Table 1 Participant characteristics for 263 farmers’ market customers surveyed at 15 different farmers markets and roadside produce stands in northeastern North Carolina
Characteristic | N | Mean | Standard Deviation |
|---|---|---|---|
Age (years) | 251 | 55.6 | 16.5 |
Body mass index (kg/m2) | 219 | 28.7 | 7.0 |
Fruit (servings/day) | 253 | 2.5 | 1.3 |
Vegetables (servings/day) | 254 | 2.6 | 1.2 |
Fruits and vegetables (servings/day) | 252 | 5.0 | 2.1 |
Typical amount spent on produce at a farmers’ market (dollars) | 245 | 18.9 | 14.7 |
Geographic Information System (GIS) measured distance to closest farmers’ market from residential address (miles) | 196 | 3.9 | 3.9 |
GIS measured distance from the residential address to the farmers’ market where participant was surveyed (miles) | 196 | 10.9 | 18.4 |
Difference in GIS measured distance between the market where the participant was surveyed and the market closest to home (miles) | 196 | 7.0 | 17.7 |
Characteristic | N | Frequency | Percentage |
Gender (% female) | 255 | 186 | 72.9 |
Education (% with some college or more) | 252 | 192 | 76.2 |
Race (% black) | 248 | 50 | 20.2 |
Race (% white) | 248 | 181 | 73.0 |
Race (% other) | 248 | 17 | 6.9 |
Ethnicity (% Hispanic) | 227 | 6 | 2.6 |
Income (% over 40,000) | 185 | 114 | 61.6 |
Currently receive WIC (% yes) | 252 | 11 | 4.4 |
Redeemed WIC at a farmers’ market (% yes) | 263 | 7 | 2.7 |
Currently receive SNAP (% yes) | 251 | 18 | 7.2 |
Used SNAP at Farmers’ Market (% yes) | 263 | 3 | 1.1 |
Participate in Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (% yes) | 263 | 5 | 1.9 |
Servings of fruit | 253 | Frequency | Percentage |
1 per day | 63 | 24.9 | |
2 per day | 82 | 32.4 | |
3 per day | 59 | 23.3 | |
4 per day | 31 | 12.3 | |
5 per day | 10 | 4.0 | |
6 or more per day | 8 | 3.2 | |
Servings of vegetables | 254 | Frequency | Percentage |
1 per day | 33 | 13.0 | |
2 per day | 121 | 47.6 | |
3 per day | 49 | 19.3 | |
4 per day | 34 | 13.4 | |
5 per day | 10 | 3.9 | |
6 or more per day | 7 | 2.8 | |
Self-reported increase in fruit and vegetable consumption as a result of shopping at farmers’ markets (% yes) | 253 | 151 | 59.7 |
Self-reported increase in variety of fruit and vegetable consumed as a result of shopping at farmers’ markets (% yes) | 252 | 123 | 48.8 |
Frequency of shopping at a farmers’ market | 257 | Frequency | Percentage |
A few times per year | 40 | 15.6 | |
2–3 times per month | 28 | 10.9 | |
Once per month | 25 | 9.7 | |
One time per week | 104 | 40.5 | |
2 or more times per week | 49 | 19.1 | |
Proportion of produce purchased at farmers’ markets compared to other goods | 254 | Frequency | Percentage |
0–24% produce | 26 | 10.2 | |
25–49% produce | 23 | 9.1 | |
50–74% produce | 36 | 14.2 | |
75–99% produce | 89 | 35.0 | |
100% produce | 80 | 31.5 | |
Fruits and vegetables are less expensive at the farmers’ market compared to other places (n, % yes) | 252 | 125 | 49.6 |
Motivators for shopping at farmers’ markets (n, % yes) | 263 | Frequency | Percentage |
Support local farmers | 103 | 39.2 | |
Fresher Produce | 123 | 46.8 | |
Produce tastes better | 63 | 24.0 | |
Better prices | 23 | 8.8 | |
It is close to home | 32 | 12.2 | |
It is close to work | 3 | 1.1 | |
Produce is grown with fewer pesticides | 33 | 12.6 | |
Good service | 40 | 15.2 | |
Quality of products | 58 | 22.1 | |
Variety of products | 27 | 10.3 | |
Consistency of the products | 13 | 4.9 | |
Convenient Location | 32 | 12.2 | |
Friendly atmosphere | 63 | 24.0 | |
Barriers to shopping at farmers’ markets | 263 | Frequency | Percentage |
No Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program | 9 | 3.4 | |
No credit or debit accepted | 22 | 8.4 | |
Not enough money to shop | 11 | 4.2 | |
No transportation to market | 2 | 0.8 | |
Prices are too high | 10 | 3.8 | |
Extreme weather | 13 | 4.9 | |
Not enough parking | 3 | 1.1 | |
Market days and hours aren’t convenient | 46 | 17.5 | |
Out of the way | 37 | 14.1 | |
I get what I need from other places | 24 | 9.1 | |
Do not know where markets are | 11 | 4.2 |