National Farmers Market Week Social Media Cheat Sheet

      Posted On: August 3, 2011

What is it?

The Cheat Sheet is a list of twitter friendly (140 characters or less) posts that celebrates all the wonderful things that farmers markets do for our communities.

 How do you use it?

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Every one of the seven days of National Farmers Markets Week has been given a theme to celebrate one of the many ways that farmers markets contribute to the greater good.

Just check and see what day it is, and then include one of the relevant posts on your Facebook or Twitter profile.

 For example: The first day of National Farmers Market Week is this Sunday, August 7th. The theme for that day is “Farmers Markets and Community Education.” Take a look at all the sample posts that are listed under that theme, pick one you like, and post it on your facebook page, or tweet it.

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If you’re pressed for time, you can just like us on FMC’s Facebook Page, or follow us on Twitter @fmcorg
We will be posting throughout the entire week, and you can simply share our FB posts, or Retweet!
The more people who share these messages the more we build awareness around the importance of farmers markets.

 Why would I do such a crazy thing?

Because when we get thousands of people, media outlets, non-profits, farmers and more celebrating all of the benefits of farmers markets, we start to raise consciousness about what farmers markets really mean to their communities, and how these markets benefit our lives, our environment, and economies in such a wide variety of ways.

 So let’s spread the message!

Questions?

Contact : Drew Love

drew@farmersmarketcoalition.org

 

August 7-13, 2011

SEVEN DAYS, SEVEN WAYS TO CELEBRATE NATIONAL FARMERS MARKET WEEK

A Social Media Cheat Sheet for Members and Friends of the Farmers Market Coalition

Sunday, 8/7:  Farmers markets and community education

City Heights, CA pre-screens people for SNAP eligibility and connects them to food assistance programs. http://bit.ly/9w2Ras #farmmktwk

Old Town Farmers Market in Wichita, KS, hosts local chefs who teach you how

to cook farmers market style http://bit.ly/bwbL2H #farmmktwk

Cedar Rapids Downtown District, IA brings in locals and tourists to revitalize the downtown

business sector http://j.mp/1gYZwZ #farmmktwk

Top 100 Farmer’s Market Photos of the Year, Just Announced! http://bit.ly/duNPlI#farmmktwk @realtimefarms

La Jolla Elementary School farmers market raised funds for the school’s liberal arts and library programs http://bit.ly/q1Poh0 #farmmktwk

OR City FM has helped 800+ local kids make healthy eating choices through the Power of Produce!  http://bit.ly/ntWrPj #farmmktwk

50 FMC member markets have taught more than 8k people how to can fresh produce this summer http://bit.ly/oDqXFM #farmmktwk

Historic Lewes Farmers Market provides thousands of $ in educational scholarships to its farmers http://bit.ly/qAxyZZ #farmmktwk

Love farmers markets?  Celebrate National Farmers Market Week by helping them grow http://bit.ly/oXwQxZ #farmmktwk

Monday, 8/8:  Farmers markets and public health

promoting good nutrition and healthy habits

 

Fact…people eat more fruits and veggies when they shop at a farmers market compared to a

grocery store http://bit.ly/oPrpYr #farmmktwk

Farmers markets give farmers a place to sell their healthy delicious foods to you and your neighbor http://bit.ly/p0zJlb #farmmktwk

 Boston Cyclists Union offers free bike tune ups at market, linking good food to good living. http://bit.ly/behFlq #farmmktwk

OR City Farmers Market teaches youth about healthy eating in its 600+ Power of Produce (POP) Club http://bit.ly/ntWrPj #farmmktwk

NYC Dept of Health says farmers market shoppers eat ¾-1 serving more fruits and vegs than grocery shoppers. http://bit.ly/rikno1 #farmmktwk

Hub City Farmers Market joined Partners for Active living to loan bikes at mobile farmers market http://bit.ly/pkHxXd #farmmktwk

80% in DC survey say food at farmers markets is often “fresher, cheaper, and healthier” than other food http://bit.ly/pQne9n #farmmktwk

Love farmers markets?  Celebrate National Farmers Market Week by helping them grow http://bit.ly/oXwQxZ #farmmktwk

 

Tuesday, 8/9:  Farmers markets as economic engines

business incubation, job development, and local spending

 

Market forces creating jobs through public investment in local and regional food systems from @ucsusa http://j.mp/oQnADG #farmmktwk

 Regional & #localfood systems could expand and potentially create tens of thousands of jobs http://j.mp/oQnADG #farmmktwk

Mkts revitalize economies. Hunterdon Land Trust Farmers Market (NJ) generates $2.6 mil in economic impact http://bit.ly/qopT4G #farmmktwk

One Iowa study shows that 1 farmers market job creates 1.45 more jobs in the local economy. http://1.usa.gov/99v6dj #farmmktwk

Modest public funding to support 100-500 frmrs mkts could create as many as 13.5k jobs over 5 years http://bit.ly/oRKOkJ #farmmktwk

By 2012 USDA projects demand for locally grown food to be $7 billion. http://bit.ly/m7SJUc #farmmktwk

71% of shoppers at Easton FM, PA also spend $ at local businesses, a weekly boost of $26,000 for downtown. http://bit.ly/qA14mu #farmmktwk

Product sales at Emporia Farmers Market generated $36,000 in state sales tax between 2003 and 2010. http://bit.ly/nazjXY #farmmktwk

If MI sells 2-3x more produce at market it could generate 889 new jobs & $187 mil sales http://bit.ly/q8st2p #farmmktwk

If CA ate recommended amount of produce growers would seen an increase of $316 million in grower sales. http://j.mp/r3RJRw #farmmktwk

Love farmers markets?  Celebrate National Farmers Market Week by helping them grow http://bit.ly/oXwQxZ #farmmktwk

 

Wednesday, 8/10:  Farmers at the center of the system

governance and policies that put farmers first

 

FMs “consist principally of farms selling directly to the public products that the farms have producedhttp://bit.ly/ocMTd #farmmktwk

More farmers markets are “producer-only” w policies that help family farmers. Watch and learn more http://bit.ly/pGzbcp #farmmktwk

Farmers get 15.8 cents on the $ for food sales. But farmers @ FM get fair pay, support ur farmer http://1.usa.gov/h7UEeD #farmmktwk

Farmers at Columbia FM in Missouri comes from within a 54 mile radius http://bit.ly/ocOuV1

New laws create new opps for small businesses by allowing people to make & sell goods at market  http://bit.ly/pihhr0 #farmmktwk

New report says FMs facilitate personal relationships in a way not possible in 3rd party stores.

http://bit.ly/qdKfxd #farmmktwk

Atlanta, GA proposed legislation to establish a policy to protect farmers markets in the city http://bit.ly/nQ8wSx #farmmktwk

Harvard Food Law Society advocates for policies that support farmers markets, MS one of many examples http://bit.ly/owz0ty #farmmktwk

Fulton Street Certified 100% Homegrown program for farmers selling only products which they grow http://bit.ly/qj1hPl #farmmktwk

Love farmers markets?  Celebrate National Farmers Market Week by helping them grow http://bit.ly/oXwQxZ #farmmktwk

Thursday, 8/11:  Farmers markets and food equity

improving access to healthy foods in underserved neighborhoods  

 

More than $7.5 million dollars in SNAP funds were redeemed at farmers markets in FY 2010. http://bit.ly/dMQGwv #farmmktwk

2.1 million low-income moms got fresh local produce at farmers markets through the WIC FMNP in 2010. http://1.usa.gov/oFBLJK #farmmktwk

840,000+ low income seniors got fresh local produce at farmers markets through the Senior FMNP http://1.usa.gov/nXQOom #farmmktwk

MI Frms Mkt Food Assistance Partnerships, one of many partnerships that connects SNAP to farmers markets http://bit.ly/mVuqgl #farmmktwk

Cleveland, MS uses FMPP to expand healthy eating options and more into underserved neighborhoods http://bit.ly/lzAF7j #farmmktwk

Farmers and SNAP community reap benefits as states pass legislation that connects SNAP to farmers markets http://bit.ly/omhM4q #farmmktwk

ME and other states across the US connect SNAP customers to farmers markets through incentive programs http://bit.ly/mprww #farmmktwk

Farmers Market on wheels reaches food deserts in S.C.  http://bit.ly/pkHxXd #farmmktwk

Columbia Farmers Market donates 8,000 lbs of produce http://bit.ly/ocOuV1 #farmmktwk

More than 100 farmers markets redeeming SNAP are in what USDA considers food deserts http://1.usa.gov/jKAAwP #farmmktwk

Love farmers markets?  Celebrate National Farmers Market Week by helping them grow http://bit.ly/oXwQxZ #farmmktwk

 

Friday, 8/12:  Farmers markets and civic engagement

growing social capital and engaging volunteers

 

Shoppers at farmers markets have 4-5x more conversations than their

counterparts at the supermarket. http://bit.ly/nz65m8 #farmmktwk

Hollywood Frmrs Mkt in LA, an amazing example of how farmers markets bring a community together http://bit.ly/fMp58t #farmmktwk

Watch this great new video about farmers markets as economic engines, community builders and more http://bit.ly/oFmrN6 #farmmktwk

According the USDA AMS, more than 60% of farmers markets are managed by volunteers http://1.usa.gov/1TcBHk #farmmktwk

Among Farmers Market Coalition members, the ratio of volunteers to paid staff is five to one.

www.farmersmarketcoalition.org #farmmktwk

The Easton FM in PA engages 100+ volunteers every year in in support of its educational activities http://bit.ly/qA14mu #farmmktwk

The Morton Grove Farmers Market in Illinois is made possible through the donated time of more than 40 volunteers http://bit.ly/q1Q3gj #farmmktwk

Now that’s community! Chewelah Farmers Market raises more than $4,000 to help sick farmer. http://bit.ly/q7S4CF #farmmktwk

Markets bridge the cultural and economic schisms that often exist between the urban and rural citizen http://bit.ly/nybTZT #farmmktwk

UC Santa Cruz paper notes that frmrs mkts foster a sense of community and civic engagement. http://bit.ly/q6UQbC #farmmktwk

Markets linked to sustainability. Boulder County made their market a zero waste event http://bit.ly/oUacH6 #farmmktwk

Neighborhood Farmers Market Alliance in Seattle, WA features kids activities, cooking demos and more. http://bit.ly/nTfzx6 #farmmktwk

Academics indicate that markets serve as a vital catalyst for building social capital http://bit.ly/plzCN1 #farmmktwk

Love farmers markets?  Celebrate National Farmers Market Week by helping them grow http://bit.ly/oXwQxZ #farmmktwk

Saturday, 8/13: Farmers markets and rural renewal

supporting agricultural diversity and farm viability while inspiring a new generation of producers  

 

Did you know? Conservative estimates suggest that >136,000 farms currently sell directly to consumers http://j.mp/oQnADG #farmmktwk

Frms mkts provide beginning farmers financial security to grow their businesses.  http://bit.ly/ckYkOr #farmmktwk

Port Townsend FM and Jefferson Landworks Collaborative partner up to find farmers new land http://bit.ly/qpe5Xp #farmmktwk

Young farmers sell at mkts in low-income areas for transformative nutrition and social justice. http://bit.ly/pRSsrT #farmmktwk

New Hampshire Farmers Market Association by-laws require the protection of agricultural diversity.  http://bit.ly/pvVYxg #farmmktwk

Westford Market and Sustainable Westford, MA, partner for a better environment http://1.usa.gov/xl2rt #farmmktwk

Farmers markets preserve rural America and keeps small farms and their land alive and healthy http://bit.ly/qibIRJ #farmmktwk

Love farmers markets?  Celebrate National Farmers Market Week by helping them grow http://bit.ly/oXwQxZ #farmmktwk

 

The Farmers Market Coalition (FMC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to strengthening farmers markets for the benefit of farmers, consumers, and communities.  Learn more at FarmersMarketCoalition.org.