Many people are curious about what an Economic Developer does. I can't tell you in the limited time that I have here and I am not sure you want all the trivial details but I would like to share a few moments from last week.
I had the opportunity to travel with Sandra Wesson, who is the direct point of contact for our local farmers and sales person, among a great deal of other jobs for the Piedmont Local Foods effort. I will tell you in no uncertain terms, that I am not sure I have enough energy to keep up with her on a regular basis.
The morning started early, around 7 AM at the pick-up site in Walnut Cove, from there we went to Wentworth and consolidated all the produce for shipment. It was a light day but I was able to get a sense of how much effort goes into insuring that all shipments are correct and the customers are getting quality food, 24 hours after it comes out of the field.
We had eight stops to make, in Greensboro, High Point, Winston Salem and finally Eden. We covered a lot of ground to deliver the food and we covered a lot of ground in our conversation on how much the program has grown and how much room there is to continue the growth. It appears that the volume will triple this year and with the right type of nurturing, triple again next year. This would not be possible if not for a very dedicated group of volunteer board members, a group of local farmers that are willing to look at new models for growth and a few dedicated people, such as Sandra that are so passionate about their efforts that it is infectious.
If you are from the Piedmont Triad, or just thinking about driving through (Sandra was meeting a client from Ohio who saw the website and wanted to order) visit the website at http://www.farmersfreshmarket.org/rockingham/ The only way you can get food any fresher is if you grow it yourself!
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