“There is the impact of the consumer shopping at a farm and of the farmer shopping for their services locally,” Ranells said. “That local dollar spent in the local community has a multiplier effect that some have suggested is as much as sevenfold.”
Local direct consumer sales — the amount farmers are paid for selling products directly to consumers at farmers’ markets and elsewhere — have grown since the last U.S. Department of Agriculture Census in 2007.
The census recorded $683,000 in direct sales in Orange County in 2007, up from $171,000 in 2002.But Ranells estimated that sales reached $990,000 in 2010 and nearly $1.1 million in 2011. The latest official census numbers are expected to be released this year.
And Alfred De La Houssaye, the owner of Sweetwater Pecan Orchard and a vendor at the Carrboro Farmers’ Market, said that when people buy local, most of the money stays in the area and helps small farmers.
“It’s not like when you go to Whole Foods and the money goes back to the corporate headquarters or something,” he said.
Hawley said she makes an effort to keep profits local.
“People don’t think about what businesses we depend on,” she said. “But we buy hay from local farms and our grains through a local grain supplier. Our vet is in Siler City.
“We’re not strictly supporting Orange County but definitely central North Carolina.”
Chapel Hill Creamery’s most popular product in the summer is their mozzarella cheese, which they make on-site at the creamery.
The cheese sells for $8 per half pound, about $1.50 more than the Palazzina mozzarella cheese sold across the street at Harris Teeter.
But the mozzarella from Harris Teeter was made with milk from the Tri-State area, packaged in New Jersey and shipped to a distribution center in Greensboro before arriving at the store, said Paul Richter, the purchasing manager for the company that manufactures the cheese.
Though the market might keep money local, the higher price of some farmers’ market products can keep the food out of reach.
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“I do most of my shopping at Aldi. It’s cheap and I don’t have a lot of money for food,” said sophomore Kristen Adams.
Junior Camilla Powierza said she enjoys going to the market, but it can be expensive.
“That’s why I don’t go there every weekend,” she said.
Others say the price reflects the quality.
“Sometimes certain things may be less expensive elsewhere, but the quality, shelf life, texture, color, flavor and community relationship can’t be beaten,” said Bret Jennings, chef and owner of Elaine’s on Franklin.
An in-demand market
Though the Carrboro Farmers’ Market has been around for decades, it has recently won recognition for being among the best in the country.
The market was started in 1979 as a joint venture between graduate students at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health and the Town of Carrboro.
The students developed the North Carolina Agricultural Marketing Project with the goal of providing an outlet to local farmers to sell their produce on a regular basis. The students also wanted to provide residents a place to buy fresh, local produce — while the Carrboro town government hoped it could revitalize the downtown area.
After opening on Roberson Street, the market grew and moved to its current location at the Carrboro Town Commons.
“Our market is the oldest all-local market in the state,” said Sarah Blacklin, the market manager. “We are very lucky that we had good leaders from the beginning and that we were very strict on all of the food from the market coming from within 50 miles of Carrboro.”
The market was featured last summer in the Everyday Food Summer Special, a branch of Martha Stewart Magazine, as one of the six great markets in the country. It has also been recognized by Audubon and Bon Appetit magazines.
“I think the Carrboro Farmers’ Market … is a great feather in the cap of Orange County,” Ranells said.
Chefs buy locally
The success of the farmers’ market has attracted the attention of chefs across the county, many of whom buy their produce from local farmers.
Vimala Rajendran, the executive chef at Vimala’s Curryblosson Cafe, said she has relationships with many of the market farmers.
“I go on Saturday morning and I buy,” she said. “On occasion if I know in advance that I have an event, I’ll order in advance. But otherwise I’ll just buy large quantifies straight off of their stands.”
Rajendran said she buys from the farmers’ market because she knows the food is high quality and it supports the local economy.
“Nutritionally, local food is much better and it tastes a whole lot better, and it also helps the local economy because the farmer gets the money up front,” she said.
Rajendran said she often runs into other chefs while she’s there. She said she often sees Bill Smith from Crook’s Corner, Kevin Callaghan from Acme, Matt Neal from Neal’s Deli, Jimmy Reale from Carolina Crossroads and Andrea Reusing from Lantern walking around.
But some local farmers are missing out on the exposure.
Competition for space
Because the market has a limited number of spaces —81 on Saturday and 32 on Wednesday—it has become more selective.
Each single spot costs between $10 and $17, depending on the day of the week and season. New vendors must apply at the beginning of the year and hope to be accepted into one of the limited number of spots.
“It’s very competitive because in the area we have a lot of talented farmers and artisans looking for markets,” said Blacklin.
Blacklin said the market has seen a dramatic increase in the number of applications it receives.
“It used to be more like 30 to 35 applications, but in the past couple years it’s been 45 to 50, and that’s a big jump for applications,” she said.
Of the 45 to 50 applications the market receives annually, only about four are accepted. The choice is based on factors including what they sell and how long they’ve been producing, Blacklin said.
But Blacklin said the Carrboro Farmers’ Market encourages vendors to reapply every year.
She said they don’t create a waiting list because reapplying gives farmers the opportunity to expand and diversify.
“A lot of people reapply,” said Blacklin. “Sometimes it’s a new farmer that expanded and added product or the same farm that wants to see if there is more room this year than last year.”
But for those who do make it in, the market can create a loyal customer base.
“Even if you come just one time, it makes a difference to know you can get strawberries around here that are fresh,” said Jamie Murray, who owns Sunset Farms with her husband Chris.
Charles Fleckenstein, another vendor at the market and the owner of Little Flying Cows Honey, said the market allows him to interact with customers.
“It gives folks a chance to know where their food comes from,” he said. “And folks around here care about that.”
Contact the City Editor at city@dailytarheel.com.
