Polk County Farmers Markets adopt new app to connect buyers with farmers

Growing Rural Opportunities announces the adoption of the FarmFan app to better connect with customers and eventually reward repeat visits. Customers who join the free FarmFan program will get “What’s Fresh” at the Columbus, Tryon, and Saluda markets by text message right before the market opens, including special offers from vendors.

“We love our market customers and wanted a better way to keep in touch with them about the wonderful products that we sell. We are excited!” said Erica Shanks, market manager for Columbus and Tryon.

In addition to weekly specials, customers can rely on the weekly text message to tell them about products that are only at the market for a very limited time, like fresh local strawberries. For last minute information like rain or weather-related cancellations, GRO will be in touch through the FarmFan text message to save a trip the market in these cases.

“In our busy modern lives, it can be easy to forget about the market or miss those precious weeks of fresh asparagus even for the most committed farmers market customers,” said Simon Huntley, creator of the FarmFan app, “so we created FarmFan to help bridge gap between farmers and their customers.”

Over 200 farms and farmers markets across the United States and Canada have adopted FarmFan since its release in January 2014. To sign up to be a FarmFan, customers should visit growrural.org.

– article submitted by Patrick McLendon