PIKETON, Ohio – Producers, businesses, community leaders and others interested in developing local food systems have the opportunity to participate in two Ohio Direct Marketing Summer Tours in July.
Ohio State University Extension, along with the Ohio Cooperative Development Center and other local organizations, will sponsor tours that demonstrate local food systems – one that is well established in the community and one that demonstrates a new business model.
"Innovative Approaches for Cooperative Local Foods Marketing" will be held July 13 from 10 a.m. until noon at the Delaware County Community Market, 222 E. Williams Street, Delaware.
"The tour demonstrates a new statewide non-profit and faith-based local food cooperative network, and participants can see how the cooperative works," said Julie Fox, an OSU Extension direct marketing and tourism specialist at OSU South Centers at Piketon.
Participants have the opportunity to meet with the president of the Delaware County Community Market and hear from producers and members involved with the market. Tom Snyder, program manager for the Ohio Cooperative Development Center, will share additional information about the local food cooperatives. OSU Extension educators Rob Leeds and Susan Liechty will conclude the tour with an overview of developing the Delaware County local food guide and discuss local food lunch options.
Registration is $5 per person, limited to the first 20 people. For more information, or to register, contact Julie Strawser-Moose at 740-289-2071, ext. 223, or e-mail sstrawser.35@cfaes.osu.edu.
"Local Foods Tour – A Glimpse at the Entire Food System" will be held July 14 from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. The tour will include the Athens Farmers' Market, ACEnet, and Green Edge Gardens, among other businesses. OSU Extension educators Rory Lewandowski and Hal Kneen will guide participants through each one of the stops. The tour begins at the Athens Farmers' Market parking lot, 1000 East State Street, Athens.
"The tour is designed to showcase local food production, processing, support and connections at farmers' markets, CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture), restaurants, grocery stores, cooperatives, produce auctions, institutions and community organizations," said Fox. "Everybody wants to be involved with local foods and this tour demonstrates what one community has done to benefit consumers, producers and businesses interested in the local food effort."
Registration is $20 per person or $30 per couple, and includes lunch and tour materials. To register or for more information, contact Julie Strawser-Moose at 740-289-2071, ext. 223 or e-mail strawser.35@cfaes.osu.edu.
For more information on additional tours, workshops and trails visit the Ohio Direct Marketing Team website at http://directmarketing.osu.edu.