For 12 years, the Historic Lewes Farmers Market (HLFM) has awarded scholarships to small-scale Delmarva farmers to attend sustainable farming conferences including these conferences: the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA) Annual Farming for the Future Conference held February 6-9, 2019 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania; Future Harvest CASA Conference held January 17-19, 2019 in College Park, Maryland; and the Southeast Fruit and Vegetable Conference held January 10-13, 2019 in Savannah, Georgia.
This year, three-$400 scholarships were awarded. Scholarships from their regular scholarship fund went to: Henry Bennett from Bennett Orchards in Frankford, Delaware and Taylor Heydt from Heydt of Summer Farm in Salisbury, Maryland. In 2016, the Historic Lewes Farmers Market established an emerging women farmers’ scholarship fund in loving memory of Delaware farmer Debra Schaefer. One farmer received a Debra Schaefer Scholarship for Emerging Women Farmers: Patricia King from 6 Kings Farm/Just Flocking Off in Frankford, Delaware.
Consistent with its mission, the Board of Directors of the HLFM is committed to supporting farmers and emerging farmers who grow local fruits, vegetables and produce, and these scholarships help small Delmarva farmers become educated about sustainable farming practices.
