Serving the counties of Halifax and Mecklenburg, Virginia
|
Home •
News •
Sports •
Classifieds •
Community •
Health •
Entertainment •
Obituaries •
Opinions •
Weather
|
News Two crashes in Virgilina investigated09/02/10 - 6:47 am
First Lady visits VIR for a taste of life in the fast lane09/02/10 - 6:47 am
Virginia’s first lady came to Virginia International Raceway to run in some very fast company Monday afternoon.
ROCHICHI reunion stirs fond memories09/01/10 - 7:52 am
Former campers and their counselors who packed memories of outdoor fun and misadventure into their duffle bags each summer at Rochichi Point during the ‘70s unpacked and relived those memories…
Sports Comets look to rebound09/01/10 - 3:03 pm
Comet officials said yesterday the varsity football game with North Stafford remains on schedule for Friday night.
Community
Opinion A&E
- More A&E
|
News Banner year for farmers markets
SoVaNow.com / December 31, 2009
Local farmers markets experienced a banner year in 2009 as the South Boston operation surpassed previous sales records and the Halifax market got off to a solid start.The South Boston Farmers Market sold 12,790 pounds of fresh vegetables, including almost 7,000 pounds of tomatoes. The list of fresh goods sold in South Boston market includes the following: n 1,237 pounds of squash n 1,123 pounds of green beans n 1,144 cantaloupes n 1,001 pounds of cucumbers Other sale volumes: 613 pounds of butter beans, 395 pounds of peppers, 332 pounds of new potatoes, 120 pounds of regular potatoes, 238 pounds of peaches, 104 pounds of zucchini, 363 watermelons and 604 dozen ears of corn. More than just vegetables and fruits moved at the farmers market. Also selling during the season were 1,219 baked goods, 25 handmade crafts, 10 bunches of cut flowers 26 dozen fresh eggs, 24 bunches of herbs, nine jars of pickles, 21 jars of jams, six jars of relish, seven canned goods and 20 drinks. “The Halifax Farmers Market Association had a very successful year, thanks to the direction of Ray Satterfield, the current president/manager as well as the very strong support from Destination Downtown South Boston and the Town of South Boston’s Director of Community Development, Tamyra Vest and Linda Wallace, the Halifax County Ag Director,” stated Bill McCaleb of the Virginia Cooperative Extension office. McCaleb also praised Halifax Town Manager Carl Espy for leading the effort to open the Halifax Farmers Market for the first time this year. McCaleb said Halifax County received a $10,000 grant from the UDSA that paid for a program to educate vendors on the best way to sell their goods at market; the grant also was used to cover advertising costs. The bulk of the money, he said, was spent to purchase a large commercial refrigerator at the South Boston site, which allowed vendors to keep products such as eggs, cheese and strawberries fresh and ready for sale. Officials will apply again for the grant in coming years as the farmers markets continue to grow, fueled by rising interest in locally-grown foods. McCaleb also pointed to the support that the market received from Stan Duffer with the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. VDACS was instrumental in securing $12,000 for senior citizen food purchases from the Farmers Market Senior Nutrition Program, administered through the Virginia Agency on Aging. The money was used to furnish senior citizens with coupons they could use at the markets. The local operation had one of the highest redemption rates in the state, with 90 percent of the coupons — worth $10,800 — turned in by customers. “These coupons,” McCaleb said, “were valid only in July, August, September and October. But that gave seniors the opportunity to use them to purchase turnip greens and mustard greens throughout the fall.” The coupons can be used at any established market site in the state that has applied for participation in the program, McCaleb said. McCaleb also said much of the success of the markets can be attributed to the volunteer help provided by local Master Gardeners who helped out every weekend during the 2009 growing season. Additional help in providing education during the 2010 market season will be offered through the assistance of FNP Ann Carter-Carrington and the Master Food Volunteers, McCaleb said. Tell-a-Friend | Submit a Comment Halifax News
Mecklenburg News
|
Advertising FlyerFind out how you can reach more customers by advertising with The News & Record and The Mecklenburg Sun -- in print and online.Classifieds AAA Looking to buy a home? No problem. We can help. Easy quick hassel free. Call 252-492-5017.
For Sale Three Cemetery lots in Oak Hurst Cemetery $400/ per lot. For more information call (434) 374-2841.
TILMAN'S ANNUAL SPRING AUCTION. SATURDAY, MAY 8 ~ 10 A.M. POWHATAN, VIRGINIA. ANTIQUES STONEWARE AMERICANA ACCESSORIES COLLECTIBLES ETC. NO BUYERS PREMIUM & NO RESERVES. http://WWW.TILMANSAUCTION.COM FOR INFORMATION. (VAL #348)
|
