FARMINGTON – The Western Maine Market, the Franklin County area’s online farmers’ market, plans to expand its offerings and services, including deliveries, new payment options, additional pick-up sites, and gift certificates.
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The market’s vendors voted last Friday to privatize the two-year-old market and turn it over to Deborah Chadbourne, the enterprise’s market manager and operator of Rasmussen Farm in Freeman Township.
“We felt that, as a small business, the market could be more nimble and creative in addressing the needs of both farmer-vendors and customers than a committee-driven entity,” said board president Joe Rankin of Stone Corner Farm in New Sharon. “Deborah has done a great job as our market manager and she has the energy, interest, and creativity to make this online market into a real force connecting local people with local producers.”
Chadbourne said she is “excited by the opportunity to make Western Maine Market more responsive to the needs of both customers and vendors” and immediately announced plans for several new services.
The online farmers’ market – www.WesternMaineMarket.com – began operations in 2009 under the aegis of the Western Mountains Alliance. It became independent this spring, run by a board of local farmer-producers.
The online market offers area people the opportunity to shop from home for local produce, fresh and dried herbs and herbal blends, baked goods, preserved and prepared foods, beverages, flowers, meat, honey and hive products and personal care products with scheduled pick-up in Farmington at designated sites.
More than a dozen farmers and producers offer products on the site, and Chadbourne said she hopes to increase that number.
The market emails a weekly newsletter announcing new products and local events and information about, and recipes for, some of the more unusual offerings. To join the email list, send a note to info@westernmainemarket.com.
Chadbourne welcomes suggestions via email to info@westernmainemarket.com, by completing a brief survey at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/GPGL928 or by calling 1-857-225-1199 or 207-684-4587 or joining a new advisory committee of vendors, customers, and others interested in promoting local food and agricultural enterprises in Franklin County.
Online customers can pick up orders Friday afternoons at the West Farmington Grange Hall or Saturday mornings either there at the Grange’s winter farmers’ market or at the Baker’s Market Café in Wilton.
Delivery details are still being finalized, but the market is likely to offer free deliveries in downtown Farmington and up Route 4 to Route 145 in Strong. There will likely be a per mile fee for deliveries beyond this area. Use MapQuest or Google Maps to determine your distance. Delivery fees may be split among multiple orders to the same area and can be paid on delivery.
The market, which has required advance payments through PayPal, will now allow customers to pay by cash or check to keep more money local and accommodate those who prefer not to pay online, said Chadbourne.
It will also offer an online CSA (community supported agriculture) option, where customers will get $105 worth of credit for each $100 advance payment. The market will also offer gift certificates, she said.
Chadbourne said future plans include:
— Working to recruit new vendors and working with Crown of Maine to expand product listings
— reaching out to those living in elderly housing and other potential customers who have not traditionally been able to get to the farmers’ markets.
— Arranging pick-up sites at Franklin Memorial Hospital and in Rangeley and other area towns.
— Building relationships to provide local produce wholesale to restaurants, markets, schools, and the Farmington Food Co-op.
Fabulous energy, boundless creativity,making a good thing better. Go veggie queen!