Abstract:
Many farmers' markets rely heavily on volunteers. This is and will continue to be no exception for the Kingfield Farmers' Market as it moves from a neighborhood organization supported event to a volunteer run operation. The Kingfield Farmers Market committee is working through it's organizational structure, such as finding a fiscal agent and becoming a non-profit organization. This report does not cover the details of becoming a non-profit organization. It will, however, describe considerations for a volunteer managed farmers' market and other markets that have had volunteer beginnings. Simply put, the Kingfield Farmers Market has great potential to be an excellent host for community events and connections by providing a strong, diverse and well managed farmers market focused on the quality of relationships with vendors, supporting businesses and individuals. To decrease the likelihood of burnout and fatigue, the market needs can manage the market as a volunteer run operation so long as additional events and sidelines efforts are minimized. Finding partners to run events are likely the most viable option for the market at this time.

Quick Facts:

• Author: Heidi Eschenbacher
  
• Published: December 2008, CURA, Univ of Minnesota
• Intended audience: Kingfield Neighborhood Association (Kingfield Farmers Market), organizers of / those interested in starting a farmers' market
  
• Goals / purpose: To make recommendations for the longevity of a volunteer-run farmers market.
  
• Methods - How would someone know they could trust this?
• Outlines a variety of considerations for running an effective farmers market, based on research and interviews with Twin Cities farmers market vendors, patrons, and managers.
• From 1 (not very well)–4 (very well), how well does this source of food knowledge:
• Engage an adequate range of perspectives and types of knowledge? (2)
  
• Translate between diverse perspectives? (1)
  
• Address conflicts across perspectives? (1)
  
• Generate useful information for those affected by the issues addressed? (4)
  
• Include an adequate range of relevant stakeholders throughout the knowledge-creation process? (2)
  
• Help users of this knowledge source learn from each other? (3)
  
• Allow users of this knowledge source to put what they learn into action? (4)
  
• Consider the larger context as necessary? (2)
  
• What is useful, meaningful, surprising, or a problem? Questions?
• Discusses programs such as WIC and EBT at a farmers market
• Appendices with market hours, months, and locations; grants; resources; and a check-list for running an effective market.
• Not a cross-prespectives report, but extremely practical & action-oriented information for a farmers market coordinator.

• What do you think could or should be done with this source of knowledge?
• What has already been done?
• How should we keep track of what this knowledge does as it circulates in the world?
• What connections would you like to see made to other information / people / organizations?

See http://www.cura.umn.edu/publications/catalog/npcr-1300 for this and other resources from CURA.

(ID# 1006)

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