Help Wanted (overalls provided)

Position: Market Master
Pay: what?
Mission: Cultivate and supervise an open air market on some or all Saturdays of the warm season. Responsibilities: identify and work with farmers, food crafters, artisans to create an open air market in downtown Davis. Find publicity opportunities around Tucker County and online to ensure both residents and visitors know about the market days. Report to the board of directors on revenues, feedback, member status.
Support: Incorporation, insurance, board of directors, prime parking lot location near Hypno Coffee.

Well, that's a start, huh? Really, this looks promising...imagine: 9am on a summer Saturday morning. Folks are grabbing coffee or kicking it on the Hypno deck. Highland Prospects garage is flung open and the summer sale is on. A tent or two in the parking lot...fresh green beans, potatoes, lettuce, strawberries, carrots, turnips -- all grown within 50 miles of Davis, and some right here in town! Maybe you'd see some locally made soaps, jewelry or other crafts as well. Residents who must survive on Shopnsave produce or find their own channels would be elated, and second homers could cook with fresh naturally grown produce. Local produce and crafted foods are a unique and important resource in this community but unless you'll do the research and the driving, it's not happening.

There is a Women, Infants and Children program and Senior's programs that provide for food from farmer's markets. Once the market is certified, then the certified farmers in the market can accept program coupons for produce.

The WVU Extension Office for Tucker County provides extensive informational and advisory support for getting our community market up and running.

Much has yet to be learned and done to make this happen but the way forward looks pretty clear so far. Other than our farmers, cooks and artisans, the players in this story will be the town, the health department, the Extension Office for certification in their aid programs.