Orange County NC Website
it <br />the limited time frame that the county will be able to get other <br />governments to participate in this cycle. However, we can still share <br />market data with surrounding counties, and work on demonstration <br />projects with experimental crops for diversification. We can encourage <br />farmers to lend the use of their land for test crops for educational <br />purposed. One commission member suggested a program where the <br />farmer trained the first year, produced the second year and rotated to a <br />new crop the third year, or trained another farmer. The group discussed <br />the possibility of small scale slaughtering facility as part of Agriculture <br />Center, or a community owned processing center. Other suggestions <br />included an agricultural fair once a year including demonstrations of new <br />products such as yellow tomatoes, multiple location farmers markets, and <br />creating a home grown system from partnership with producers and <br />consumers. <br />ITEM #5: PROPOSED SURVEY OF FARMER'S MARKETS <br />In the past, mailings to targeted farming community produced very little <br />interest in participation. The group discussed other ways to contact <br />farmers to see if they would be willing to participate such as a phone <br />survey or a door -to -door visitation program made -up of volunteers from <br />each community. The idea of small payments or an appreciation dinner <br />for information gathers was discussed. January or February was noted as <br />the best time to survey farmers. <br />ITEM #6: FOLLOW -UP AND NEXT STEPS <br />Stancil reported that the Agricultural Summit upcoming up in February <br />2001. Planning efforts should begin soon. <br />ITEM #7: ADJOURNMENT <br />The joint meeting was adj ourned at 7:00 p.m. <br />