Submitted by Victoria Newcombe

MURFREESBORO – The Hertford Northampton Farmers Market, Inc. received a Creating New Economies Fund (CNEF) grant of $6,600 from The Conservation Fund’s Resourceful Communities program.

This grant will support healthy eating and active living at the Red Barn Farmer’s Market, including exercise classes, healthy cooking demonstrations, and enhanced health screening and information resources.  The project also provides for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) outreach regarding the availability of fresh produce at the Market and continued recruitment of African-American and Hispanic farmers and growers to become vendors.

“I am ecstatic to learn of the partnership recently formed between the Market and Resourceful Communities via the Conservation Fund,” stated Lynn Johnson, president of the Herford-Northampton Farmer’s Market, Inc. “We hosted an on-site visit for members of this group and shared our vision on furthering our mission of supplying healthy foods and providing a focus on healthy moving to enhance our quality of life. We thank these like-minded individuals who share our vision and are able to assist this non-profit accomplish its goals.”

Resourceful Communities awarded 41 grants totaling nearly $390,000 to support innovative “triple bottom line” projects.  These efforts integrate community economic development, environmental stewardship and social justice.  The program is funded with generous support from the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust, the Oak Foundation and the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation.

Dedicated to building local capacity, CNEF grants of up to $15,000 support a range of projects that include community trails and eco-tourism; mobile food markets; increasing low-income consumers’ access to healthy food; “green collar” job training programs and more.

Open to the program’s 500+ network of community organizations, faith-based groups and rural towns, the small grants result in an average return of $12 for every $1 invested.

The Hertford-Northampton Farmers Market, Inc., dba The Red Barn Market, is celebrating 15 years of supporting local farmers and growers and making fresh produce available to local residents. Each Saturday, from May until October (first frost), the Market offers fruit and vegetables, baked goods, preserves, crafts, educational demonstrations, and community meeting space in a three-season facility featuring a snack bar, vendor stalls, classroom areas, and handicapped accessible restrooms and ramps.