For the first time, Kitsap’s farms and local food-oriented businesses can sign up to be on a visual representation of our local food scene. This year, KCAA will be creating a collaborative map of our local food businesses, placing it prominently in the Cascade Harvest Coalition’s Farm Guide for statewide distribution. In creating a collaborative map, we will be joining fellow counties, Jefferson, Clallam, and San Juan in creating five pages of engaging imagery in the first section of the guide. For a reference of what a Kitsap map will look like, check out this hi-res version of Jefferson’s and Clallam’s shared pages in last year’s guide: http://mattsircely.com/2014-north-olympic-peninsula-local-food-map/ 

We are excited to invite farms and local food businesses to participate in this cooperative ad, knowing that it is distributed throughout the Puget Sound to over 100,000 readers.

  Participating in the ad – the map is divided into a few dozen shares, where one share equals a simple listing and a spot on the map (as seen in the link example above). Some may opt for 2, 3, or 4 shares to create a display ad for greater presence. All space is provisioned fairly and proportionally, and a share price of $65 represents approx 70% off the best comparable listing in the guide. And because some of the businesses that most need advertising are those that who can usually least afford it, assistance is available to make sure everyone has the opportunity to participate.

 Please download the pricing sheet which includes several examples of how much information and artwork can be attained at each level of participation.

 Benefits – we are extremely excited to be working with Matt Sircely, the designer and organizer of the Jefferson and Clallam ads. If you’d like to reserve a display ad, Matt will work with you to design it for no additional fee. If you already have artwork available, he will either place it directly, or design a customized ad and bounce it back to you for feedback and confirmation.

 Beyond the affordability of the collaborative ad, farmers will also receive a free listing on the Puget Sound Fresh website and mobile app. If you already have a website, the link will increase your traffic and search ranking. If you don’t have a website, the web page can be a free new source of marketing for your future customers to discover. The incredible staff at Cascade Harvest Coalition connects directly with farmers to help get the page up and running. The mobile app allows tourists or restaurants being able to assess your farm location and product availability in just a moment. And remember, the Cascade Harvest Coalition staff is always on hand to offer marketing support to farms year-round.

 While the CHC has been creating the Farm Guide for years, they are always sweetening the deal for farmers who participate in the collaborative ad projects. This year, for the first time partnership with the Eat Well Guide, a nationwide platform which will link to everyone who chooses to have a free web listing. There is also ongoing discussion with Pierce County, which intends to create a search function for CSAs and U-Picks.

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Please respond with your level of interest or if you have any questions or concerns that we can talk through. If you know if any low-income farmers who deserve to be on the map, but may not be able to afford it, please pass along that special discounts are available, and every deserving producer should be on the map, regardless of ability to pay. Those who can afford it least should go on the map first.

 Time is of the essence to bring this project to the guide. It’s thrilling to know that with your investment of $65, you are also investing support of your neighbors, and in bringing the message to the rest of the state that agriculture is alive and thriving in Kitsap. If you’d like to take out a display ad for $130 (2 shares) or $260 (four shares), we’ll put you in touch with our designer right away so he can customize your content free of charge. Our goal is to pull this 100% together within the next couple weeks.

 Once we’ve placed our map in the guide, hundreds of thousands of potential customers will see it around the state. Furthermore, once it’s done, we own it. We can customize the artwork for any purpose all year long – posters, web imagery, it’s exciting to think what can happen when we all stick together.

 Please reserve your space on the map as soon as you can, or call us to ask any question you might have. Simply reply to this email.

 Thanks – we’ll be in touch!