WASHINGTON COURT HOUSE, Ohio — The last Wednesday Fayette County Farmers Market was this past Wednesday, and we’re counting down to the end of the Saturday markets…just three more. Now is the time to make plans for the long six-month stretch until the market reopens next May.

Do you need to stock up on some items before the market closes? Need to peruse the market to search for a birthday, baby shower, holiday gift for someone special? This is the time to talk to vendors to see if their sales continue privately after the market season closes, or if special orders may be requested during the winter months.

It’s not just food and crafts that will be missed during the fall/winter season; we’ll miss the connection with friends and neighbors. So use these weeks also to “stock up” on friendship, hugs, smiles. Exchange a phone number or email address. Plan a shared coffee or tea at a local venue.

Our community members are terrific about saying “thank you.” I hear vendors thanking customers for supporting the market, and customers thanking vendors by purchasing, but also by admiring and making kind remarks. The whole market is a “labor of love,” and appreciation is always welcome. As we wind down, I want to especially remind all of us to thank our volunteers. You probably remember me writing about them in the past. Stop by the information booth and thank Debra, Robert, Gage and Mandy for their exceptional care, children’s crafts, and time. And make sure you thank our co-managers, David and Gwen, for their extraordinary work supporting the market. The whole farm market sends appreciation for the Fayette County Travel and Tourism funds which support our popular music and “tasting” events.

Elementary-age children shopping at the market this week can make a good-luck Buckeye Nut Necklace with Mrs. Debra at the kids’ activity table in the Market Information Booth.

The market is open Saturday morning from 8:30 to noon. It is located in the municipal parking lot on the corner of South Main and East East streets. SNAP EBT food benefit cards and credit/debit cards are accepted. Those using the SNAP EBT card for food purchases receive matching dollar “Produce Perks” tokens ($1 for $1) good only for fruits, vegetables, and food producing plants. So,”buy one, get one” for up to $25 every market day. Five dollar coupons will be available again for Fayette County Farm Bureau members at each Saturday market; these can be spent at both the Wednesday and Saturday markets.

The following list contains the names and products of the vendors that expect to set up this Saturday. Other vendors may participate as well.

Greens & Greenery (Katrina Bush): Raw, local honey. Concord grape jelly. Buckeye candy, garlic/rosemary focaccia bread and sourdough crackers. Dried sage and parsley. Houseplants: Aloe, broad leaf begonia, dwarf sansevaria. Rooted corkscrew willow starts.

Jim’s Premium Ground Beef (Jim Hobbs): Premium ground beef in assorted packages (patties, bulk tubes). New: “slider” size patties (6 patties per pound) and 8oz patties (two per package).

Julie G’s Cookies (Julie Greenslade): Chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, ginger, pineapple, sugar, macadamia nut, peanut butter, peanut butter jumbos, peanut butter fudge, double chocolate fudge cookies, pumpkin with butter cream icing and lemon bars.

Karyn’s Kreations (Karyn Brunton): Crocheted creations and stickers.

PPCF/ The Jam Man (David Persinger): Jams/Jellies/Fruit Butters: New- CHERRY butter, along with quince butter, plum butter, pear butter. ELDERBERRY jelly, seedless blackberry jam and no added sugar peach and triple berry jams are back in stock. Texas chocolate sheet cakes with or without pecans. Produce: red and orange habanero peppers, red Carolina reaper peppers & Brussel sprouts.

PPCF/The Pie Lady and S. Plymouth Raw Honey (Julie & Dennis Mosny): Local raw honey and beeswax. Assorted fruit pies, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin bread, cini mini’s, Buns bars and cinnamon rolls.

Red Maple Goats and Soaps (Cindy Grover): Goat milk soaps as well as soothing bath soaks, foot cream, lotions, and 100% handmade goat milk products.

Rural Beans Roastery LLC (Kameron Rinehart): Assorted freshly roasted coffee (beans and ground).

Sunburst Wormstead (Sarah & Daniel Jewell): Vermibrew (worm tea) and worm casting tea bags; fertilizer made from worm castings and full of beneficial microbes for your indoor & outdoor plants.

Teter Farm (Owen and Kate Teter): Dried flower bouquets and arrangements, mini dried flower pumpkins, limited fresh cut flowers.

Wood Designs by DW (Debbie Welch): One of a kind handcrafted wood items— signs, tables, gnomes, as well as bird feeders (freestanding and hanging) and hanging bird houses. Wooden solar mushrooms and sunflowers. Crocheted items including a variety of stuffed animals, kitchen towels, pot scrubs, pot holders, baby booties, and afghans. Will take custom and special orders.

Bridge View Gardens (Hunter & Lorelle Rohrer): Fall mums, decorative gourds & pumpkins, potatoes, sweet potatoes, butternut & spaghetti squash, tomatoes, carrots, leaf lettuce and hot peppers.

Compton Creek Farms (Jason and Jenna Bryan): assorted packaged (frozen) cuts of pasture raised chicken.

Cozy Baby Blessings (Nancy Cutter): Baby essentials including hand crocheted blankets and hats, flannel burp cloths, muslin swaddle blankets, beaded and macrame pacifier clips, crinkle squares and other baby teethers. Also crocheted kitchen dish cloths, pot scrubbers, essential oil car diffusers and hand poured wax melts in over 50 scents.

DSC Produce Farm (Darren Cox): 10 flavors of salsa, 4 flavors of salad dressings and 3 flavors of BBQ sauce. Apple butter.

Engeti (Alana Walters & Janet Bick): dinner rolls, cinnamon rolls, cakes, brownies, pies, cookies, and other baked goods.

Katrina Bush is a vendor at the Fayette County Farmers Market.