2010 Buy Fresh Buy Local West Virginia Chapter Highlights

These are the Chapter Highlights from Buy Fresh Buy Local West Virginia. Their great work from 2010 also highlights the strong partnership between WesMonTy RC&D and Buy Fresh Buy Local West Virginia. Enjoy!

2010 Chapter Highlights:

· Jan-March. BFBL Committee met at the WV Small Farm Conference. BFBLWV set up a display & hosted a table for 2 ½ days while there, signing up farmers market BFBLWV partners & other members during the BFBLWV-organized Winter Blues Farmers Market. BFBLWV recruited new steering committee members. Created BFBLWV Facebook page; as of early 2011, we have 500 fans! BFBLWV fan donated the purchase of books, The Locavore Way to sell as a fundraiser for BFBLWV chapter.

· Spring: Thanks to WV State University Extension sponsor donation, BFBLWV was able to continue work on the website. With grant funds, one of the non-profit arms of the NRCS, WesMonTy RC&D conducted a BFBLWV membership drive aimed at farmers markets in their region. At least 5 new markets joined as a result; their membership was underwritten by WesMonTy RC&D.

· Summer & Fall: BFBLWV continued to partner with WesMonTy District RC&D, who wrote a grant to place a poster in their district schools to read out to children, promoting fresh produce available at local farmers markets. The poster features the BFBLWV chapter logo and contains a space for each school to write in the location of the closest farmers market. Posters were hand distributed in Spring 2011 to each food partner, to coincide with the opening of farmer’s markets and to maximize impact. Parent group WVFMA formalized BFBLWV project as one of 7 standing organization committees.

· Sept: Sent Savanna Lyons, new WVFMA BoD member, to the BFBL National Gathering. Sept 27^th: Second annual Celebration of Local Food in Berkeley Springs, WV, was a big success with over 100 people coming out to enjoy great local food and music despite the torrential downpour of rain.

· As of March 2011, 14 current Supporters, 30 current Partners latter broken down as follows: 5 restaurants; 19 Farmers Markets; 4 On-Farm Market; 12 farmers; Sponsors (Wes-Mon-Ty RC&D, WV Department of Agriculture, WVU Extension Service, West Virginia State University Extension Service; Flying Ewe Farm. WVFMA parent group prepared detailed materials to request technical assistance from WesMonTy RC&D for the Buy Fresh Buy Local WV project which was approved by their BoD.