Building Community Resilience, One Market at a Time: Red River Gorge Farmers Market and Kentucky Double Dollars
When the Red River Gorge Farmers Market (RRGFM) opened in 2019, it began with a vision: grow a farmers market that not only serves the local community, but strengthens the people growing the food. Nestled in Slade, Kentucky, a region better known for its natural beauty than access to fresh produce, the market became a gathering space and a lifeline.
But like many small rural markets, RRGFM faced a challenge: How do you serve a low-income community while still sustaining your vendors?
That’s where the Kentucky Double Dollars (KDD) program made a difference.
Meeting the Moment
In 2023, as RRGFM planned for its third season, the team applied to join the KDD program, which matches SNAP, WIC, and Senior nutrition benefits for fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, and more. They were accepted, and immediately began the work of onboarding vendors, setting up outreach, and integrating the program into market operations.
Fast forward to 2025—now in their fifth season and third year as a KDD market—and the results speak volumes. Sales are up. Farmer participation is strong. And most importantly, more people in the community are able to access the food they want to eat.
As Market Leader Jann Knappage puts it:
“I see KDD as a program that helps bolster community resilience while making the work of small-scale growers more sustainable. It’s about neighbors supporting neighbors.”
Shared Success
In 2025, RRGFM offered multiple KDD-eligible products—from fruits and vegetables to meats, eggs, and dairy—through SNAP and other KDD matching. This not only gave customers more choices, it also helped farmer vendors expand their income, improve predictability, and feel more invested in the long-term viability of the market.
The market used KDD not just as a financial tool, but as part of a broader strategy to center food access and farmer well-being together.
- Customers using SNAP, Senior Nutrition, and WIC could stretch their dollars
- Farmers could sell more of what they grow, knowing their customers could afford it
- The market could measure impact, helping to secure local support and funding
This is the power of KDD—not a one-time boost, but a platform that markets can build from.
A Note of Thanks
This success story was possible because of collaboration—from the farmers and organizers on the ground to the funders who believe in long-term investment in local food systems.
CFA and RRGFM extend deep thanks to:
- USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)
- Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund
- Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky
- Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky
And individual supporters—people like you, who believe in the future of Kentucky’s farmers and communities.
What’s Next
As markets across Kentucky prepare for 2026, stories like Red River Gorge show what’s possible when markets are trusted with resources, and farmers are seen as key players in food access work—not just producers, but community leaders.
Programs like KDD don’t just grow sales—they grow stability. They grow relationships, and they grow a food system rooted in dignity.
Want to support markets like Red River Gorge and help expand KDD across the state? Become a member of CFA today!