As we look back on 2023, there have been significant strides taken towards increasing access to local food in the Klamath Basin. Klamath Grown has played a large role in this, as a non-profit food hub on a mission to bring people together around local food through community engagement, education, improved food access and producer support. One aspect of Klamath Grown’s work in the community is the year-round online market, where local farmers, ranchers and makers sell their products. The market opened in December 2022, officially marking one year in operation.
Klamath Grown
2023 highlights:
• The top three products that sold were strawberries, tomatoes, and chicken eggs.
• Klamath Grown sold over $94,000 in local food.
• 307 customers that shopped on the market.
• 27 Klamath Basin producers sold their products on the online market.
• Klamath Grown gleaned over $9,000 in local food that was distributed to youth and families served by Integral Youth Services and Klamath Tribal Health and Family Services.
• 40 local producers are featured on Klamath Grown’s local food directory.
• Klamath Grown is now accepting WIC/Senior Farm Direct Dollars and participating in the Double Up Food Bucks program.
Klamath Falls Farmers Market
The Klamath Falls Farmers Market also had a successful, impactful year. The farmers market is open every Saturday, June-October in downtown Klamath Falls and is known as a gathering place, bringing together community members, visitors, farmers, ranchers and makers. It has been in operation since 2000 and this year, they are celebrating 25 years.
2023 highlights:
• 37 local food vendors sold at the farmers market.
• Young entrepreneurs had a strong presence at the market.
• The market added new shade, seating and handicapped parking.
• First year organizing a farm-to-table fundraiser event, with the help of the newly founded “Friends of the Farmers Market” group.
• $37,600 total was spent by customers in SNAP and DUFB dollars and reimbursed to farmers. This represents about 15% of what the market’s producers took in for the season.
Klamath Grown and the Klamath Falls Farmers Market couldn’t have accomplished all of these incredible feats in 2023 if it hadn’t been for the support of this community. We are looking forward to continuing to work with Klamath Basin producers, boosting the local economy and increasing access to food in 2024. Stay tuned for exciting new things coming up this year!
Check out the online market, local food directory and learn more about Klamath Grown at klamathgrown.org and follow on Instagram and Facebook, @klamathgrown
To receive Klamath Falls Farmers Market and local food updates, sign up for the newsletter: https://tinyurl.com/KFFM-updates and like on Facebook.
This article first appeared on Herald and News and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.