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March 28, 2024 3:37 am
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NCPC Gauging Local Interest In Farmers Market

By MAGGIE MCMURRAY

Moapa Valley Progress

The Nevada Community Prevention Coalition (NCPC) is looking to introduce a regular farmer’s market into Moapa Valley using local growers to supply and run it.
“When we looked at Moapa Valley we saw a tremendous community with a huge lack of local jobs,” said Michael Corti, the Executive Director of NCPC, a state-wide community substance abuse prevention program. “We don’t have the power to bring business into the area so we spoke with the Workforce Coalition and decided to look at this model here.”

According to Corti, the model has had success in other rural areas of the state. Dayton, NV suffered from a similar shortage of jobs. A farmer’s market was started in Dayton where those in need of employment were taught to grow vegetables that were used to make picante sauce. The vegetables were purchased from the growers, providing jobs and income, and then bottled into picante sauce and sold to vendors.
Corti hopes to have similar success with a farmer’s market in Moapa Valley.

An agreement has been made to use the former Catholic church building in downtown Overton for the market. Although the farmer’s market would initially be the only business in the old church, Corti hopes to eventually make the location into a community gathering center.
Corti said that funding for the project has been promised by the Nevada Department of Agriculture, but that there are still some points to be decided.

One of the main points is that potential growers must be identified, including any local single-parent families who would like to learn to grow the products to be sold. Part of the grant includes job training so even people who are not currently farmers or gardeners could participate.

In order to gauge local interest and feasibility, NCPC has hired Quail Hollow Farms operators Laura and Monte Bledsoe to gauge the level of interest for the project. Monte Bledsoe said that he is ready to conduct a survey of the community that looks at questions such as, “Would you be interested in supporting a farmer’s market as a buyer?”, “Would you be interested in becoming a grower?”, “What sort of products would you be interested in producing, selling, or buying?”, “What do you feel are the best days and times to have such a market?”

Initially the market would begin with just fresh fruits and vegetables because those are the easiest to obtain certification for from the Department of Agriculture, Bledsoe said.
There are additional requirements and certifications to sell eggs and cottage foods. But Bledsoe indicated that, if there was enough interest, the market could eventually expand to include those products as well.
Corti is excited about the project. “This project could put money in the pockets of low income families that don’t want to be on government assistance and want the pride of being self-sufficient.” he said.

The Bledsoes encourage anyone interested in the project to contact them. They can be reached a 702-218-5223 or 702-397-2021. If an answering machine is reached, callers are encouraged to leave a message for a return call. The Bledsoes can also be contacted through email at quailhollowfarm@mvdsl.com and by regular mail at PO Box 688, Overton, NV, 89040.

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