons light corn syrup10 to 12 (1¾-inch thick) slices French bread or baguettes2½ cups milk or half-and-half4 eggs, beaten1 tablespoon vanilla1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon3 tablespoons sugar¼ cup melted butter Combine first 3 ingredients in medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. 5 minuts until bubbly. Pour syrup evenly into lightly greased 9x13-inch pan. Sprinkle with pecans. Arrange bread over pecans. Combine milk, eggs, vanilla and salt. Stir well and pour over bread. Cover and chil at least 8 hours. Combine cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle over break. Drizzle with melted butter. Bake uncovered at 350 ̊for 45 to 50 minutes or until golden and bubbly. Serve immediately. Makes 10 servings.

Eat & Explore Cookbook Features Columbus County Farmers MarketLocally grown food tastes better. Food grown in your own community was probably picked within the past day or two. It’s crisp, sweet and loaded with flavor. Produce flown or trucked in from California, Florida, Chile or Holland is, quite understandably, much older. Several studies have shown that the average distance food travels from farm to plate is 1,500 miles. In a week-long (or more) delay from harvest to dinner table, sugars turn to starches, plant cells shrink, and produce loses its vitality.

Local produce is better for you. A recent study showed that fresh produce loses nutrients quickly. Food that is frozen or canned soon after harvest is actually more nutritious than some “fresh” produce that has been on the truck or supermarket shelf for a week. Locally grown food, purchased soon after harvest, retains its nutrients.

Local food preserves genetic diversity. In the modern industrial agricultural system, varieties are chosen for their ability to ripen simultaneously and withstand harvesting equipment; for a tough skin that can survive packing and shipping; and for an ability to have a long shelf life in the store. Only a handful of hybrid varieties of each fruit and vegetable meet those rigorous demands, so there is little genetic diversity in the plants grown. Local farms, in contrast, grow a huge number of varieties to provide a long season of harvest, an array of eye-catching colors, and the best flavors. Many varieties are heirlooms, passed down from generation to generation, because they taste good. These old varieties contain genetic material from hundreds or even thousands of years of human selection; they may someday provide the genes needed to create varieties that will thrive in a changing climate.

Buying local promotes energy conservation. Buying locally grown foods decreases dependence on petroleum, a non-renewable energy source. One-fifth of all petroleum used in the United States is used in agriculture. Remember, the average distance food travels in distribution is 1,500 miles. By buying local, you can conserve the majority of energy used in shipping.

Local food supports local farm families. With fewer than 1 million Americans now claiming farming as their primary occupation, farmers are a vanishing breed. And no wonder - commodity prices are at historic lows, often below the cost of production. The farmer now gets less than 10 cents of the retail food dollar. Local farmers who sell direct to consumers cut out the middleman and get full retail price for their food - which means farm families can afford to stay on the farm, doing the work they love.

Local food builds community. When you buy direct from the farmer, you are re-establishing a time-honored connection between the eater and the grower. Knowing the farmers gives you insight into the seasons, the weather, and the miracle of raising food. In many cases, it gives you access to a farm where your children and grandchildren can go to learn about nature and agriculture. Relationships built on understanding and trust can thrive.

Local food preserves open space. As the value of direct-marketed fruits and vegetables increases, selling farmland for development becomes less likely. You have probably enjoyed driving out into the country and appreciated the lush fields of crops, the meadows full of wildflowers, and the picturesque red barns. That landscape will survive only as long as farms are financially viable. When you buy locally grown food, you are doing something proactive about preserving the agricultural landscape.

Local food keeps your taxes in check. Farms contribute more in taxes than they require in services, whereas suburban development costs more than it generates in taxes, according to several studies. On average, for every $1 in revenue raised by residential development, governments must spend $1.17 on services, thus requiring higher taxes of all taxpayers. For each dollar of revenue raised by farm, forest, or open space, governments spend 0.34 cents on services.

Local food supports a clean environment and benefits wildlife. A well-managed family farm is a place where the resources of fertile soil and clean water are valued. Good stewards of the land grow cover crops to prevent erosion and replace nutrients used by their crops. Cover crops also capture carbon emissions and help combat global warming. According to some estimates, farmers who practice conservation tillage could sequester 12-14% of the carbon emitted by vehicles and industry. In addition, the habitat of a farm — the patchwork of fields, meadows, woods, ponds and buildings — is the perfect environment for many beloved species of wildlife, including bluebirds, killdeer, herons, bats, and rabbits.

Local food is about the future. By supporting local farmers today, you can help ensure that there will be farms in your community tomorrow, and that future generations will have access to nourishing, flavorful, and abundant food. And when you make this choice, you cannot help but raise the consciousness of your friends and family.

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Special Events*

EVENT 2018 DATE 2019 DATESpring Plant Swap & Sale Saturday, April 7 Saturday, April 6Welcome Spring with the annual event. Bring plants, plant books, gardening tools, etc. to swap or sale to other plant enthusiasts! Admission is free!

official opening day Saturday, May 12 Saturday, May 11Ceremony at 10:00 AM; Free Samples & Entertainment, Samples, Recipes & Nutritional Information

Farmers Market 5k Fun Run & walk Saturday, May 19 Saturday, May 18Annual Fitness Event; visit www.fmrun.com for more information and to register.

old Fashioned Farm day Saturday, June 16 Saturday, June 15Celebrate Our Rich Farm and Agricultural Heritage, View Old Farm Equipment, Cooking Demonstrations, Recipes & Nutritional Information

watermelon day Saturday, July 7 Saturday, July 6Free Samples, Recipes & Nutritional Information

Kid’s “Back-to-School” Fun day Saturday, August 18 Saturday, August 17Children’s Games & Activities, Prizes, Free Health Screenings, Refreshments & School Supplies

North Carolina Honey Festival Saturday, September 8 Saturday, September 7Annual festival highlights the significance of bees in our environment, celebrates honey and honey products, encourages bee-friendly practices, and promotes beekeeping. Details at www.nchoneyfestival.com*

Sweet Potato day Saturday, October 13 Saturday, October 12Free Samples, Recipes & Nutritional Information

Collard & Cornbread day Saturday, November 17 Saturday, November 16Enjoy a Taste of a Local Favorite – Homemade Collards & Cornbread; Recipes & Nutritional Information

“Christmas from the Heart” Craft Show & Sale Saturday, December 8 Saturday, December 7Annual Event – Bigger & Better Than Ever – Featuring Local Bakers, Crafters, and Jelly Makers, Free Entertainment, Door Prizes

*All events are subject to change or cancellation without notice. Samples and give away items are available on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last.

Every day at the Columbus County Community Farmers Market is special in that you can find some of the finest and freshest locally grown produce, handmade crafts, sweet and savory treats, local honey, eggs, herbs, and more. Once a month, the Market hosts a “Special Event” to focus on local food products and specialty items. Here is a list of those events dates in 2018 and 2019:

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