PRESS RELEASE
Millbrook, Ontario, May 11, 2018
New Peterborough Farmers’ Market starting in June.
Local Farmers including Erin and Sam McLean (McLean Berry Farm), Andrew Flaman and Julie Fleming (Circle Organic) and Astrid Manske (OtonaBEE Apiary) with the Peterborough Regional Farmers Network (PRFN) formally announce plans for a new Peterborough Farmers’ Market. The Farmers’ Market will open in June.
Erin McLean, from McLean Berry Farm, states “we have received overwhelming support from the community and we have multiple offers of locations for the new Farmers’ Market. People are passionate about supporting local farmers.”
Julie Fleming, from Circle Organic, adds “our social media feeds are full of positive messages and the new Farmers’ Market will become a vibrant community asset.”
PRFN will lead the citizen engagement of the new Farmers’ Market. PRFN has already learned that a Farmers’ Market is more than local farmers. It is a community asset that we all own.
The PRFN will be the not-for-profit organization leading the development of the market. The PRFN board has created best practice governance models to support the Farmers’ Market. Neil Hannam, PRFN board president states, “PRFN is looking for people to join various committees to create the new Peterborough Farmers’ Market – community members and local farmers will join together to run the day-to-day operations of the market, and plan for the future.”
People interested in joining the board or committees should visit the PRFN website and prepare their resume and cover letters for application.
The PRFN has already established the best practice for food source labelling and the community is familiar with the PRFN Verified Farmer banners. The new market will use the same 3rd party verification program started by the PRFN. Peter Hughes, PRFN board member, states “the community can come to the new Farmers’ Market and not wonder where the food came from, instead they can shop with confidence and enjoy all the community benefits of a real local farmers’ market.”
The new Farmers’ Market will continue to have prepared food vendors, artists, musicians and other vendors valued by the local community. The new Farmers’ Market will continually update our public list of 3rd party verified local farmers to ensure that we maintain at least 51% local farmers and regularly update government bodies, including the health unit.
The PRFN has received many offers to host the new market to date and the community is welcome to suggest other locations through the PRFN website. PRFN will be making more announcements in the next week in support of the new Farmers’ Market.
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Media contacts:
Neil Hannam, Board President, PRFN
705-761-0087 or hannamneil1@gmail.com
Julie Fleming, Circle Organic Community Farm
705-932-9888