This Week at the South Durham Farmers' Market

The South Durham Farmers' Market is Open Saturdays 8 am until Noon in Greenwood Commons 5410 Hwy 55 Durham, NC 2713.

Honey Arrives!
Frequent shoppers at the market, bee enthusiasts, and honey lovers might have noticed a shortage of honey this year at some local farmers' markets. While it's true that there has been a lot of speculation and worry over the decreasing number of honey bees in the country over the past decades, Samantha Gasson at Bull City Farm in Rougemont says the reason for the delay this year isn't so grim. Changes in the weather this year caused flowering plants to bloom later in the spring, and late flowers means late honey. But Gasson and other beekeepers in the Triangle will have been checking their hives this past week or so, and Bull City Farm will have the first of their honey THIS Saturday at SDFM!

Building a Local Food Economy
One of our favorite things about living in Durham is how community-oriented this town is – and those of us who help run SDFM are proud to say that we are working improve our community through increasing access to healthy foods and building a strong local food economy. But, what does ‘building a strong local food economy’ actually mean and why is it important for all of us?

The core principle on what makes a local economy successful is the idea that the more money we invest in our local community, the more money that is contained within it is available to spread throughout the community for new purchases.  The moment that we send money outside of the community, less of that money is reinvested before leaving the community.  But, it's not just this principle that makes shopping at local farmers’ markets such a powerful act.

Economists have told us that money spent at farmers’ markets is also reinvested back into the community at a much faster rate than money spent at local big box groceries, giving that initial investment an amazing amount of additional value.  As an example, at SDFM, we see both the local investment and reinvestment speed at work every Saturday morning. When a vendor sells a shopper a tomato, that money can also be used to buy eggs from another vendor, who then uses that money to buy a loaf of bread.  If that initial tomato cost $1, then, in a matter of hours it generated $3 worth of value in South Durham alone! Continue reading...

We're Hiring!
We have begun searching for someone to take over the part-time Market Manager position.  The ideal candidate would be highly organized, customer service-oriented, and loves working with a diverse group of people.  If you or someone you know is interested, please visit the website for additional information and application instructions.