Name: Selling to Local Food Markets: Farm Stops
Start: 2026-10-14EDT2:00PM
End: 2026-10-14EDT3:30PM

Selling to Local Food Markets: Farm Stops

October 14, 2026 2:00PM - 3:30PM

Join Michigan’s Emerging Farmers for this next webinar session in the series, Selling to Local Food Markets: A Webinar Series for Farmers. This session will provide discuss how farmers can sell products through a farm stop. In this webinar, Lewis Hughes (MSU Extension), Shana Weddington (Agricole Farm Stop), and Dmitry Berenson (Crane’s Path Farm) will share strategies for identifying opportunities, meeting buyer needs, and successfully marketing products through farm stop models.

Meet this week’s speakers

Lewis Hughes is an Extension Educator with Michigan State University Extension and a Business Counselor with the MSU Product Center. He has worked across the food system in farm management, local food distribution, food hub operations, and value chain development, helping farmers and food businesses connect with new market opportunities. Today, Lewis supports beginning farmers and food entrepreneurs through business counseling, educational programming, and technical assistance. As co-lead of the Michigan Food Hub Network, he works with food hubs, farm stops, and other partners across Michigan to strengthen local food supply chains and expand market access for producers. His passion is helping farms and food businesses build successful, sustainable enterprises while strengthening local and regional food systems.
Shana Weddington is a manager and owner of Agricole Farm Stop in Chelsea, Michigan, a year-round local food marketplace that connects consumers with more than 250 Michigan farms, food producers, and artisans. Through Agricole's innovative farm stop model, she helps create market opportunities for farmers and food entrepreneurs while strengthening local and regional food systems.

With extensive experience supporting local producers, Shana works directly with farmers, bakers, food makers, and emerging businesses to develop successful retail opportunities and build connections with customers. She is passionate about making local food more accessible, supporting sustainable agriculture, and fostering community through food. Under Agricole's producer-focused model, millions of dollars have been returned directly to Michigan farmers and artisans, helping strengthen the local food economy.
Dmitry Berenson and his family started Crane's Path Farm, a small regenerative family farm near Chelsea, MI, in 2024. They grow everything from apples to zucchini using organic practices and minimizing tillage. The goal for their farm is to be stewards of the land, working in harmony with nature to provide great-tasting, naturally-grown produce for our community. The farm’s name "Crane's Path" is in honor of the sandhill cranes that fly overhead in the evening.

For questions about this webinar series, please contact Jazmin Bolan-Williamson, Farm and Food Business Coordinator at MSU CRFS at bolanwil@msu.edu.

About Michigan’s Emerging Farmers

Our statewide program aims to create pathways to growth and economic opportunity for all of Michigan’s agricultural producers, including small- to mid-sized farmers. This project is funded by USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, in a cooperative agreement with members of the Michigan State University Center for Regional Food Systems, Michigan State University Extension, and Michigan Food and Farming Systems (MIFFS).

This work is supported by the American Rescue Plan Technical Assistance Initiative program, project award no. 2023-70417-39233, from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and should not be construed to represent any official USDA or U.S. Government determination or policy.

This event is also brought to you by the Great Lakes Partnership for Food and Farm Business Development.