Dede Beck, Uncle John's Cider Mill
Eight years ago, I joined my husband's family farm: Uncle John's Cider Mill, and was quickly transformed into a "Farm Marketer." The Cider Mill and Market is in its 33rd season, although the farm itself has been in the family for over 100 years. On our farm, we grow apples, pumpkins, cherries, blueberries and asparagus and sell them all retail at our market. We also have a bakery, Cider Mill, Gift Shop, Winery and Tasting Room, as well as the outdoor entertainment including a Train, Wagon, Pumpkin Patch, and Corn Maze. 
   My educational background is in Journalism with advertising, public relations and marketing as my areas of study. My job at the farm is very broad and consists of many things: accounting, advertising, hiring, training, merchandising, ordering, and product development to name a few. Last year, my husband and I built an on-farm Winery and Tasting Room that has proven very successful.
    www.ujcidermill.com

Mike Bevins, Iowa Dept of Ag & Land Stewardship
    www.state.ia.us/agriculture.edu

Wayne Bishop, Bishop's Pumpkin Farm, Inc
 www.webpumpkins.com

Pamela Boyar, Sunset Valley Farmers' Market
    www.SunsetValleyFarmersMarket.org

Darlene Cavanaugh, Alberta Farmers' Market Association
Executive Director of AFMA. An association executive for 15 years. Most currently contracted to the Alberta Farmers' Markets' Association. An Albertan all her life, Darlene grew up on a farm outside of Edmonton.
  www.albertamarkets.com

Jeff Cole, Federation of Massachusetts Farmers' Markets
 www.massfarmersmarkets.org 

Kerry Engel, Alberta Ag Food & Rural Dev.
Kerry Engel. NAFDMA Director, Canada West.  Kerry leads the Farm Direct Marketing  Initiative for Alberta Agriculture, Food & Rural Development where she is responsible for farm direct marketing, extension program development. Kerry chairs Alberta's provincial farm direct marketing conference Explore Direct and is the publisher of the Alberta Agri-preneur, a quarterly newsletter for farm direct and ag-tourism entrepreneurs.  www.agric.gov.ab.ca

Kelly Fuerstenberg, White Loaf Ridge Management Company
As White Loaf Ridge Management Company's publications director, Kelly serves as communications director for NAFDMA, one of WLR's clients. She writes and edits The Market Connection, the association's bimonthly newsletter. She also writes press releases and Web copy and produces NAFDMA's printed materials, including brochures, conference program, and annual yearbook.
   Before joining WLR, she was field editor of New England Farmer magazine and contributing editor of Corporate Report Wisconsin. She has a B.S. in animal science from the University of Connecticut and an M.S. in agricultural journalism from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is president of the Northeast Farm Communicators Association and sells cut flowers at a farmers' market.
www.whiteloafridge.com

Gail Hayden, California Farmers' Markets Association
 www.cafarmersmkts.com

Rob Leeds, Ohio State University Extension
He is from a planet far far away and brings joy were ever he is found.

Randii MacNear, Davis Farmers' Market
 MARKET MANAGER, 1978-80 & 1984 - Present (24 years of service)
     Originally a New Yorker, I moved to California in 1975. I graduated from Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio in 1975 with a B.A. in Art. I became manager in 1978 of a young (4 year old) Davis Farmers Market and returned to the position in 1984, after having two children. I have functioned as the Market Manager for a total of 23 years.  
     During the last 26 years of operation, the twice weekly year-round Davis Farmers Market has expanded to become one of the largest certified farmers market in California and one with a national reputation, being featured in Sunset magazine, Country America magazine, National Public Radio, featured on MTV and in dozens of published cookbooks. 
     In the Davis community I served as President of the Davis Chamber of Commerce in 1989 and participate on several Davis Downtown Business Association committees.
     Most recently, I have been awarded the "2002 Farmers Market Manager of the Year" by the North American Farmers' Direct Marketing Association. In the farmers market industry, I have served in several capacities, including statewide coordinator of the Certified Farmers Market component of the California Department of Health Services Children's 5-A-Day Campaign; statewide coordinator and co-founder of the industry organization, the California Federation of Certified Farmers' Markets; and featured speaker at over 12 farm conferences in California, nationwide, and internationally.
     Consulting work in the industry has included farmers market projects in Japan and Hawaii including trips to both those areas, and New Mexico Permanent Public Market site; and USDA-funded Small Farm Center project on Professional Management of Farmers Markets (including writing a chapter for that project).
     I am currently a Board member of the North American Farmers' Direct Marketing Association, the California Farm Conference, the Small Farm Center Agricultural Tourism Workgroup and the Davis Farm to School Project.
     I have lived in Davis since 1975. I have two children, Aaron, age 22 and attending UCDavis and Hailey, age 20, attending Oberlin College in Ohio. My hobbies are dancing, exercise and health.
    www.davisfarmersmarket.com

Richard McCarthy, Economics Institute - Loyola University
Richard McCarthy is co-founder and executive director of marketumbrella.org at Loyola University New Orleans. Pledged to initiate and promote the ecology of local economies, it manages a roster of public markets, animates public space, mentors others, and models best practices in the field of community-based economic development. Its flagship Crescent City Farmers Market operates year-round, four days per week, and has a combined economic impact of more than $6 million. He is a member of the Farmers' Market Coalition's council. He regularly provides technical assistance to communities near and far. In 2002, he led a team of civil society activists to attend the UN World Summit On Sustainable Development.
    www.CresentCityFarmersMarket.org

Chalmers Mikell, South Carolina Farm Bureau
I have worked with South Carolina Farm Bureau Federation (SCFBF) since 1988. My responsibilities in the Governmental Relations Department include coordinating our Farm Bureau Fruit, Vegetable, and Ornamental Horticulture/Turf grass Commodity Advisory Committees, our Certified Roadside Market Program and Local Government initiatives.
   NAFDMA has proven to be quite a resource and tool for SCFBF and for our program. The SCFB Roadside Market Program and many of our members have enjoyed membership in NAFDMA and the benefits associated with the annual conferences and bus tours. I have participated in and witnessed many ideas and projects undertaken and put into place as a result of participation in NAFDMA events. Our Roadside Program Executive Committee felt so strongly about what NAFDMA offers to members that we initiated a membership incentive to our member markets that attend NAFDMA annual events.
   Agriculture is ever changing in America, the Southeast and in South Carolina. I see direct marketing and the associated activities offering opportunities for producers to differentiate and add to their operation(s). The group of landowners and producers interested in this “added value” at the farm is a growing sector and NAFDMA is in place to guide and inform. NAFDMA and its organization provide an avenue to not only educate producers and market operators but also to use this membership to reach out to educate the general public.

Vickie Parker-Clark, WSU Extension - NE District
Vickie has been on the NAFDMA board for 6 years. She works with Extension faculty, non-profits, and farmers/ranchers who use farm direct marketing to enhance their farm income.

Miles Phillips, TAMU Dept. of Recreation, Parks & Tourism
Mr. Phillips  is a member of the Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences Department. He holds a Masters Degree in Parks & Recreation Management from West Virginia University and a BS Degree in Engineering with a minor in Marketing from the University of Illinois. He has conducted ecotourism work in Ecuador, Peru, Mexico, West Virginia, and South Carolina, and Texas.
   Mr Phillips regularly conducts presentations, workshops and individual consultations and training programs with firms & communities and those interested in developing nature tourism operations. Currently he is involved  with ranchers, private landowners/tour operators and rural agricultural community development through nature tourism . He supports county extension agents with Nature Tourism assistance across Texas.
   Mr Phillips has worked as a Interpretive Tour Guide and is an NAI certified Interpretive Guide Trainer. In addition to serving on the board of various non-profit organizations he is a member of the Texas Travel Industry Association's Nature Tourism Council and the Texas State Agency Tourism Council, and the National Extension Tourism Design Team.
   Currently he is working on a variety of Wildlife Photography programs including youth digital photo programs and a publication on design, installation and rental of photography blinds as a conservation enterprise program for private landowners & organizations.
   Past experience includes working as Coastal Recreation & Tourism Specialist for Sea Grant Extension in South Carolina, Environmental Education Project Leader for Fundacion Natura in Ecuador, leading wilderness canoe trips in northern Minnesota, designing web pages for various ecotourism and outdoor recreation organizations, designing and conducting surveys to evaluate trail systems and user perceptions of quality. Researching and analyzing data on forest dependent communities to examine the relationship of benefits derived from the wood products industry, tourism and sustenance harvest of wild products. Environmental consulting as an Environmental Engineer with Conestoga-Rovers & Assoc. working on projects ranging from local site assessments to multi-year, multi-million dollar remediation projects.
   He is married with two young sons ages 3 and 1 and is proud to tell you about the time while tent camping  the family was awakened by a Great Horned Owl calling from just above the tent, and his 18 month old son knew enough about birds to wake up and say “Owl!?” before falling back to sleep.
http://naturetourism.tamu.edu

Debbie Pifer, White House Fruit Farm, Inc.
Debbie Pifer is one of the third generation owners of White House Fruit Farm in Canfield, Ohio. The Hull family grows and retails many fruits and vegetables from a 12,000 sq ft year around farm market, along with deli, baked goods, and many specialty foods. Debbie is currently a NAFDMA Board member. She is past president of the Ohio Direct Agricultural Association and Salem Fruit Growers Cooperative. She also serves on the Ohio Apple Marketing Assocation Board. Debbie and her husband, John, who is the farm's vegetable grower, have a 12 year old son, John.
   www.whitehousefruitfarm.com

Bonnie Remlinger, Remlinger Farms
Why I have animals and what I have created with them. I’m a trained WSU Livestock Advisor in Snohomish County and helped extend the training into King County. Washington State has a program that is much like The Master Gardeners program. Trained volunteers help the County Extension give public information about farm animal health, well being, housing, clean water, pasture management, mud control, pest control, and so on. There are very strict control rules in our area regarding animals and land use. Livestock Advisors help with educational sessions around the county, manage the petting farms at the State fairs, answer telephone questions for the extension office and help do “on-farm” plans and tours.
    I am very concerned about e-coli contamination for my guests from my animals. I have read lots of information and worked with our state veterinary and public health department. There have been 4 major outbreaks of e-coli in Washington State. The first public e-coli out-break blamed on an animal petting display was at our State Fair in September. This out-break happened two weeks before I opened my October tours that feature my farm animals. I was afraid after this scare that no one would come to our farm because I had animals. I host 20,000 children on school tours in October.  This is a major income for our washing stations with lots of signs to help my guest feel comfortable and safe.  No one  cancelled that year. After this e-coli outbreak at our State Fair which blamed the petting farm, all the fair petting animals were tested for e-coli and all results came back negative but the only news media that reported this fact was ‘”the Capital Press” farm paper. (What does that tell you?). Our state has had two more animal blamed e-coli out-breaks; both out-breaks were from the same farm. What they did wrong was to have all the children wash hands in one bucket of water without changing the water (need I say more). I asked the state Vet if I could have my animals tested for e-coli and I was told, NO! If the animals didn’t have e coli today, it is not proof that they wouldn’t have it tomorrow. That procedure was not only, “not recommended,” it was discouraged, because it would cause false security for me and my guests.
   I have been around animals all my life. I was raised by my grandparents who were retired dairy farmers with nine children that were operating their own farms. Even though I didn’t live on a working farm, I had lots of visits and experiences to farms that most kids never have. This unique background, plus an experience I had talking to a group of girl scouts from Seattle who were visiting a camp near my home, has spurred me to develop our animal viewing display on our farm. When I was 12, riding my horse, this group of girls asked if they could pet my cow (I did not ride a cow). Shocked, mad at first, I quickly realized that these poor girls were serious and really did not know the difference between a cow and a horse. I felt that they were very unfortunate and deprived not to live like I did.  Now, I teach the difference between goats and sheep, ducks and geese, and all the rest of the animals that live on a farm.  Thirty years ago we had frame of a barn that was no longer used for growing plants. I talked my husband, Gary into wrapping it in wire and building pens inside to house my farm friends.  I could not live without animals and I was really struggling to raise my children with the same healthy experiences that I had had. I used the excuse that if I had animals they could be a draw to our farm. They would be available for our customers (all the kids who didn’t have a grandpa or uncle farm to visit) to experience animals at our farm. It worked very well. I remember one winter, rainy day when we were closed and the parking lot was full of cars. We were surprised to find all the people in the animal barn. We will find people there even on Christmas day. When our growing green house that was located in front of the animal enclosure fell down due to a heavy snow we were able to see all the traffic that was going into the animal area. It was then Gary finally realized that this was a valuable attraction and an OK expense for our farm; however my goal was for it to pay for itself or even make money, which it finally does today.
    Horses have been my favorite animal. I belonged to a pony club as a teen which is the most disciplined equine teaching. For my children I became a 4/H leader and “a horseshow mom." After they were grown, I got one pony for the animal display and started letting the visiting kids sit on her. Now I have sixteen hand-led ponies that take riders through an equestrian maze. This attraction is open every week-end May-October and everyday June to Labor Day. The area behind our market has developed into a complete children’s farm amusement play area. From going on NAFDMA bus tours and to Conferences we have added and developed a “Farm Fun Park” for children10 & under, it has become a business all its own. After the Toronto Conference we added a party coral to host birthdays. The birthday business has increased and sustained our park. Pre-booked parties come even if it is raining.  It is amazing how one idea has compounds into so many more.
   www.remlingerfarms.com

Al Rose, Red Apple Farm
 www.redapplefarm.com

Andrew Stout, Full Circle Farm
   www.fullcirclefarm.com

Mary Vollmer, Vollmer Farm
Mary lives in Bunn, NC with her husband Russ and three children, Jacob, John and Margaret. She married into a farm family and until that time 14 years ago had no agricultural experience. The Vollmers have a strawberry and pumpkin farm in Bunn, which is 30 minutes east of Raleigh, NC. They grow approximately 6 acres of strawberries on plastic and retail them at their farm market along with 5 neighboring satellite stands. In the fall, the Vollmer’s host a Fall Harvest Festival. They open “the Back Forty” for family entertainment activities to the public as well as approximately 8000+ children for educational tours.
    www.vollmerfarm.com

Brent Warner, BC Ministry Of Agriculture
Brent Warner is the Industry Agritourism Specialist  with the BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food. With his horticulture production and marketing experience, he has assisted farmers in British Columbia for the past 23 years to produce and market their crops.
   He created the South Vancouver Island Direct Farm Marketing Association and the Fraser Valley Direct Farm marketing organizations in 1985, and those organizations have grown to represent close to 200 farmers that market their own products. In 1999 he helped to launch the BC Association of Farmers’ Markets which in 2004 represents approximately 50% of the urban markets in the Province.
   In 1994 he was awarded the Agrologist of the year by the British Columbia Institute of Professional Agrologists for his “outstanding professional contributions to the Agricultural Industry.”
   He is the original (1992) Canadian board member of the North American Farmers Direct Farm Marketing Association (NAFDMA) and in 1998 brought the North American Conference to Victoria for the first time.
   He is currently the longest serving member on the Executive Board of the NAFDMA (12 years) and the board liaison to the North American Farmers’ Market Coalition. At the 2000 NAFDMA Conference in Ohio he was awarded the “Outstanding Leadership Award”. This was the only time in the 20-year history of the Association a Canadian has been the recipient.
   In 2002 in conjunction with Charlie Touchette of the North American Farmers’ Direct Marketing Association(NAFDMA), he co-authored ,a marketing guide for progressive farmers, “Marketing on the Edge” which is available across North America through NAFDMA and publishers, the Canada Farm Business Management Council.
   In demand as a speaker on agritourism and farm diversification, he has spoken at events and conferences all over North America. Due to the rapid change affecting agriculture world wide, he has been invited to share his insights and energies from Hawaii to Prince Edward Island and Idaho and California to Boston.
    www.infobasket.gov.ca

Bertie Wells, BC Association of Farmers' Market
Bertie sat on Armstrong Farmers’ Market board of directors and served as Secretary/treasure from 1996 until 2002. In 2000 she was nominated to sit on the first board of directors for the BC Association of Farmers’ Market. She is currently the Executive Director for the BC Association of Farmers Market. This position allows for her to visit the farmers’ market and meet the board of directors and market managers of each market. She promotes advocates and consults with all the farmers’ markets in BC. At the NAFDMA conference in Boston she was elected to sit on the North American Farmers’ Market Coalition and is presently attending meetings to form a Canadian Farmers’ Market Coalition. Bertie has a passion for farmers’ markets. Bertie is currently enrolled in Bachelor of Business Administration, majoring in marketing.
    www.bcfarmersmarket.org

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