The Peterborough Regional Farmers Network (PRFN) has launched a new Saturday, downtown Farmers’ Market starting on June 9. At this time, we have no official logo, tagline or brand guidelines for the new Market. At this time, PRFN requires the services of a marketing firm, or individual, to create a logo, tagline and basic brand guidelines. For more information, click below.
Peterborough Region Farmers’ Market launches June 9 in downtown Peterborough
NEWS RELEASE
Peterborough Region Farmers’ Market launches June 9 in downtown Peterborough
May 22, 2018 — Local farmers and the Peterborough Regional Farmers Network (PRFN) put out a call on May 19 for the community to rally support for a new farmers’ market.
“The community answered!” says Neil Hannam, President of the PRFN. “We had several offers of potential new locations and the whole team considered the best options. PRFN has accepted the offer from Brad Smith, President and CEO of AON Inc., to locate the new Saturday farmers’ market to the AON Citi Centre courtyard in downtown Peterborough.”
The new market will be called the Peterborough Region Farmers’ Market. PRFN has been working with third-party farmer verification processes, including My Pick Verified Local Farmer, for over a year.
“The public can arrive every Saturday and shop with confidence because local farmers will be clearly identified,” says Astrid Manske, PRFN Board member and owner of OtonaBEE Apiary.
AON Citi Centre property is located on the corner of Charlotte and Aylmer in downtown Peterborough. The site is large enough to hold a considerable number of vendors, and nearby parking is plentiful and free on Saturdays. The site has many other advantages too, including the newly renovated public library up the street, the main City bus station located with a two-minute walk and many people can walk or bike to the new location. In the future, the Citi Centre site will have the new Louis Street Urban Park on one side and the revitalized Bethune street project on the other.
“This is an exciting location for our Saturday Market. It’s a return to the market’s downtown roots,” says Brad Smith.
Terry Guiel, Executive Director of the Downtown Business Improvement Area, met with representatives from the PRFN following the call to the community for market support and helped pitch the idea of a Saturday downtown farmers’ market.
"Farmers markets work great in downtowns and this announcement just makes our downtown even more out of the ordinary,” says Terry Guiel, executive director of the DBIA. “Unique, community-driven attractions like this are what separates the downtown from all other parts of the city.”
“The Smith family has a long history of valuing local food and they gave a significant gift for Myrtle’s Kitchen, a commercial/teaching kitchen located at Peterborough Public Health and used by many community-based groups,” says Peter Hughes, Vice-president of PRFN. “The Peterborough Region Farmers’ Market will be working with Nourish Peterborough and Peterborough Public Health to support food security and food education. We’d also like to thank the Smith family for their support for this new market.”
“I have travelled all over North America, and the most successful and flourishing farmers’ markets are located downtown,” says Sam McLean, PRFN board member and co-owner of Mclean’s Berry Farm.
“We attend other downtown farmers’ markets and they are fantastic for customers because they are accessible, vibrant and the community building that happens within the market overflows and extends to the whole downtown,” says Julie Fleming, co-owner of Circle Organic Community Farm.
Peterborough Region Farmers’ Market will officially kick off Saturday, June 9, from 7AM to 1PM.
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Neil Hannam
Board President
Peterborough Region Farmers’ Market
www.ptboregionalfarmersmarket.org
705-761-0087
Terry Guiel
Executive Director
Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area
705-748-4774
PRESS RELEASE
Millbrook, Ontario, May 11, 2018
New Peterborough Farmers’ Market starting in June.
Local Farmers including Erin and Sam McLean (McLean Berry Farm), Andrew Flaman and Julie Fleming (Circle Organic) and Astrid Manske (OtonaBEE Apiary) with the Peterborough Regional Farmers Network (PRFN) formally announce plans for a new Peterborough Farmers’ Market. The Farmers’ Market will open in June.
Erin McLean, from McLean Berry Farm, states “we have received overwhelming support from the community and we have multiple offers of locations for the new Farmers’ Market. People are passionate about supporting local farmers.”
Julie Fleming, from Circle Organic, adds “our social media feeds are full of positive messages and the new Farmers’ Market will become a vibrant community asset.”
PRFN will lead the citizen engagement of the new Farmers’ Market. PRFN has already learned that a Farmers’ Market is more than local farmers. It is a community asset that we all own.
The PRFN will be the not-for-profit organization leading the development of the market. The PRFN board has created best practice governance models to support the Farmers’ Market. Neil Hannam, PRFN board president states, “PRFN is looking for people to join various committees to create the new Peterborough Farmers’ Market – community members and local farmers will join together to run the day-to-day operations of the market, and plan for the future.”
People interested in joining the board or committees should visit the PRFN website and prepare their resume and cover letters for application.
The PRFN has already established the best practice for food source labelling and the community is familiar with the PRFN Verified Farmer banners. The new market will use the same 3rd party verification program started by the PRFN. Peter Hughes, PRFN board member, states “the community can come to the new Farmers’ Market and not wonder where the food came from, instead they can shop with confidence and enjoy all the community benefits of a real local farmers’ market.”
The new Farmers’ Market will continue to have prepared food vendors, artists, musicians and other vendors valued by the local community. The new Farmers’ Market will continually update our public list of 3rd party verified local farmers to ensure that we maintain at least 51% local farmers and regularly update government bodies, including the health unit.
The PRFN has received many offers to host the new market to date and the community is welcome to suggest other locations through the PRFN website. PRFN will be making more announcements in the next week in support of the new Farmers’ Market.
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Media contacts:
Neil Hannam, Board President, PRFN
705-761-0087 or hannamneil1@gmail.com
Julie Fleming, Circle Organic Community Farm
705-932-9888