About our Team

Kathleen Hebert

Hello! I am Kathleen Hebert, the Assistant Market Manager for Western Wake Farmers’ Market. Please stop by the Information Tent to chat with me at the Saturday markets or send me an email at hebertka@gmail.com!

I recently graduated from North Carolina State University with an undergraduate degree in Extension Education and Horticulture. This fall, I went back again to begin work on my Masters in Parks & Recreation. I started working in local foods with the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service in 2009 and quickly fell in love with Farmers’ Markets. (And I think WWFM is the best of them all!) Starting my weekend out at the market always gets me in a great mood...and with plenty of delicious food!

I’m so excited to work with WWFM’s vendors and visitors in the coming years! Contact me with any questions about local foods, gardening, or our wonderful market.

About Kathleen

What is your ultimate comfort food?

Krispy Kreme donuts, of course! Not something you can buy at our market sadly, but I love that I support a part of North Carolina’s food history every time I bite into one of those delicious glazed donuts. I’ve run in the Krispy Kreme Challenge for the past three years and loved every minute of it (full disclosure – I didn’t eat the donuts during the race…I’m not that talented). After a super stressful week, it’s very relaxing to sip a cup of coffee and savor a fresh warm donut.

If you could be any vegetable, what would you be and why?

Ever since I was little, I’ve always watched “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!” every Halloween. The feeling that something magical is happening in the pumpkin patch has never left me. Every fall, I buy as many pumpkins as I can and go crazy! Pumpkin pies, soups, muffins, donuts, cakes, coffees, lattes, puddings…I could keep going. Not only do these vegetables taste fantastic in almost anything, but the plant is a wonderful ornamental addition to any garden.

If you could have dinner with any three people (past or present), who would they be?

Not many people know that Beatrix Potter was a very successful farmer when she wasn’t creating her beloved children’s books. It would be amazing to talk about her struggles as a woman farmer in a time when women rarely owned their own agricultural operations. I recently read a biography of Judy Garland and fell in love with her work all over again. Hearing her voice in person must have been amazing! And finally, to round out our dinner party, I’d ask former President Jimmy Carter to join us because who wouldn’t want to talk to the president that put solar panels on the White House?!

When you were 5 years old, what did you want to be when you grew up?

A wizard. When it was explained to me that that wasn’t possible, I switched to fairy godmother. And when that didn’t pan out, I decided to work outside for a living…it’s where the real magic is!

Why is buying, eating, and supporting local agriculture important to you?

Local agriculture became extremely important to me when I visited conventional farming operations as part of my college education. I was absolutely horrified by the wasteful and, sometimes, cruel practices of big agricultural businesses. The more I learned about how our food is made, the more I wanted to support only local producers that practiced healthy and sustainable farming. It’s been a wonderful and eye-opening experience to work with the Western Wake Farmers’ Market vendors. The craftsmanship and care they put into everything they do lets me know that I made the right decision to support local agriculture.

Madison Whitley

Greetings! I'm Madison Whitley, Market Manager for the Western Wake Farmers' Market. Just about every Saturday and Tuesday, you can find me at the WWFM Information Tent or strolling the market.

With a background in Food and Nutrition Science, I enjoy sharing my knowledge of nutrition and my love of local food. The farmers' market is the perfect place to connect with your food and community since you are able to personally get to know the farmers who grow your food and learn about its impact on our society, the environment and your health.

Stop by and talk with me about how to eat healthy, how to incorporate local food into your everyday routine, and how to use the food you find at the farmers' market to make an easy, delicious meal for your family.

Feel free to e-mail me or call me at (540) 230-6697 if you have any questions about the market or our vendors.

About Madison

What is your ultimate comfort food?

Homemade (from scratch) macaroni and cheese — hits the spot every time!

If you could be any vegetable, what would you be and why?

A parsnip — cousin to the carrot, the parsnip is a little more "non-traditional." Its pure white, slim and sleek appearance with beautiful green "hair" make it attractive to the wondering eye. It is versatile -- you can eat it raw for a clean, crisp taste or roast it for a softer, more robust flavor. Folks always seem to be curious about the parsnip.

If you could have dinner with any three people (past or present), who would they be?

(This one is hard... maybe just one person?)
My maternal grandfather. He passed away before I was born. I am told I am the spitting image of him and that he loved to eat fresh, homegrown food.

When you were 5 years old, what did you want to be when you grew up?

A teacher. I knew I wanted to somehow make a difference. Even though I am not in a classroom, I still feel like I am fulfilling my teaching dream.

If you could have one superpower, what would it be?

I would love to be invisible. I could see the world and no one would know that I was watching.

Why is buying, eating, and supporting local agriculture important to you?

I have lived and breathed the local food movement ever since I was a little girl. I remember taking trips with my mom on Saturday mornings to the farmers' market to get fresh, local foods and working tirelessly with my dad in our backyard garden. To me, food is a way of life -- why not make it good food. I furthered my love of food by studying Nutrition in college. I learned about the components of food, why they were important in the body and why it was imperative to eat fresh, local whole foods. They are not only better for you, our environment and economy, but they taste so much better. I firmly believe that food is the perfect medicine and that fueling your body with whole foods only make us function at our optimal level. Buying and eating locally has only become more important since my daughter was born. Knowing that I am feeding her fresh, local, chemical-free food gives me the peace of mind that I am fueling her with the best possible nutrition. Plus, you will not meet kinder, warm-hearted, passionate, loving people than those you find at the farmers' market!