Athens Locally Grown

How to contact us:
Our Website: athens.locallygrown.net
On Twitter: @athlocallygrown
On Facebook: www.facebook.com/athenslocallygrown
On Thursdays: Here’s a map.

Market News

I’m devoting the newsletter these first few weeks of the year to documenting in detail just how ALG works. I’ll spend some time next week talking about how growers get allowed in the market, and what standards they have to meet. But this week, I’ll get into the details of how the market sustains itself financially. Many of you ask about that from time to time, and I’m happy to oblige.

First off, we’re legally a sole proprietorship, and the market is owned and operated by me. In years past, it was rolled into my farm, and reported on my Schedule F in addition to my regular tax forms. For now, while my gardens have dwindled, it’s an item on my Schedule A, like many other small home businesses. When the market started in 2002, it was named “Locally Grown Cooperative”, but it was never legally organized as a co-op. Dan & Kris Miller, the founders from Heirloom Organics farm in Watkinsville, were always sure to run things in a cooperative spirit, and since they handed the business to me in 2004 (I’ve sold as a grower since day one), I’ve tried to do the same thing. I’ve since renamed it to “Athens Locally Grown”, but you’ll still hear a number of people refer to us as “the co-op”.

We’re not a non-profit, either, but we’ve structured things so that over time the market can just barely cover its own expenses. Just like all of our member farms are sustainable growers, the market itself needs to be sustainable. So how do we cover its expenses? One small way is through the memberships you pay. The $25 a year you give to the market is enough to cover the costs of having customers: banking fees from depositing your checks, paper and ink for printing, web hosting fees, and that sort of thing. What’s left over goes to helping fund farm tours, food donations to like-minded area groups and events, etc. We currently have 261 paid members out of the 3694 active accounts on the website.

By far the bulk of our funding comes from the growers themselves. They generally pay a 10% commission on their sales through the site. This money covers the many coolers we use, the tables and shelves used to spread out and organize your orders, the truck we bought at the end of 2007, gasoline, the food allowance we offer our volunteers, rent and utilities at Ben’s Bikes, etc. During the slow parts of the year, the sales are usually not enough to cover our weekly costs, but in the busy times (late fall and early spring, for us) there is extra. If we plan things out well, it pretty much all evens out in the end.

Last year, the total sales and memberships combined through the market amounted to $186,433. This is a about the same as last year, and I’m ok with that. The continual rise of so many other markets in the area is the biggest reason for staying flat. We used to be the largest farmers market in this part of the state, but only because the others were so small. Now, not only are there several very large area farmers markets throughout the week, but there are many other locallygrown markets serving customers that used to drive to Athens. About 90% of those sales went straight to our growers, and the rest went to a food allowance for our volunteers ($200 a week), rent ($350/month), web hosting, and transportation. The “profit” gets counted as personal income or loss on my tax forms, and almost always comes out even.

The growers get paid out of the shared cashbox for their previous week’s sales when they drop off their items, during the hour before we open the market. Then, you arrive and pay into the cashbox for your order. We used to then rush to the bank to deposit the money to cover the checks we just wrote to the growers, but now the growers get paid the following week (money you pay via credit cards takes up to a week to reach our account). As explained elsewhere on the website, you are really ordering directly from and paying the growers yourself, but our shared cashbox system makes things convenient for you and them. (Imagine if you ordered from ten growers having to write ten checks when you picked up your items!) This shared cashbox system has so far satisfied the tax man, but it does mean that if you place an order and then never arrive to pick it up, we’re left holding the bag. For that reason, you are responsible for paying for orders not picked up, and that amount is automatically added on to your next order for your convenience. On the books right now (going back to 2007) is about $4219 of produce ordered but never picked up and so far never paid for at all (or picked up but paid for with bad checks). That might seem like a lot (and it is), but considering that the market’s sales total, that’s not so bad. In fact, it’s about a sixth of the US retail industry’s “shrinkage” rate, and almost all of it is owed by only ten people. Only $200 came from this last year. On the flip side, $3812 has been pre-paid into the cash box by people who pay online via credit card or who write large checks in person, and then draw down on that balance over time.

There were 5119 orders placed last year, so that averages to $36.42 spent per order. There are many people who asctually place several small orders each week that we combine when we fill them, so really the average is quite a bit higher than that. There are no good studies on this number, but I’ve seen a few surveys conducted by the USDA indicate that the average customer spends $25 per trip to a farmers market. We continue to far exceed that average, which I think says a lot about the advantages ALG offers over the traditional market. And to your dedication to supporting our growers.

So, in probably far too much detail, that’s how we operate financially. Our market might be more expensive to run than a traditional “booths and tables” farmers market, but that price buys a system that’s simple, time-saving, flexible, and in my opinion, just better. There’s no money in the bank, but the market is paying for itself and that’s my primary financial goal. If you’d like to talk with me in person about this or any other aspects of ALG, I’d love to do so. Just pull me aside when you come by to pick up your order.

Thank you so much for your support of Athens Locally Grown, all of our growers, local food, and our rights to eat it. You all are part of what makes Athens such a great area in which to live. We’ll see you on Thursday at Ben’s Bikes at the corner of Pope and Broad Streets from 4:30 to 8pm!

Other Area Farmers Markets

The Athens Farmers Market has closed for the season. They’ll return in April, and you can catch the news on their website. The Comer Farmers’ Market is open on Saturday mornings from 9am to noon. Check www.facebook.com/comerfm for more information. Washington, GA also has a lovely little Saturday market, running on winter hours from 1-4. You can learn all about them here: www.washingtonfarmersmkt.com. If you know of any other area markets operating, please let me know.

All of these other markets are separate from ALG (including the Athens Farmers Market) but many growers sell at multiple markets. Please support your local farmers and food producers, where ever you’re able to do so!

We thank you for your interest and support of our efforts to bring you the healthiest, the freshest and the most delicious locally-produced foods possible!

Stones River Market

How to contact us:
Our Website: stonesriver.locallygrown.net
On Facebook: www.facebook.com/StonesRiverMarket
On Wednesdays: Here’s a map.

See the complete list of products at http://stonesriver.locallygrown.net/

Special Announcement

Friday is a special day for us at Market at Dothan. For a number of weeks we have been in contact with the Daleville Chamber of Commerce ironing out an idea from one of our brilliant vendors: A Daleville Pickup Location!

This Friday at 11:30, Daleville is hosting a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for our new pickup location at the corner of 134 and Daleville Avenue. Wendy Robbins will be delivering Market orders to that location on Fridays between 11:30 am and 1:30 pm.

We realize that coming to our regular (perfect!) Market location at Dothan Nurseries doesn’t work for everybody and there are many in the Wiregrass who would LOVE to be able to participate more but can’t because of work, distance, etc. This is one way to make the Market more accessible to our friends and colleagues in Daleville, Level Plains, Ft. Rucker and Enterprise. Many of you have been making the drive to Dothan as you are able and this is one thing we can do to make things easier for YOU.

So thank you, all of you who have been loyal supporters of the Market. A huge thank you to Nancy at the Daleville Chamber of Commerce who has had such a huge part in making this happen, and a huge thank you to Wendy Robbins (picture below) who thought of this and is making it possible. You’re all the BEST!

If you are picking up at Dothan Nurseries there is nothing special you need to do. Your order will be bagged and ready for your arrival as usual.

If you need to pick up your order in Daleville, use the words, “DALEVILLE PLEASE” in the comments section of your order. That will alert us that your completed order needs to travel to meet you.

Market Info

Winter Market Schedule Order Online January 7 – January 10 for Pickup on Friday, January 13 Order Online January 14 – January 17 for Pickup on Friday, January 20 Order Online January 21 – January 24 for Pickup on Friday, January 27

Order Online January 28 – January 31 for Pickup on Friday, February 3 Order Online February 4 – February 7 for Pickup on Friday, February 10 Order Online February 11 – February 14 for Pickup on Friday, February 17 Order Online February 18 – February 21 for Pickup on Friday, February 24

Hearty soups with winter vegetables are a good way to fight cold and flu season. This Superfood Quoina Soup is packed with nutrients.


SMITH FARMS – Ground Lamb and Dexter Beef

SWEET ACRE FARMS:,

Off This Week

AVALON FARMS If you have not met Wendy Robbins she will be your contact person in Daleville. Avalaon Farms has produced quality sustainable produce in the Wiregrass for many years.

CASABLANCA RANCH. Read more about them: http://casablancaranch.com/. Locally Grown Hormone Free Santa Gertrudis Beef

D’S JELLIES – D’s Mayhaw Jelly, Hot Pepper Jelly, and BlackBerry Jelly are good year round.

GINTHER FARMS Fresh UNFERTILIZED eggs from young chickens. Perfect for Deviled Eggs.

HORTON’S FARM Colloidial Honey for topical first aid use. Danny has Lettuce, Chard and Onions and Pointed Cabbage available this week. Hortons Farm is your local source for Raw Wildflower Honey. We also have Tupelo Honey in fancy jars are perfect for gifting as they never granulate. Be sure to check out our 100% beeswax candles and Bath and Body products made with honey, wax and propolis from the hive.

KATHY’S CHURPERS Always the finest in fresh local eggs.

MARY’S PEEPS Thank you for supporting me and my products last year, I have had to take a little time off, but will try and keep products in the market which you liked. I will try my very best to keep adding new products and keep things fresh. Be sure and look at my Honey, and pecan products. I also have a lot of jams, jellies, and bakery products to pick from. This will be a new year for all of us to start over. So Happy New Year from Mary’s Peeps, and Mary Bees. Hope everyone has a wonderful year! Mary Dale Peeples, Echo Community, Ozark, Al. Thanks for recycling it helps everyone!

RICHTER FARMS: “We will continue our B2G1 Free pan sausage sale while supplies last! Don’t forget we have smoked link sausage, smoked sliced ham and smoked bacon available now! The hens are starting to lay more of those yummy eggs too! Looking forward to a wonderful year ahead getting to know all of you.”

SANDSPUR FARMS “We are super excited to reach more of the Wiregrass area! We’re keeping the sale prices for another week for an introduction for all of the newcomers. Customer satisfaction is our number one priority, so we would love to hear your comments or suggestions.”
”

SANDY VALLEY Straight from the Garden! Fresh Cabbage, Cabbage Collards, Swiss Chard, Broccoli, and Vates Curly Kale

Footnotes

Our Website: marketatdothan.locallygrown.net

Our Email: marketatdothan@gmail.com

On Facebook: www.facebook.com/MarketatDothan

Regular Friday Pickup: Dothan Nurseries, 1300 Montgomery Highway, Dothan, AL 36303 10 am – 12 pm
Daleville Pickup: Corner of 134 and Daleville Avenue 11:30 am – 1:30 pm