Coal-county farmers' market at last finds success

After being ranked as one of the least healthy counties in one of the least healthy states, and after five failed attempts at a farmers' market, Letcher County, Kentucky (Wikipedia map) has found success. Started last summer, the market has completed its pilot project and "is the first farmers market in Kentucky to be a USDA Summer Feeding Program site – simultaneously feeding Kentucky children, improving community health and providing new economic opportunities through Kentucky Agriculture," says a press release from Kentucky's Community Farm Alliance.

The farmers' market was created as part of Shaping our Appalachian Region, which searches for ways to improve and diversify the economy of Appalachian Kentucky. Kentucky "currently ranks 45th for Summer Feeding Program participation – meaning that many Kentucky children are going hungry in the summer, at the height of Kentucky’s growing season," says the press release. (Read more)