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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - February 7,1999
CONTACT: Marie Brayman - Washington State Farmers Market Association -
425-710-2064 mariebr@earthlink.net
Mark Musick - Pike Place Market - 206-682-7453 - ext. 233 -
musick@pikeplacemarket.org
The Washington State Farmers Market Association (WSFMA), Pike Place Market, King County WSU Cooperative Extension and the King County Agricultural Commission are proud to host their annual, "How to Grow Your Farmers Market Business" Conference. Various workshops, roundtables and speakers will address the issues, concerns and the vision for the future of small scale agriculture and community-based farmers markets in our area.
Conference time and date are as follows:
March 1, 1999, 8:30 a.m.- 5 p.m.
March 2, 1999, 8:30 a.m.- 5 p.m.
The Conference opens at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, March 1, downstairs in the Market Theater, with "2001: A Market Odyssey", a keynote address by Vance Corum, a specialist in farmers' market development and project management. He will discuss the future of small farms and markets as we enter the new millennium. Corum has collaborated on many markets including Davis, El Cerrito and Napa, California as well as Portland, Hillsboro and Beaverton, Oregon. Workshops will follow and include: Starting a Farmers Market, Greenhouse Growing, Flower Marketing and Managing Chaos - a look at communication between market managers and vendors. Other Monday workshops include: Growing Storage Crops & On-Farm Storage, Marketing Trends, Farmers Markets - Promotions and Special Events, Pest and Weed Management and Marketing Meat, Seafood, Poultry and Eggs. In addition, The WSFMA, with 60 member markets, will hold its Annual Meeting, on Monday, in a "brown-bag" lunch format from 12:30 - 1:30 p.m upstairs from the Market in The Meeting Place.
On Tuesday, Larry Shook, a Spokane-based journalist and editor of, "Awakening: The Upside of Y2K" will open the Conference with a presentation titled, "Farmers Meet the Millennium". Shook is a twenty-five year veteran of journalism and investigative reporting, whose long-time interest is sustainable agriculture. He will address the positive steps that communities and individuals can take to minimize adverse impacts on issues like food security. Workshops that follow will cover the Nuts & Bolts of Market Management, Extending the Growing Season-Winter Gardening, Customer Service, New Crops & Markets, Seed Production & Saving, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) and the popular Market Manager's Roundtables.
Last year's Display & Merchandising Demonstrations by Larry Roberts of City Greens Produce, were such a hit, that he has been asked to return. The demonstration will take place in the afternoon in the Main Arcade at Pike Place Market.
The Conference is open to the public. Advance registration is $40 per person for both days or $50 at the door. The deadline for advance registration is February 22. For more information and to receive a registration form, please call the WSFMA voicemail at 425-710-2064 or the Pike Place Market at 206-682-7453.
Copyright © Washington State Department of Ecology. See http://www.ecy.wa.gov/copyright.html.
