OXCM, Partners Host Inaugural Farmers Market Field Trip Workshop

The Oxford Community Market joins farmers’ markets from across Mississippi and the country in celebrating National Farmers Week 2022 Aug. 7-13, 2022.

This week presents a great opportunity to celebrate farmers’ markets and their contribution to the communities that they serve.

As part of National Farmers Week activities, the Oxford Community Market will host a fun field trip to the Oxford Community Market along with a best practices workshop for current and prospective farmers’ markets professionals on Aug. 9 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The event will start with networking and workshop activities at the Lafayette County Oxford Public Library. Participants will then take a “field trip” to visit the Oxford Community Market, which is located near the library at the Old Armory Pavilion where it has operated since 2015 and serves farmers and local food enthusiasts every Tuesday year-round from 3-6:30 p.m.

This workshop and field trip are specifically designed for current and prospective market managers, staff, volunteers, and board members to learn and develop strategies for managing a farmers’ market and building up local food systems to better serve farmers, ranchers, cottage food producers, and the community. This event will also provide opportunities for farmers’ market professionals to network and learn from each other’s successes.

“We are excited about hosting other farmers’ markets professionals in Oxford during National Farmers Week. It is important for us [farmers markets professionals] to work together and share ideas and strategies to improve the footprint of farmers’ markets in our communities,’” said Betsy Chapman, Oxford Community Market director.

“The more markets in Mississippi, the better our communities,” said Chapman, who has been involved in local food systems work for over a decade.

Purvie Green of the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce said farmers’ markets play an important role in a community’s food system.

“We have seen an increase in the number of farmers’ markets in our state, and we at MDAC strive to provide development opportunities and support to the markets in our state,” said Green, who serves as MDAC’s Farmers Market Nutrition Voucher Program Coordinator.

This event is made possible through a partnership with the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce, Mississippi State University Extension and Aim for Change.

The event is free and lunch will be provided by north-Mississippi-based farmers, chefs, and educators Halima Salazar and Dria Price of Gimbia’s Kitchen and Justevia Teas, who are anchor vendors at Oxford Community Market. Salazar, a native of Nigeria, specializes in traditional cuisine of her home country and connects it to the foodways of the American south, making her meals both an educational and culinary experience.

Current or prospective farmers’ market professionals interested in attending can register online here.

The deadline to register for the program is Aug. 1.

For more information, contact the Oxford Community Market at 662-816-7413 or oxcmkt@gmail.com.

Staff report