National Farmers Markets Week
August 4-10, 2024 is National Farmers Market Week. Here at the Hub, local Farmers Markets play an important part in our community outreach.
Our Farmers Markets Collections started in 2023 with our Off-Site Collections Coordinator, Brittany Gray, attending 4 different local markets throughout the market season. In 2024, Gray expanded the programming to include 7 different markets, including 2 across the river in Kentucky.
It’s been Gray’s experience that local farmers markets act as a social hub for many community members. “Local farmers markets are a special place where neighbors congregate, socialize, shop local, eat local, and more. I've had the opportunity to meet Hub customers, off-site partners, and people involved in local government and community councils. This has been an excellent opportunity to plug into communities.”
The collections at Farmers Markets offer the public an opportunity to bring select hard to recycle materials to be processed by the Hub, rather than sending them to the landfill. There is a select list of the items accepted on our website.
The presence of the Hub at the markets also offers a chance for folks to gain clarity on recycling guidelines, which we know aren’t always so clear. “While I'm at the Hub information table, I enjoy answering tough, nuanced questions about recycling; curbside and beyond,” said Gray.
The mission of the Hub is to revolutionize how people think about “things” and provide a place where almost anything can be reused or recycled. This is also true of our off-site collections says Gray, “My favorite aspect of the market outreach program is getting to share the work of the Hub with someone who has never heard of us before. Hopefully, those folks walk away with new considerations for recycling and reuse in their own lives.”
A special thanks from Brittany:
I would like to give a huge THANK YOU to our 2024 Farmers Market partners for hosting us this season!
If you would like the Hub to partner with your local farmers market in the future, please let us know! Contact Brittany Gray, offsiteevents@cintirrh.org
