BY KIRK STARRATT
Kings County Advertiser/Register
Raising livestock can be a difficult way to earn a living these days, but a new website hopes to give farmers another venue to sell their animals for a fair price.
Jonathan Rowe of Middleton has created a new website- www.annapolisvalleylocalfied.ca - covering the area from Windsor to Digby. Visitors will find information on local attractions such as beaches, parks, trails and museums, links to local newspapers and other media and browse coupons.
However, the main purpose of the site is to provide a directory dedicated to locally-owned businesses, encouraging consumers to buy local. Rowe said livestock farmers are being given the opportunity to submit a listing for free in hopes of allowing them to make some private sales to increase their profits and, hopefully, keep more in business. Local charities and musicians will also be given the opportunity to submit listings for free.
Rowe comes from a farming background, and farmers seem to be among those hit the hardest with the downturn in the economy. The website will give farmers an opportunity to sell directly to the consumer, as opposed to selling animals at auction, for example.
“With private sales, you cut out the middle man,” he says. “You can get a better price.”
For other local businesses, Rowe says it would be an affordable option in terms of being listed in an online directory. Eventually, he hopes to expand and have similar websites serving other areas of the province.
kstarratt@kentvilleadvertiser.ca
