North Union Farmers Market

THE PROJECT WILL SUPPORT NORTHEAST OHIO'S FARMERS STRENGTHEN THEIR BUSINESS PLANNING AND MARKETING SKILLS TO MORE EFFECTIVELY SUSTAIN AND GROW THEIR SMALL FARM BUSINESSES. FROM UNPRECEDENTED FLOODING IN 2019, TO AN IRREGULARLY DRY 2020 - THE 125 SMALL FARMERS IN THE NORTH UNION FARMERS MARKET (NORTH UNION) NETWORK REPORT A GROWING NEED FOR MORE ACCESS TO TAILORED TECHNICAL SKILLS TRAINING AND CAPACITY BUILDING OPPORTUNITIES TO ENSURE A STABLE INCOME AND ALLOW THEM TO PLAN FOR THE FUTURE OF THEIR FARMS. THIS PROJECT WILL RESULT IN A FARMER TECHNICAL TRAINING PROGRAM - TIME TO GROW - THAT WILL BE FREE AND OPEN TO OHIO FARMERS FROM ACROSS THE REGION. BRINGING TOGETHER A RANGE OF SUBJECT-MATTER EXPERTS - BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SPECIALISTS, MARKETING EXPERTS, AND ENTREPRENEURIAL OHIO FARMERS - FARMERS WILL DEEPEN THEIR TECHNICAL SKILLS, CONFIDENCE, AND CAPACITY TO BETTER MARKET THEIR PRODUCTS AND STABILIZE THEIR BUSINESSES WHICH BY EXTENSION, WILL RESULT IN A MORE SECURE AG ECONOMY. AS OHIO'S LARGEST CERTIFIED-PRODUCER ONLY FARMER MARKETS, WE KNOW THAT RELIABLE INCOME IS KEY TO FARMER INNOVATION. TO ENSURE FARMERS HAVE THE ECONOMIC SAFETY NET TO EXPERIMENT WITH NEW AG TECHNIQUES AND SKILLS, WE WILL LAUNCH PROMOTIONAL ACTIVITIES AT THREE OF OUR MARKETS IN THE CITY OF CLEVELAND TO ATTRACT NEW CUSTOMERS AND DRIVE DEMAND FOR LOCALLY GROWN FOOD. AT EVERY STAGE OF THE PLANNING PROCESS - OUR NEW COMMUNITY OUTREACH MANAGER WILL DIRECTLY ENGAGE NORTH UNION FARMERS AND CUSTOMERS TO ENSURE RELEVANT AND ENGAGING PROGRAMMATIC OFFERINGS. TO WIDEN THE PROGRAM'S REACH, ALL TIME TO GROW WORKSHOPS WILL BE RECORDED AND SHARED ON YOUTUBE ALONG WITH ACCOMPANYING RESOURCES.

NORTH UNION FARMERS MARKET WILL COLLABOR