Edgecombe Woman Brings Road Side Produce Stand Back to the Road

Roadside produce stands used to be common in North Carolina until large highways took customers off the back roads. But an Edgecombe County woman is working to turn that around. Jennifer Paramore and her husband Chester represent a new generation of farmers selling their goods directly to us.

"The more convenient we make things for our customers, the better response we got, and we felt that by coming here in town, we would do an even better job of marketing to our customers," said Jennifer Paramore

Almost everything in Paramore'sTarboromarket, from the hot peppers to the homemade jams, are grown or made in North Carolina. Paramore impressed state agriculture leaders so much that she just brought home the Young Female Farmer of the Year award.

"They try to buy all of the produce that they sell right from the local area, so it's basically from the farm to the family," explained Edgecombe County Agriculture Agent Joe Dickens.

"We've had a real good response from the town. It seems to be something that people wanted. Somewhere they could go knowing they could get something that was just picked," said Paramore

Vegetables typically do not bring in as much money as tobacco or livestock, but this family has found that an old ideacanbring in new customers.

Paramore says business is already starting to slow down a little because of the cold weather. Her market will probably close in a few weeks before re-opening after the new year.