In our first year at the Master’s Table Farm Market, BRIDGES sponsored 14 educational presentations on locally produced products, nutrition, and healthy cooking techniques. Surveys were completed each week at each site providing us with extensive information about the social and economic demographics of our farm market shoppers, their food habits, dietary choices, buying patterns, and what they would like to see in the future to keep them returning.
While we were able to gather considerable data from our 5 surveys, we are aware that the survey design needs to be reviewed and vetted by a social scientist survey design specialist in order for the results to be scientifically accepted. This is a one-time expense that would allow us and other markets in the region to repeatedly collect quantifiable and qualitative data essential for establishing benchmarks, measuring success, and identifying future needs and opportunities for sustainable growth.
These statistics are invaluable as we continue to refine the distribution model to be more workable for the producers, more accessible to the consumers, sustainable by the community, and replicable for other regions. Currently, there are no data collection instruments in place anywhere in Connecticut that we are aware of. The future of local food communities and our ability to meet the needs of our low-income seniors is directly dependant on this quantifiable information.