Tag Archive for: #oxfordarmoryfarmersmarket

The Local Skinny! Oxford Armory Farmers Market Off To A Strong Start

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The Oxford Armory Farmers Market has gotten off to a good start. In just a few Saturdays, organizers say the open-air market has had about 2,400 visitors. That number makes Wendy Tatum very happy, and hopeful for future sustainability.

Tatum is the Food and Built Environment associate with Granville County Cooperative Extension, a new position supported by N.C. A&T State University.

Using information from a 2022 needs assessment, Tatum assembled a core group of volunteers to create a place for local producers could sell their produce and farm products. What began as a series of pop-up markets in downtown Oxford morphed into dozens of vendors setting up shop on the grounds of the Armory.

“We’re very much centered around agriculture,” Tatum said on Thursday’s segment of The Local Skinny! with WIZS’s Scout Hughes. The market is open on Saturdays May through October from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Craft vendors are at the market on the third Saturdays of each month.

She credits strong partnerships with the city of Oxford, the Granville County Board of Commissioners, the Kerr-Tar COG Food Council and many volunteers to get off on a positive note and to have such strong support from the community.

“We wanted a place that was highly visible,” Tatum said, in the choice made for the location of the market. “We needed it to be a walkable space – and comfortable,” she added. The Armory, located at 105 W. Spring St., is just a block or so away from the main downtown area of Oxford.

With a grant for $8,500 from Triangle North Healthcare, Tatum said the market buys produce from vendors at the end of the market day to stock the “Farm to Fridge” coolers located in library branches in the county.

Visit https://granville.ces.ncsu.edu/oxford-armory-farmers-market/ to learn more about the market or call Tatum at 919.603.1350.

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Oxford Armory Farmers Market Launches Saturday, May 3

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Oxford will launch a new farmers market Saturday morning on the grounds of the National Guard Armory, 105 W. Spring St.

Aptly named, the Oxford Armory Farmers Market will feature local fruits, meats, vegetables and other products from local farmers and artisans.

Beginning Saturday, May 3, the market will be open on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. through October.

In 2020, a needs assessment was conducted by the N. C. Cooperative Extension. This assessment revealed a greater need for local agricultural producers to be able to get their products into the hands of local consumers, increasing the consumption of locally grown nutrient-dense products. As a result of the needs assessment, the Advisory Leadership Council began discussions with community stakeholders and realized that a larger market, with more availability for local agricultural producers, would be the solution to meet this need.

The Oxford Armory Farmers Market can accommodate more than 60 vendors, all offering locally sourced products as well as space for food trucks and special events in conjunction with the municipalities that are all a part of Granville County.

The existing Oxford Farmers Market located at the corner of McClanahan and Lanier streets in downtown Oxford will continue to operate every Saturday and it kicks off its season on Saturday, May 3 as well. This market operates from 7 a.m. to 12 noon.

Vendor applications for the Oxford Armory Farmers Market are still being accepted. Find details at https://granville.ces.ncsu.edu/oxford-armory-farmers-market or find OxfordArmory FarmersMarket on Facebook.