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community around Creating food<br />
learn, make trades, and form business partnerships.<br />
As the manager of both markets, Daley says she’s closely<br />
involved with each but spends more time involved in the<br />
Perry’s Farmers Market because of the close proximity to<br />
Bodega Brew. Daley’s business partner Lori Freeman is more<br />
involved with the farmers market in Warner Robins. “We<br />
have to fundraise for the market, so we’re fundraising all<br />
the time for both markets to pay people to manage it on the<br />
day of,” said Daley, explaining how involved she is on a daily<br />
basis. “We take debit, credit, and cash. The farmers take cash.<br />
Some have their own credit card machines; many do not. As a<br />
market, we have a credit card machine where people then can<br />
get tokens and we run their credit card, so instead of giving<br />
them cash, we give tokens to shop with at the market.”<br />
By JAMES SIMPSON II<br />
HHJ Staff Writer<br />
While serving as the lead person at her burgeoning café Bodega<br />
Brew in Perry, GA, Jodi Daley has had her hands dipped completely<br />
in the Farmers market scene in both Perry and Warner Robins for<br />
a couple of years now. The International City Farmers Market in<br />
Warner Robins located at Perkins Field at the corner of Watson<br />
Boulevard and Maple Street (Thursdays from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.)<br />
has developed into one of the premier venues in Warner Robins.<br />
The Perry Farmers Market, which takes place on Carroll Street in<br />
downtown Perry every Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., has<br />
evolved into a favorite local hot spot throughout the community.<br />
The International City Farmers Market in Warner Robins started<br />
in 2010 and is now the largest farmers market in Middle Georgia,<br />
while the Perry Farmers Market started in 2001. “The International<br />
City Farmers Market started about nine years ago and I ran it for<br />
about three years,” said Daley. “Then the City of Perry asked me to<br />
help manage their market and that’s how I got involved with the<br />
Perry Farmers Market.”<br />
Daley took over the Perry’s Farmers Market in 2013. “Both<br />
markets are year-round. There are not enough growers in middle<br />
Georgia so we’re continually looking for people to grow fruits<br />
and vegetables that we’d like to sell,” said Daley. “Even if you’re a<br />
backyard grower, we want them to contact us.”<br />
Both markets are managed by Land to Hand, a non-profit<br />
organization that supports organic, sustainable business practices<br />
through food policy, farmers markets, events, community gardens,<br />
and commercial kitchens. The organization’s main purpose is to<br />
focus on nutrition and local food supplies that will improve health,<br />
reduce poverty, and grow the economy in Central Georgia. Land to<br />
Hand also aims to connect with food producers and consumers to<br />
Both markets are known to carry a mixture of quality<br />
items like seasonal fruits and vegetables, raised and wellproduced<br />
beef, pork, chicken, and lamb, baked goods, bread,<br />
jams and jellies, naturally made body care products such as<br />
bath bombs, and so much more. Both markets hold special<br />
events throughout the year including cooking dinners,<br />
children’s activities, cooking contests, art exhibits, having<br />
local musicians perform, etc. “We are always looking for help<br />
and more volunteers to do programming and educational<br />
things,” said Daley.<br />
52<br />
At Home in Houston County<br />
52-55 Farmer's Market Story.indd 1 10/25/18 3:43 PM