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Group to establish produce market By SUE WATSON
Staff Writer  | Photo by Sue Watson
Making plans
A
number of local produce growers met with representatives from
surrounding counties to discuss organizing a farmers’ market in Holly
Springs. Shown standing, from left, are Karen Mayer, operator of the
Hernando market; Sylvester Oliver with Marshall County Black Farmers
Association; Mary and John Jarrett, Oxford; Constance Gipson, Lamar;
Revelyn Coleman, Marshall County; Vicki Willis, Sardis; Evelyn
Cummings, founder of Mid-South Progressive Ag Group; Shirley and Cecil
Coward, Sarah; Martha Howard, Marshall County; Judy Belue, Northwest
Mississippi Community Foundation; Gary Adams, Marshall County; Judy
Smith, Holly Springs Main Street; Val Leitner; and seated left to
right, Martha Penilton, Annie Moffitt and Gus Heard-Hughes. |
The
Mid-South Progressive Ag Group, representing 20-plus local producers,
has agreed to support the establishment of a farmers’ market in Holly
Springs. The venture will be in partnership with
Main Street, according to Judy Belue with the Community Foundation of
Northwest Mississippi. A meeting was held June 24
at Annie’s Restaurant. Members of the group gained valuable input from
guest speaker, Karen Ott Mayer, manager of the farmers’ market in
Hernando, and agreed to start work immediately to establish a market in
the downtown area this fall, Belue said. Suzanne
Langley, consultant for the Holly Springs Chamber of Commerce, has
indicated the chamber is also a potential partner in this initiative. A
steering committee consisting of Main Street director Judy Smith, Main
Street board members Gary Adams and Lisa Liddy (also with the chamber
of commerce), along with MSPAG members Evelyn Cummings, Revelyn Coleman
and Constance Gipson met in early July to start work on plans and
guidelines for the farmers market. The MSPAG
meeting was hosted by the Community Foundation of Northwest Mississippi
as a part of their Get A Life! initiative to prevent childhood obesity
through increased access to local, fresh fruits and vegetables. A
representative from Heifer International was on hand to see the
progress made by some recipients of funding from their organization
which built high tunnels or hoop houses on several farms in Marshall
County. These hoop houses have the potential to supply an extended
season or even year-around farmers’ market with fresh, locally grown
produce. For more information about this initiative, contact Smith at 662-252-4590. |
 
 
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