Free Range Conversations, Episode 51
RISON - Since announcing plans to create a "farm stop" in Rison in the near future, there has been an uptick in interest for local produce and craft sales.
Britt Talent, publisher of the Herald and organizer of the Arkansas Homesteading Conference, shares more about this adventure in the latest episode of the Free Range Conversations podcast with co-hosts Roy Phillips and Douglas Boultinghouse.
With the regular Rison Farm-ers Market wrapping up its season with the Food Truck Friday events in August, having another outlet for vendors to sell their products on a regular basis will be the primary perk of the farm stop.
According to Boultinghouse, the Farmers Market is currently held every other Friday from 4-7 p.m. at the Pioneer Village during the Village and Rison Shine Community Development's Food Truck Friday series. The next available dates are July 18, Aug. 1, 15 and 29.
There is no charge to set up, but those interested should email risonshines@gmail.com in advance to confirm availability of space.
Local residents who grow produce or make a homemade food product or craft could soon have a way to sell their products on a consignment basis through an outlet in Rison. Looking ahead to the farm stop goals at the Herald office, Talent shared that he plans to convert the front space of the newspaper office into a retail outlet on Main Street.
Since first mentioning the idea in recent weeks, potential sellers have reached out with produce, baked goods, as well as handcrafted items ranging from wood toys to skincare.
Farm stops are a new trend in the local food movement. They are essentially retail locations for people to sell produce or homemade food items on a consignment basis without having to set up a booth at a farmers market or other special event. Under this model, the producer sets their price, and the farm stop markets and sells the products from their retail location.
Farm stops are basically the next step up from a farmers market. Traditionally, farmers markets operate only on specific days or seasons while farm stops can be open year-round and serve as a consistent retail outlet for local products.
The added perk to having a farm stop indoors is the products would be located in an airconditioned building in comparison to the heat of an outdoor farmers market.
Talent said he is still seeking potential sellers for the farm stop. Anyone wanting to sell produce, a homemade food item or a craft on a consignment basis can reach out to him through email at contact@clevelandcountyherald.com or call the Herald office at (870) 325-6412. Those interested can also stop by the Herald office at 215 Main Street in Rison.
"If you have a backyard garden and happen to have an abundance of a certain crop, you could drop off that extra produce at the office and we will try to sell it for you," Talent said. "The same method applies to homemade food products or even crafts. It's a great way to pick up some extra money." Many credit the farm stop model to have been started by the Argus Farm Stop in Ann Arbor, Mich., in 2014. While there is no entity that tracks the number of farm stops nationwide, the movement has grown to the point that the first National Farm Stop Conference was held in Ann Arbor last year.
In Arkansas, the Me & McGee Market in North Little Rock operates under a similar model.
While fresh produce is one part of the farm stop model, so are the locally-made foods. Tal-ent said changes under the Arkansas Food Freedom Act gives home cooks a greater market to sell their products.
Under the law, people can sell baked goods; candy; jams, jellies and fruit butters made with real sugar; chocolate-covered whole, uncut fruits and berries; honey products including creamed, whipped or flavored honey; maple syrup and sorghum; pickled cucumbers and acidified vegetables; and in some cases, salsas and sauces. A complete copy of the Arkansas Food Freedom guidelines can be found online through the Arkansas Health Department or the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service.
Talent said he will be marketing all the fruits, vegetables and food products through the Herald as well as online resources.
While the Herald staff would take care of selling the products and not require the vendors to be present, according to Talent, when an official grand opening is set, he hopes to have a "Meet The Makers" type of event to have customers come by to meet the person to made or grew the items.
The podcast hosts discuss the need for more retail opportunities and traffic in downtown, and consider the farm stop to be one step in the direction of revitalizing Main Street.
The full episode is streaming now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and ClevelandCountyHerald.com below:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/3GyoX5dTNYzL3ZnocmvCbl?si=b106c46cc9f54c1e