Michael Ellington, on the Vance County Cooperative Extension Report:
The excitement at the market continues in this week’s show as we provide a recap of the Spring Fling along with several reminders of upcoming events and a new gardening method that we’ll soon begin to demonstrate at the Community Garden.
Listen live at 100.1 FM / 1450 AM / or on the live stream at WIZS.com at 11:50 a.m. Mon, Tues & Thurs.
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Michael Ellington, on the Vance County Cooperative Extension Report:
We recap the great opening day of the Vance County Regional Farmers Market and points to even more fun in the near future- the Spring Fling is May 9th!
go.ncsu.edu/vcrfmweather
Listen live at 100.1 FM / 1450 AM / or on the live stream at WIZS.com at 11:50 a.m. Mon, Tues & Thurs.
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Christy Stanley most likely didn’t realize it at the time, but as a child helping her granddaddy make signs for his farmstand may just have planted a seed that has grown over the years. That seed, like Stanley, is all grown up now and bearing fruit.
And vegetables.
And live music and a coffee bar, to boot.
Stanley is the new market manager for the Vance County Regional Farmers Market, and she’s counting down the days until the market opens for the season on Saturday, May 2. Hours are from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
There’s plenty to do between now and then, and Stanley is rarin’ to go.
With a fresh focus on making the market a destination for more than just fresh seasonal produce and other locally sourced items, the brand-new coffee bar will give customers something else to enjoy when they visit the market.
The plan is to have volunteer baristas from local FFA and gardener groups behind the counter on market days. Proceeds from the sale of coffee and other beverages will go right back into programming, marketing and more. There are plans to even have a special market blend available soon.
“This is one of the nicest farmers markets around,” Stanley said on Thursday’s TownTalk. “We want to elevate the experience,” she said, a place where folks want to come and hang out for a while – a place to bring out-of-town guests.”
Just one week into the official market start, on Saturday, May 9, there will be live music at the market. The plan is to offer a wide variety of music genres, from Southern Rock and jazz to reggae and mariachi, Stanley said.
“You don’t want to miss out on it,” she said.
The role of market manager seems a perfect fit for Stanley, who operates a small farm now along NC 39 near Williamsboro Wayside at Kerr Lake. The Little Red Fox Farm has an AirBNB on the property, too, which Stanley says is quite popular.
And truth be told, it was the lake that first attracted her and her husband to the area. They’re both big fishermen, she said, and they spent a lot of time driving from their home in Youngsville up to the lake to fish.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Stanley found herself watching videos about farming and how to make small-scale farming profitable. It was during that period shutdowns and restrictions that Stanley and her husband turned to farming.
“Nowadays, you’re actually able to produce quite a bit on a small farm,” Stanley said. Her focus now is mainly poultry – chickens and turkeys. But she’s dabbled in beef production and has a few pigs roaming and rooting around the place now. As she puts it, she’s “raising bacon.”
Stanley’s exposure to farms had been limited – just summer visits to Mississippi to her grandparents’ farm when she was a child – but she understands the value of having locally sourced food to eat.
“I think more than ever, we’re moving into a direction where, to get local food, you’re going to see a need for more people entering the industry…(people) that maybe never thought of it before,” she said.
Small-scale farming provides a wider variety of people – especially women – a path to producing foods for consumers who are searching for local sources of fruits, vegetables and more.
She applied for the market manager job because she felt it would be a perfect fit for her. It’s important to be available to her family and grandchildren, but also to serve her community.
“I just think it was meant to be that we ended up here,” Stanley said.
Stay up to date by visiting https://vance.ces.ncsu.edu/vance-county-regional-farmers-market/ or follow along on social media at https://www.facebook.com/vcrfm/
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Applications are being accepted for the position of market manager of the Vance County Regional Farmers Market, according to Cooperative Extension Director Dr. Wykia Macon.
The market manager is responsible for a variety of tasks related to the operation of the farmers market, including opening and closing the market during the season, coordinating special events and maintenance of the facility and grounds.
Find the complete job description at https://go.ncsu.edu/managervcrfm.
From where Dr. Wykia Macon sits, being the director of the Vance County Cooperative Extension is a lot like being a coach – and, reflecting on a busy 2025, she and her team are looking forward to another successful year as 2026 approaches.
But Macon isn’t just calling the shots from the sidelines – she considers herself a part of the team, too.
“We all offer expertise and skills in our own area,” Macon said on Tuesday’s TownTalk.
In her role as county extension director, Macon is in a unique position that has her reporting to both county leadership and to the universities – N.C. State and N.C. A&T State.
Part of the role of cooperative extension is “to bring information from the universities and bring it back here,” she said.
Back in the day it was known as Agriculture Extension, but Cooperative Extension opens it up for a variety of programs to benefit and serve a wide swath within the community.
And each year, Macon said she finds time to meet with each of the agents on Vance County’s team for reflection and planning, as well as to learn how she can better support their efforts.
She said she will continue to work to strengthen connections among the extension agent team members as well as those external partnerships in the larger community to expand extension’s reach.
The extension service has a presence across the county, whether it’s through the community garden at the farmers market, having a beekeepers’ class or helping new farmers find their niche.
“I think that’s the fun part about extension – we can do a little bit of everything,” she said.
She said the agents work “to encourage people to grow where they are,” which could mean growing plants in containers or in a hydroponic system when a plot of land isn’t available.
Food and Nutrition programming isn’t merely safe preparation of food, but it’s real home “economics,” Macon explained – how to cook the food you grow and how to stretch your dollar further.
Youth development activities have 4H Clubs that offer STEM activities alongside healthy living and leadership-building programs.
And then there’s the popular food competition that kids have really gotten into. The Dinah Gore competition is sort of like the reality TV show “Chopped,” turning mystery ingredients into a winning dish. Vance County High School will have a group participating in this project next year, Macon said.
“If they win the state competition, they’ll go to nationals,” she said.
Macon and her small team of agents rely on volunteers from the community to keep engagement high. She calls it putting ownership into the community’s hands.
“We’re at a place right now, because we’re out there, we’re gaining interest,” she said. People are asking more questions about how to become involved, asking more questions. “It’s just another way to extend (our) reach in the community,” Macon added.
There’s a Small Farm Boot Camp series beginning in January to help new producers learn about the different aspects of farming, a bee school to learn about all beekeeping, farmers market demos to share information about healthy food choices and preparation, and a possible “grill-off” for participants to show off their best grill skills.
There’s a lot in store for 2026. Follow the cooperative extension on Facebook, check the website at https://vance.ces.ncsu.edu/ or drop in the office at 305 Young St. The phone number is 252.438.8188.
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This time of year, the vendors at the Vance County Regional Farmers Market have to squeeze together just a bit to accommodate the tables of fresh produce, baked goods and more that are available on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
“The bay doors are full,” said Market Manager Pat Ayscue. “We kind of slip and slide a little closer to each other this time of year.”
In addition to the sweet corn, butterbeans, peas and more, there’s a new local producer who’s bringing in peaches. “He fills the back of his truck up, and they are so delicious!” Ayscue said.
Come on out to the market on Saturday, July 26 to celebrate the birthday of long-time vendor Calvin Adcock.
There will most likely be a cake with candles, but who knows – there could be candles in a birthday watermelon – the market also is celebrating Watermelon Day that day.
“Everybody loves and appreciates Mr. Adcock so much…it just all works together really well for both days to be together,” Ayscue said. “He’s a real inspiration to us all.”
To mark Watermelon Day, Ayscue said she’ll be giving away free watermelons every 15 minutes from 9 a.m. to noon.
It’s shaping up to be a great watermelon harvest, she said, unlike last year when untimely drought and then heavy rains took tolls on the summertime favorite.
“Last year was a rough season on watermelons,” Ayscue said. “This season is looking really good…this year, we’ve hit it just right.”
Be on the lookout for Sugar Baby, Charleston Gray and Jubilee varieties.
Eligible customers can stretch their produce budget with the Senior Voucher and Double Bucks programs. EBT is accepted as well.
“If you use your EBT card at our market, I can match that with Double Bucks to stretch your food dollars,” she said.
The Senior Voucher program is a state program, and Ayscue said the vouchers can be used at any farmers market that is certified.
Artis Crews with Green Rural Redevelopment Organization will be at the market this Saturday to sign up seniors for the voucher program.
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The community garden at the Vance County Regional Farmers Market held its official grand opening Saturday, May 24, 2025.
Dr. Wykia Macon, director of the Vance County Cooperative Extension, was on hand and hands on!
She spoke recently at the Vance County Regional Farmers Market and said agriculture is “undeniably central to our lives,” when addressing 100 attendees of the ‘State of Agriculture’ luncheon hosted by the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce.
Horticulture and Field Crops agent Michael Ellington was on hand and at work as well, and it’s apparent months of preparation is starting to pay off.
The community garden a place where gardeners of all skill levels are welcome to learn and share their own knowledge about growing fruits and vegetables.
Garden beds are available to rent for the growing season – each 4 foot by 8 foot bed is $40 for the whole season.
Community gardens provide lots of benefits, Ellington said recently on his weekly Tuesday segment on WIZS. Fresh, healthy food is just the beginning.
Access to affordable, nutritious food can be limited, especially in underserved neighborhoods and communities, he said. Garden plots like the ones at the farmers market offer local hands-on solutions that can reduce food inequality and increase availability.
And it just makes sense that folks who grow their own fruits and vegetables are likely to eat more of each. Community gardens give people power over what they eat, he said.
Community gardens can bring diverse groups together, and soon, new friends are swapping recipes and stories while they pull weeds and keep their plots watered.
These places “reveal that social fabric that holds communities together,” Ellington said.
Macon added that cooperative extension programs support agriculture in all its forms – from livestock and horticulture to youth programs like 4-H.
The community garden is also a place where children can learn first-hand about where their food comes from – literally – not from a video screen or a textbook.
“They learn by planting seeds, watching them sprout and harvesting what they’ve nurtured,” Ellington said.
Planting a garden can reduce grocery bills and can reduce the amount of food waste that ends up in the landfill.
Community gardens also send a clear message to prospective businesses that residents care about where they live.
If you’d like more information about the community garden, visit the cooperative extension website at https://vance.ces.ncsu.edu, call 252.438.8188 or email Ellington at maellington@ncsu.edu.
There are many ways to help, from volunteering to sponsoring to making a direct donation.
And if you don’t have a green thumb, don’t fret. Just spread the word about the community garden to friends and neighbors.
The Vance County Board of Commissioners on Monday voted to drop the application fee for vendors at the Vance County Regional Farmers Market from $30 to $20 in an effort to attract more potential producers to sell their vegetables, fruit and other products at the seasonal market.
Vance County Cooperative Extension Director Dr. Wykia Macon explained to commissioners that she, in consultation with the market advisory board and extension staff, is willing to not only lower the fee, but also to drop the daily $10 setup fee.
The market opens on Saturday, May 3.
“We’re ready to get started,” Macon said, and will move forward to approve this year’s guidelines now that commissioners have approved lowering the application fee.
Macon said the advisory board also is planning to open up the market property to other uses, including installation of a community garden and a health and wellness fair on Friday, May 2.
Commissioner Tommy Hester said he’d be in favor of doing away with fees altogether, adding that the facility, now 10 years old, is a way to help look out for local farmers who want to sell their produce.
Macon welcomed commissioners to attend the next market advisory board meeting on Tuesday, Mar. 18 at 2 p.m.
County Manager C. Renee Perry said there is a small increase in the 2025-26 budget for the farmers market, which is probably the first increase since the market opened in 2014.
“Our marketing budget is very small,” Macon said, adding that it will take “a concerted effort” to increase foot traffic and vendor participation at the market. “Advertising is just one part of it.”
The community garden project is taking shape.
More volunteers are needed at upcoming workdays:
“We want to have the community realize that this is their market, and the garden is theirs,” said Extension Agent Michael Ellington. The community garden would be a perfect spot for those who want a garden but lack the space or the confidence to plant, tend and harvest on their own.
There also is a series of market vendor workshops that is being held on Saturdays in March at Salem United Methodist Church, 4151 Salem Rd., Oxford. The workshops are free to attend and no registration is required. Upcoming sessions are as follows:
The Vance County Regional Farmers Market is located at 210 Southpark Dr.
Summer gardens may be giving us the last produce of the long-growing season, but there are still plenty of choices at the Vance County Regional Farmers Market.
Market Manager Pat Ayscue said, “The summer season is winding down but thankfully since we are a regional market, there are still late summer veggies filling the farmer’s table.” Customers can still find butterbeans, field ripe tomatoes and those most sought-after purple hull peas, she said.
“Also, hats off to our farmers many who planted late crops when the rains came again after the long dry spell,” which created some extra bounty to share with customers on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The fall crops are coming in, too – tender collards, turnip greens, fall apples and grapes of many varieties, Ayscue said.
But there’s more than just fresh produce at the market. Local raw honey is available every Saturday, Ayscue said, and “Hidden Acres will be joining us with their pasture raised beef, chicken, lamb, pork and farm fresh eggs. Stop by and say hi and let them tell you all about their products,” she said.
And although we’re just a few days into fall, people are surely thinking about and preparing for Thanksgiving.
Sweet Inspirations is at the market every Saturday, and Ayscue said customers can begin placing holiday orders now.
EBT is welcome and stop by and ask the market manager about Double Bucks’. Follow us on Facebook! Each market day the farmers and vendors that are at the market that shopping day will be posted.
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Mark your calendars for Saturday, Nov. 18 and make plans to attend the special Hand Crafted Holiday Market at the Vance County Regional Farmers Market.
There will be plenty of vendors on hand for the market, which will be from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., according to Market Manager Pat Ayscue.
“Our very talented crafters have been planning and working overtime on unique gift ideas and
décor for the home or office,” Ayscue said. “Thanks to our farmers who have scheduled the planting and harvesting of our fall crops.”
There should be plenty of leafy greens and pumpkins available to create some delicious Thanksgiving dishes – all the things that make the holiday special. Sweet Inspirations will be well stocked with fresh baked goods and will be available to take special orders.
But Ayscue said folks can expect to find some special handcrafted items, too. The holiday market is sure to help you with gift-giving ideas.
From local honey, pickles, jams and pasture-raised meats, the Holiday Market will have something for everyone.
Contact Ayscue at payscue@vancecounty.org or text 252.425.2092.
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