Committee Members (left to right):  Beth McLoughlin, Beth Walker, Barbara Ellington, Nancy Cox, Carmen Cantrell, and Kenny Owens.  (Not pictured:  Shelly Knox, Stephanie Cassell, Roger Sloce, Delores Bolling and Carol Huffman)

     A wide variety of community members, including potential consumers, farmers, vendors, business people, government officials, and community leaders, participated in the formation of the market which opened on June 16, 2009 to a bustling crowd.  The overwhelmingly positive response from the local community has resulted in the market being deemed an undeniable success!

     The goals of the Norton Friends & Farmers Market are to 1) increase the economic vitality of local farms and small businesses; 4) increase awareness, knowledge and action among the local population about how to positively impact the local food system and their own health; and 3) create a vibrant economically and socially diverse community-centered gathering place.

Highlights from the 2009 Customer Survey:

74% of the market customers are between 25-54 years old.

72% of the market shoppers are female.

51% of the shoppers have 2 people in the household, but 34% stated that they have children at home.

55% of the customers come weekly, 28% come twice a month.  A total of 17% were tourists visiting the area.

People come to the market for specific reasons:

66% to obtain fruits and vegetables

56% to support local farms and businesses

29% to buy baked goods

17% to buy locally made crafts

64% of consumers say that they have increased their consumption of fruits and vegetables since the market began.