Councilwoman Mary Jackson is involved, as a citizen of Turlock, in a newly formed group of volunteers who are working to resurrect the Turlock Farmer’s Market from May to October 2010 and beyond.
This Farmer’s Market Committee is comprised of about 10 people and the first meeting’s attendance included Turlock City Manager Roy Wasden and Executive Director of the Turlock Downtown Property Owner’s Association Trina Walley as well as downtown business owners, CSU Stanislaus professors, agriculture representatives, and volunteers; all who want to see a new and improved Farmer’s Market.
“Our hope is to re-create the success of the previous market which brought between three to five thousand people each week,” said Mary Jackson.
The Farmer’s Market Committee is looking to their local and regional farmers who might be interested in offering to sell their produce each week.
Mary Jackson says “We understand the commitment it takes to add a new market day but we believe the Turlock community can and will support a Farmer’s Market.”
While the effort to resurrect the Turlock Farmer’s Market is based around the one we all loved to attend on Thursday nights held in Historic Turlock Downtown, the committee is seeking input from the community (by Friday) including how to market/advertise the event, what day/time it should be held, where should the farmer’s market be, and do people consider the farmer’s market to be a social event.
The Turlock Farmer’s Market committee is also looking for more volunteers and if any of you would like to get involved with the organizing and planning of the new Farmer’s Market, please call 585-7372 or email mary4turlock@sbcglobal.net.
Allison Van Guilder, Steve Williams, and Sarah Eddy, current EMBA students at CSU, Stanislaus, are conducting a feasibility study on a farmer’s market in Turlock, as their final project. As part of their project, the following questionnaire has been developed in order to provide important data for this study.
Thank you in advance for agreeing to take time from your busy schedule to complete this questionnaire.
City of Turlock
Farmer’s Market
Questionnaire
Instructions:
When completing the questionnaire, please be honest with your answers, providing as much detailed information as possible. Please feel free to add additional pages if we have not provided enough space for comments. In addition to the questionnaire, please complete the consent form and return it with your responses.
Returning Results:
Completed questionnaires can be faxed to (209) 667-6536, or returned to City Hall, Human Resources Division, 156 S. Broadway, Suite 235, Turlock. For questions, please call 620-1493. Completed questionnaires must be returned by 5 PM on Friday, September 18, 2009.
1. Why would you like to see a farmer’s market in the City of Turlock? Please explain your answer.
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2. What location would be the most effective place to hold a farmer’s market in the City of Turlock?
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3. In your opinion, what factors contributed to the original success and eventual breakdown of the farmer’s market in the past?
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4. What types of vendors do you think a farmer’s market should include?
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5. Who would be the key stakeholders in the development and implementation of a farmer’s market?
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6. Should the farmer’s market be managed as a non-profit or under the umbrella of another organization? Provide supporting ideas to your position.
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7. What role does City government play in facilitating the farmer’s market?
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8. What would be the most efficient and effective marketing strategy?
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9. What is the purpose of the farmer’s market?
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10. Does entertainment enhance or detract from the farmer’s market experience? Please explain.
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11. Do food vendors enhance or detract from the farmer’s market experience? Please explain.
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12. Do vendors other than produce vendors enhance or detract from the farmer’s market experience? Please explain.
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13. Did downtown business owners experience an increase in sales on the evenings of the farmer’s market? If so, approximately what percentage?
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14. How does time of day, day of week and frequency impact the farmer’s market? What do you think the best combination is?
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15. What will the target market for the Turlock Farmers’ Market be? (i.e. Seniors, Families, etc.)
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16. Do you consider the farmer’s market to be a social event? Please explain.
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17. Would you be interested in a park and ride service in order to alleviate parking related issues? Please identify any other parking related issues.
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18. What types of additional support services or infrastructure would enhance the farmer’s market experience?
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19. How far reaching are the economic benefits of a farmer’s market?
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20. Does the farmer’s market have a potentially negative economic impact on existing business in Turlock?
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21. Should those organizations that have a stake in the success of the farmer’s market also provide some financial support to the farmer’s market? Please explain.
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22. What safety concerns do you have in regard to the farmer’s market?
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23. Is there any other information you would like to provide to us?
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Informed Consent Instructions and Standard Form
Dear Participant:
You are being asked to participate in a research project that is being done to fulfill requirements for a Master’s degree in Business at CSU Stanislaus. We hope to learn about the feasibility of reestablishing a farmer’s market in the City of Turlock. We hope to identify the aspects that will improve the chances for success in our community. If you decide to volunteer, you will be asked to participate in an individual interview or focus group in order to obtain your insight and perspectives on reestablishing the farmer’s market in the City of Turlock. Interviews will span no more than one hour and the pool of interview subjects will range from 5 to 10 individuals.
A. There are no risks to you for your participation in this study.
It is possible that you will not benefit directly by participating in this study. The information collected will be protected from all inappropriate disclosure under the law. All data will be maintained for a period of 1 year and will be discarded/destroyed by November 1, 2010. We cannot guarantee confidentiality but we can guarantee anonymity.
There is no cost to you beyond the time and effort required to complete the procedure(s) described above. Your participation is voluntary. Refusal to participate in this study will involve no penalty or loss of benefits. You may withdraw at any time without penalty or loss of benefits.
If you agree to participate, please indicate this decision by signing below. If you have any questions about this research project please contact any member of our team at the numbers listed below or our faculty sponsor, Dr. Ashour Badal at 209-262-7366. If you have any questions regarding your rights and participation as a research subject, please contact Lauren Gee, Campus Compliance, California State University, Stanislaus at (209) 667-3747.
Sincerely,
Sarah Eddy Allison Van Guilder Steven Williams
EMBA Student EMBA Student EMBA Student
668-5542 x. 1107 668-5542 x. 1502 668-5550 x.6697
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Participant Name Printed
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Participant Signature
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