The Weblog
The Wednesday Market Celebrates 10 Years!
Good afternoon.
On January 26, 2011, The Wednesday Market in Zebulon opened to serve Pike County and neighboring communities. From the beginning of our creation, our purpose was to provide the freshest, locally grown produce, fruit and good food available.
When we first began, we did not know whether the Market would succeed. In the beginning, we struggled to recruit farmers. We struggled to learn the software and technology that makes the Market work. We struggled to develop an accounting system that is necessary to facilitate the Market. We struggled to figure out how to market the Market. Through our early years, we kept plugging away at it all.
This last year, 2020, was remarkable in many ways – some good, some not so good. COVID shut us down for a while, but eventually, just like so many other businesses around the world, we adapted. We made new customers in the process, too. The pandemic and interruptions to global supply chains affected us all. Suddenly, many consumers realized the importance of locally sourced goods, especially food!
We believe that small, diverse, family-owned farms contribute to society’s overall health, and the reasons for buying locally are even more relevant today than they were 10 years ago. By supporting The Wednesday Market, you:
Enhance your local economy – By purchasing produce and other items from local growers you are providing stability to your local economy through the support of local businesses.
Save natural resources – Buying locally makes you an invaluable link in the process of saving resources such as fossil fuels and packaging materials. Also, we are right here in your community, so the expense of transportation and delivery is kept to a minimum.
Provide learning opportunities – Locally Grown supporters provide member growers the means to help educate our community about the importance of sustainable agriculture.
Support a way of life – The number of small farms in the United States has decreased dramatically in the last decade. Please help us preserve an honest and worthy means of making a living.
Just as we have been for 10 years, we are open for orders. Please place your order by 10 p.m. Monday. Orders are ready for pick up between 2 and 4 p.m. Wednesday. See the website for this week’s products. Here is the link: https://wednesdaymarket.locallygrown.net/market
Our managers are volunteers, as we have been from day one. Without our teamwork and dedication, the Market simply would not happen. A few of us have “retired”, but our founders’ vision persists today.
We are grateful to our Farmers and Customers for your support and look forward to continuing to serve you!
Your Sunshine Girls,
Sharon Fox, Nelda Miller, and Beverly Walter
And, our Market founders and retired volunteers:
Anna Evans and Brenda Fayard
Irma Wing and Betty Dean