More details about March 7 - 8 trip to SW Virginia Farmers Market, Pilot Mountain Pride, and Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project
Bendfeldt, Eric
Dear Shenandoah Valley Food and Farm Network:
Hope you are doing well. We would like to provide a more details for those interested in participating in the March 7 – 8 trip and tour of the SW Virginia Farmers Market (www.swvafarmersmarket.org) in Hillsville, VA, Pilot Mountain Pride (www.pilotmountainpride.com) in Surry, NC, and Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (www.asapconnections.org) in Asheville, NC.
Presently, we would leave Harrisonburg, VA in a 15-passenger van at 5:30 a.m. and plan to be in Hillsville at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, March 7 and plan to visit the wholesale market and cannery facility for two hours. We would then continue on to Surry, NC to visit Pilot Mountain Pride that afternoon.
After our time at Pilot Mountain Pride and learning about Surry County’s efforts to grow the local food movement and marketplace for more than 60 farmers, we would then travel to Asheville to spend the night. On Thursday, March 8, we would plan to meet with Charlie and Emily Jackson of Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project beginning at about 10 or 11:00 a.m. We would anticipate leaving Asheville at 3:00 p.m. with the goal of being back in Harrisonburg by 9:30 or 10:00 p.m. Thursday night.
The anticipated expenses for each participant are as follows:
- $40 per person fee to assist with van rental
- $82 per person hotel expense at a non-cancellable rate or $109 at a cancellable rate (room expense can by divided if participants are willing or able to share)
- Meal expenses for 6 meals on your own
The purpose of the trip is to learn more about a wholesale farmers market and commercial cannery, value-added food processing, scaling up local foods through aggregation, regional community and economic development through local foods and measuring economic impacts.
As the itinerary develops and new opportunities to enhance the educational value of the trip, we will keep you informed.
Since van space is limited, please let us know of your interest and commitment to participate as soon as possible.
Please share with others who might be interested in participating as you see fit.
Best regards,
Eric
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Eric S. Bendfeldt
Extension Specialist, Community Viability
Virginia Cooperative Extension
2322 Blue Stone Hills Drive, Suite 140
Harrisonburg, Virginia 22801
Phone: (540) 432-6029 Ext. 106 Cell: (540) 209-4705
Fax: (540) 432-6251
Email: eben...@vt.edu
Serving the Commonwealth of Virginia
"All the great things are simple, and many can be expressed
in a single word: freedom, justice, honor, duty, mercy, hope."
~ Winston Churchill
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