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When Rhonda and Brent Cornett started selling produce out of a corner of their tobacco barn in 2020, they had no idea that they were about to grow into one of Kentucky’s largest produce operations. Six years later, the Cornetts have a well-diversified family operation that includes a 250-acre vegetable farm, their London grocery store, Cornett’s Farm Fresh, and Alliance Packing KY, an aggregation and packing hub that ships produce to distribution centers supplying grocers throughout the region.

With a motto of “If It Were Any Fresher, It Would Still Be in the Field,” and a store conveniently located off KY-192, they are an ideal partner for Kentucky Double Dollars and an important player in the local food economy in southeastern Kentucky.

Rooted in Family and Community
Walking into the retail store, shoppers are greeted by a welcoming staff, colorful farm-themed murals drawn by local artist Amanda Brooks, and thoughtfully curated grocery items from local and regional businesses aligned with the Cornetts’ mission to offer fresh, high-quality food at affordable prices. They have an in-house bakery, deli, grab-and-go kitchen, handmade household products and gifts, a children’s section, and a wide variety of produce and meat. They sell bulk quantities of tomatoes and beans for canning and even have local ostrich meat, a protein source that has become popular with folks who have alpha gal because of its beef-like flavor. Nearly everything on the shelves is homemade, homegrown, or sourced from small local businesses.

The store has become a genuine gathering place, with a kids’ play area and seating that draws in moms’ groups, employee lunches, and neighbors just looking to sit and visit. The Cornetts also work with organizations like FeedingKY to help ensure that bumper crops and extra produce doesn’t go to waste.

You can support local farmers and Kentucky Double Dollars by shopping at Cornett’s Farm Fresh and becoming a member of CFA today!

FreshRx for MOMs has expanded eligibility and become FreshRx for Families!

South Central KY

• Community Farmers Market Bowling Green, KY
• Need More Acres Farm, Scottsville, KY

Frankfort Area

• Franklin County Farmers Market, Frankfort, KY
• Local Food Hub Frankfort, KY

Louisville

• Granny’s Birth Initiative Louisville, KY 
• Park Duvall Farmers Market, Louisville, KY
• Change Today Change Tomorrow Louisville, KY
• Gray Street Farmers Market, Louisville, KY

Central KY

• Miller’s Farm Stand Standford, KY
• Sterling Health Winchester, KY 

Northern KY/Cincinnati

• Cincinnati Birth Center, Cincinnati, OH

It’s almost time for National Farmers Market Week! Farmers Market Week is one of our favorite weeks of the year because it helps us set aside a whole week to recognize the importance of farmers markets to our local food system and our communities! National Farmers Market Week is the first full week in August, so mark your calendars for August 2-8 and plan to celebrate by sharing photos on social media and tagging #cfaky and #nationalfarmersmarketweek! 

Celebrating NFMW has become more popular over the last decade, but it was founded in 1999 by the USDA! This week creates space for communities to connect with their local market via volunteering or engaging on social media and allows relationships to be built with local leaders, sponsors or funders. We know it can be a lot to plan a celebration on top of market execution, but have no fear- our friends at the Farmers Market Coalition have created a tool-kit to help! The tool-kit includes a timeline for tasks, graphic templates, proclamation templates, and more! You can find the tool-kit here.

So, what are you waiting for? Drop us an email (brena@cfaky.org) or tag us in your celebration promotion posts to let us know how you’ll celebrate and we’ll plan to see y’all at our local markets as well! We can’t wait! 

The day began with incredible black berry goat cheese and rosemary crackers made by none other than Farmer Andee herself, primarily from ingredients raised on their farm. (Thank you for feeding us, Andee!) As we toured The Hen’s farm we were greeted by their guardian dog, Gerry, who keeps The Hen’s goats, sheep, pigs, chickens, and ducks safe from predators. We made it inside the high tunnels before it got too hot, where Andee shared that she avoids the tunnels between 10am-4pm, sometimes harvesting by headlamp. But, hey, ya gotta do what works! 

Doing what works was the theme of the day as The Hens shared their wealth of knowledge around planting plans and small details of their tunnel designs. For example, their tunnels are on a small slope, which helps with water drainage and soil salinity but also creates a dryer and wetter side in their tunnels. The Hens plant more water intensive crops, such as cucumbers, at the end of their tunnel where the most water ends up. In addition to The Hens sharing their tips and tricks with us, resource providers Kayla Preston (Grow Appalachia), Kenya Abraham (Organic Association of KY), Dr. Krista Jacobson (University of KY),and Dr. Qinglu Ying (University of KY) shared their knowledge and resources around soil salinity, green house designs, cover cropping in high tunnels, tomato production and more. 

Developing and nurturing a community has also been integral to The Hens farming operations. Whether it’s a neighbor lending the use of their tractor, Andee pitching in to help another farm harvest, or even crowdsourcing ideas from fellow farmers to work through inevitable problems that arise on a farm, the give and take of such support not only helps with the nuts and bolts of farming, but also the mental and emotional load. A tangible result of the community The Hens have built is The Nest Box, a local market and cafe opening later this year in one of downtown Booneville’s historic buildings. Working in partnership with the City of Booneville, they are renovating the structure to offer farm to table meals through the cafe. The local market inside The Nest Box will feature fresh produce and proteins from local farms, such as Old Homeplace Farm as well as their own, and crafts from local artisans such as Coal Country Candles.

Do any of the following ring true for you? 

These are just a few of the many ways in which Laurie White has touched the lives of Kentucky farmers and eaters throughout her nearly eight-year tenure at CFA. Among staff members, she is known for her generosity of time and spirit, her willingness to be a thought partner, and her ability to understand and keep us focused on the interconnectedness of programmatic work, policy, and our membership.  Do you have a story of how Laurie’s work has impacted you? If so, drop us a line at info@cfaky.org 

This month, we bid a fond farewell to Laurie and wish her the best. As she and her family settle into their new home in West Virginia, she will be continuing her work in agriculture through West Virginia University Cooperative Extension.