From Markets to a Mission: The role of farmer organized networks in building Local Food Systems.

1. Georgia Mountains Farmers Network
From Markets to a Mission:
The role of farmer organized networks in
building Local Food Systems.
Presented by:
Justin Ellis
GMFN organizer
Chuck Mashburn
Farmer @ Mill Gap Farm
and GMFN president
Andrew Linker
GMFN Field Coordinator
Basic Premise:
• Networks Matter!
• Farmer collaboration
benefits farmers.
• Farmers should play a
central role in shaping
local food systems
Initial Organizing
Support provided by:

2. The Local Food System of Northeast Georgia
NC
SC
FARMERS in Habersham & Rabun
Counties
• Recognized the need for more
REGIONAL communication and
collaboration especially in building
MARKETS
• Had experience with Athens Locally
Grown Market.

3. Or in this case “Agroecologist!”
In rural areas
• Customers are far apart
• And so are Farms
White
Habersham County –
Clarkesville
Rabun County-
Clayton
Organic and
sustainable
farms 2009-2013
Benefits of Regional Markets and Networks
Hall County- Gainesville
Markets are usually
what bring regional
farmers together in
the beginning

4. & a rural food distribution network
April 2010
Launched
Northeast Georgia
Locally Grown Market
Advantages
Less time / Labor relative to
traditional farmers markets
Less risk of waste (products are
presold)
Provides a year round market
Reach customers across broad region
Midweek market enhances freshness
Drop off locations create
opportunities for networking/
knowledge exchange
Market generates its own funds
Locally Grown – an internet market

5. & a rural food distribution network
Primary value is as a CENTRALIZED MARKETPLACE across a wide
rural region. And as a DISTRIBUTION NETWORK.
Distribution pattern and driving routes of farms delivering to the Tiger and
Clarkesville delivery locations
Tiger pick up
Clarkesville pick up
Shuttle Run
Locally Grown – an internet market

6. Distribution pattern and driving routes of farms delivering to
the Tiger and Clarkesville delivery locations.
DELIVERY MILES
Miles Saved w/ Shuttle per year 18,523
SAVINGS
Gas and Labor ($10/hr) SAVINGS $6,931.36
Less cost for SHUTTLE RUN $1,000.00
TOTAL SAVINGS $5,931.36
Delivery miles reduced and savings achieved through the
distribution efficiency of a shuttle run
Collaboration improves Efficiency
Locally Grown – online market
the SHUTTLE RUN
between
Market locations is the
most efficient aspect
of the Locally Grown
system.
MARKET
VOLUNTEERS
distributing food is the
second most
efficient aspect

7. STEP ONE
Applied for a small grant through Certified
Naturally Grown that would pay a NETWORK
organizer $20 an hour for up to 100 hours (funding
from USDA Farmers Market Promotion Program)
STEP THREE
Held first meeting January 25th, 2012
Have followed same format for 11 meetings
FARM TOUR > POTLUCK > MEETING
STEP TWO
Conducted phone survey of what farmers wanted
to see a farmer’s network accomplish. Used
feedback to populate a list of priorities.
The Formation of GMFN

8. Possible Activities for a Growers Network
or what would you like a Growers Network to
accomplish?
1. Cooperative Marketing efforts (8 VOTES)
Example- Develop systems for bulk deliveries to ATL area, restaurants, etc.
2. Coordinating Bulk Orders (7 VOTES)
Increase availability and reduce shipping on amendments, supplies, seeds, potatoes, etc
3. Share up-to-date Contact Lists (6 VOTES)
To include other farmers, but also restaurants who buy local, suppliers, technical experts
4. Host Farm Tours (5 VOTES)
Specifically for GROWERS (focused on sharing information)
5. Acquisition and Sharing of Equipment (5 VOTES)
Such as compost tea sprayers, bed shapers, others?
6. Obtaining or Producing Organic Feed (5 VOTES)
It is difficult and costly to obtain organic feed easily.
7. Organization of Crop Mobs (4 VOTES)
Labor assistance. Bringing volunteers to your farm to have them work on a project or
weed for an afternoon.
8. Create Forums for more frequent Farmer Communication (3
VOTES)
Possibly a Yahoo Group or website to post information for each other to see.
9. Developing Marketing as a Group (2 VOTES)
Co-branding regional products like a logo, identity
10. Organizing specific and technical workshops (1 VOTE)
Bringing in experts from other areas
11. Hosting Public Events (wasn’t an option at time of voting)
Increase customer base / awareness
Possible Activities for a Growers Network
or “what would you like a Growers Network to
accomplish?”

9. Growers Network PRIORITIES
or what would you like a Growers Network to accomplish?
#1 - Host Farm Tours
We’ve hosted 8 grower tours/potlucks.
#2 - Hosting Public Events – The Georgia Mountains Farm Tour helped create a
sense of unity of purpose and pride in our region. Goal is to increase
customer base / awareness
#3 - Cooperative Marketing efforts
Little to No interest in wholesale markets. Focus has been on RETAIL
SALES, the LOCALLY GROWN internet market, and expansion into nearest
urban market (Gainseville in our case)
#4 - Create Forums for more frequent Farmer Communication
Creation of a GMFN website / blogsite has been key. Announce tours, events,
post information. Also Facebook - Not that useful for communicating with
farms, but great for interaction with the public
#5 - Coordinating Bulk Orders
One bulk order – February 2012
Haven’t done most of these yet
Share up-to-date Contact Lists
Acquisition and Sharing of Equipment
Obtaining or Producing Organic Feed
Organization of Crop Mobs – gonna do this before this year’s FARM TOUR
Developing Marketing as a Group
Received Locally Grown grant in 2014
Organizing specific and technical workshops
The Top 5
Growers Network PRIORITIES

10. Farmers have repeatedly told us what they like the
most about the NETWORK is the opportunity to
visit each others farms.
The Value of Farm Tours (for farmers)
Tour #1
Burton Mountain Farm
Tour #2
Woodland Gardens
Tour #3
Taylor Creek Farms
Tour #4
Melon Head Farms
Tour #6
Blairsville Cannery
Tour #5
LadyBug Farms
Tour #7
Leah Lake Farms
Tour #8
Mountain Earth Farms
Tour #9
Wilbros. Compost
Tour #10
Mill Gap / Fortify
#1 - Host Farm Tours
We’ve hosted 8 grower
tours/potlucks.

11. Organizing a FARM TOUR (for the public)
BENEFITS of a FARM TOUR
• Provides structure to the GMFN
• Helps promote / market everyone’s
farm and local foods regionally
• Creates a Revenue Source
HOW to host a FARM TOUR
• Steal good ideas from others
• Pick dates, farms, what to charge
• Layout a brochure
• Write good directions
• Partner with others to help promote
• Find Volunteers
• Concerns / Liability
• Benefits / Video
#2 - Hosting Public Events – The Georgia
Mountains Farm Tour helped create a sense of
unity of purpose and pride in our region. Goal is
to increase customer base / awareness

12. Expanding the Locally Grown Market
to Urban Customers
#3 - Cooperative Marketing efforts
Little to No interest in wholesale markets. Focus
on RETAIL SALES, the LOCALLY GROWN
internet market, and expansion into nearest
urban market (Gainseville in our case)
Gainesville
Clarkesville
Tiger
Cooperative Marketing Discussions
kept leading back to:
• Need to access URBAN markets
• Need to earn a RETAIL dollar
REALIZED that Locally Grown
solved the most problems simply
Need to access higher density of
customers BUT ALSO
• Expand our community
• Build and promote our own market
• Build distribution capacity
incrementally (as demand grows)
• Spending $ costs farmers $
– tap into community resources.
• Demand for Sustainable Local Food
in Gainesville is high because it’s
unavailable from other sources.
Assessing
our needs

13. How to Expand your Regional Market
FIND A PERFECT GRANT
• USDA – Value Added Producer
Grant (had to be incorporated)
Designed to allow us to:
• Expand to Gainesville / Hall County
• Develop a Marketing Strategy
• Develop Marketing Resources
• Pay for Technological Upgrades
• Stipends for market managers,
volunteers, drivers
FIND A PERFECT LOCATION
• Free, centrally located, covered,
attractive, pedestrian friendly
FIND A PERFECT PARTNER
• Non-profit with overlapping
interests, base of supporters
FIND PERFECT VOLUNTEERS
• Locals, know the lay of the land,
connect with customers

14. Locally Grown / Grant = Get Bigger, Faster
The first day of Market
June 11, 2014
Description
TOTAL
GRANT MATCH
TOTAL
PROJECT
PERSONNEL $13,600
MARKETING $10,000
OFFICE
EQUIPMENT $6,525
TRAVEL $3,610
SUPPLIES $2,050
CONTRACTUAL $1,600
OPERATIONAL
COSTS $1,200
MATCH 0 $38,672
TOTALS $38,585 $38,672 $77,257
• Invest in better technology,
• Widely promote the market using new
MARKETING TOOLS
• More marketing means we can
RECRUIT MORE FARMS (setup a new
delivery location)
• GRANT is relatively small ($38,500) but
will accomplish a lot.
• Grew from $48,000 in 2013 to $76,000
in 2014 (60% ).
• Expect $100,000 in 2015, shooting for
$120,000 (100% growth rate in 2 years).
• Building a Relationship with A New
Community – using FEATURED
FARMERS

15. Elements for a successful network
• FARMER DATABASE
• COMMUNICATION TOOLS
• Blog – free website
• Facebook
• Logo – you exist!
• BOARD or Steering Committee
• PARTNERSHIP with non-profit
• Accounting
• Access to office equipment
• YOUNG DRIVEN volunteers (or
very low paid staff)
• KEEP IT FUN!
• SHARE GOOD MEALS TOGETHER

16. Sage Advice for Farmer Networks
• WITHOUT MARKETS farmers often
don’t know each other and don’t
collaborate.
• Collaboration around markets is a good
start (especially regional markets)
• However, markets are always going to
serve the narrow needs of the market
first, not necessarily the broader needs
of farmers.
• Who will serve farmers needs if not
farmers themselves?
A good start for a Network is:
• SIMPLY GETTING TOGETHER
to exchange information and
knowledge. A lot of positive things
occur just through that.
• Encourage Farmers to VOTE on
their PRIORITIES to work on
together (regularly). Farmers voting
on a clear set of goals and priorities
is the best way to give the network
a MISSION.
• A MISSION helps motivate farmers
to continue to meet, and also brings
in other supporters (often non-
farmers) that can help with
organizational tasks.

17. Sage Advice and NEXT STEPS
PARTNER with individuals that
already possess key talents and skills
• Non-profit organizing skills
• Photography, design, marketing
Find an organizer with time and skills
But still has farm knowledge
Question is, Who is gonna do it?
Grow it incrementally – Networks help
you see the next collaborative
opportunity
OUR NEXT STEPS?
Full Plate for next 12 months but…
Educational Storehouse
• Local expertise is important
• Need to try and capture, &
disseminate as tools to help new
farmers.
Invited Technical Workshops
• More targeted and focused on what
our educational needs are.
• Invite Expert Farmers that speak
directly to critical needs.
• Open these up to broader
community.
Group Insurance
Non-Profit status? Funding?

18. The Potential for Farmer Networks
“What is most
important about a
farmer network and
sets it apart from, for
example, traditional
Extension-based
classes, is that the
farmers decide what
they want to learn
and create together.”
- Pacific Northwest
Extension Publication
2013
GIVES FARMERS A COLLECTIVE VOICE
&
A Mechanism for partnership and
collaboration
Diminishes emphasis on competition
Focuses on Collaboration
• Easier to be competitive with people you’re not
exchanging ideas with.
• Communication can help you diversify products to
reduce competition.
• Collaboration can help you expand markets
accessing more customers.
• Competition does you no good if you’re fighting over
10 customers.
• Growth and expansion benefits everybody.

19. How to FIND US
Northeast Georgia Locally Grown Website
http://northeastgeorgia.locallygrown.ne
t
GMFN website
http://eatwellbuylocal.org
Justin Ellis
Justin.nglg@gmail.com
Chuck Mashburn
Chuck.nglg@gmail.com
Andrew Linker
Andrew.nglg@gmail.com
3rd Annual
Georgia
Mountains
Farm Tour is
June 27 and 28th