*Resources with an astrik indicate reccomendations by farmers in our region
General MARKETING & Branding
High Country Local First
High Country Local First is a non-profit organization that seeks to strengthen our community and local economy by supporting locally owned, independent businesses and farmers through education, promotion and networking.
NCCES - Retail Ready for Local Farm Products
Organized by Cooperative Extension Service, “Retail Ready for Local Farm Products” is a series of workshops to connect small and medium-sized farmers looking to sell into larger markets, with large-scale buyers (grocery stores, restaurants, produce distributors, etc) wanting to increase their purchasing from local farmers. The workshops feature panels of farmers and buyers and discussions about pricing for retail markets, quality assurance and packaging, insurance and risk management, and other vital issues.
CISA - Marketing 101 Manual
This guide, updated in 2012, is geared towards helping farmers develop and implement a marketing plan that will work for them, for their farm, and for their products. In this manual we’ll walk through how to create a brand for your business, identify your target audience, and choose the marketing strategies that match your farm, products, and resources.
NOFA-VT - Communicating Your Brand & Marketing Message
Helpful information on how to develop your brand's image and which marketing messages will reach your intended audience.
NCAT - Marketing Tip Sheets
Discusses pros, cons, key tips, and further resources for selling to 13 different types of markets
High Country Local First is a non-profit organization that seeks to strengthen our community and local economy by supporting locally owned, independent businesses and farmers through education, promotion and networking.
NCCES - Retail Ready for Local Farm Products
Organized by Cooperative Extension Service, “Retail Ready for Local Farm Products” is a series of workshops to connect small and medium-sized farmers looking to sell into larger markets, with large-scale buyers (grocery stores, restaurants, produce distributors, etc) wanting to increase their purchasing from local farmers. The workshops feature panels of farmers and buyers and discussions about pricing for retail markets, quality assurance and packaging, insurance and risk management, and other vital issues.
CISA - Marketing 101 Manual
This guide, updated in 2012, is geared towards helping farmers develop and implement a marketing plan that will work for them, for their farm, and for their products. In this manual we’ll walk through how to create a brand for your business, identify your target audience, and choose the marketing strategies that match your farm, products, and resources.
NOFA-VT - Communicating Your Brand & Marketing Message
Helpful information on how to develop your brand's image and which marketing messages will reach your intended audience.
NCAT - Marketing Tip Sheets
Discusses pros, cons, key tips, and further resources for selling to 13 different types of markets
Farmer's Market Sales
Plain Language Guide to Selling at the Farmer's Market
In this guide to selling at a Farmer's Market, you will learn about choosing and applying to a market along with designing your market stand, setting your prices, and making sales.
Tufts University - 10 ways to Increase Farmers Market Sales
Tips on how to entice buyers to buy your products.
In this guide to selling at a Farmer's Market, you will learn about choosing and applying to a market along with designing your market stand, setting your prices, and making sales.
Tufts University - 10 ways to Increase Farmers Market Sales
Tips on how to entice buyers to buy your products.
Potential Markets for Local Food in the High Country
*Farmers Markets
Every country in the High Country region features at least one Farmers' Market. Follow the above link to see Farmers' Market options close to you.
*New River Organic Growers Cooperative
New River Organic Growers works with over 65 farms in Carroll and Grayson County Virginia; Ashe, Allegheny, Watauga, Wilkes, Burke, Caldwell, Yancey, Mitchell and Avery County North Carolina. NROG serves as a distribution and aggregation component to our local food system.
*High Country CSA
High Country Community Supported Agriculture is a multi-farm CSA made up of 5 small, organic farms and a network of other producers.
TRACTOR
TRACTOR Food and Farms is a non-profit that works side by side with over 50 independent small family farms in the Appalachian Mountains in Burnsville, NC.
ASAP Wholesale Local Food Guide
A farm to business trade directory for Western North Carolina and the Southern Appalachian Mountains. This is a buyer’s guide to the products that local farms offer to businesses, and a farmer’s guide to products wholesale buyers are seeking.
Every country in the High Country region features at least one Farmers' Market. Follow the above link to see Farmers' Market options close to you.
*New River Organic Growers Cooperative
New River Organic Growers works with over 65 farms in Carroll and Grayson County Virginia; Ashe, Allegheny, Watauga, Wilkes, Burke, Caldwell, Yancey, Mitchell and Avery County North Carolina. NROG serves as a distribution and aggregation component to our local food system.
*High Country CSA
High Country Community Supported Agriculture is a multi-farm CSA made up of 5 small, organic farms and a network of other producers.
TRACTOR
TRACTOR Food and Farms is a non-profit that works side by side with over 50 independent small family farms in the Appalachian Mountains in Burnsville, NC.
ASAP Wholesale Local Food Guide
A farm to business trade directory for Western North Carolina and the Southern Appalachian Mountains. This is a buyer’s guide to the products that local farms offer to businesses, and a farmer’s guide to products wholesale buyers are seeking.
