My individual project for the summer is to help local farmers markets gain publicity and outreach with the community.
I have been doing surveys in grocery stores and at farmers’ markets in order to find the best way yo market farmers' markets. I plan to do a survey at a farmers’ market and a grocery store in every county. So far, I have completed surveys in 4 grocery stores and 5 farmers’ markets.
I have collected tons of valuable information about how to best market farmers’ markets in this area. However, I was surprise by some of the answers I have received. For example, for one of the survey questions I ask is “If a farmers’ market were to have a special event that you wanted to find more information, where would you look first?”. If someone were to ask me that question, I would say I would look online, either search it on Google or look on Facebook. Most people I asked that question told me the first place they would look is in the newspaper.
I am wrapping up my research by completing the final 3 surveys in the next two weeks. I will also be formally compiling my data in the coming weeks and writing my final paper.
~Sara