WASHINGTON COURT HOUSE — Have you noticed how many new vendors have joined the Fayette County Farmers Market this year? How the new vendors have added variety and texture to the market? How most of the spaces on our side of the parking lot are full almost every week?
We celebrate our vendors and appreciate them every day. But we must especially give a shout out to the hard work of our market co-managers, David and Gwen. David Persinger works year round to recruit vendors and respond to interested vendors, focusing on variety and a continued need to find fruit and vegetable producers. Starting out as a vendor can be a confusing and time consuming process (application, membership fee for the cooperative, liability insurance, items needed for setting up each week at the market, and more), and David spends countless hours supporting new and returning vendors through this process.
Some of our vendors don’t have a “regular” spot at the Saturday markets, instead setting up where there is an open space each week, as directed by Mr. Persinger. This requires keeping track of who is coming and not coming each week, which means lots of last minute texting and calling to finalize Saturday market vendor placement.
Gwen Laurens has made a huge difference in the market outreach and community engagement. She facilitates the weekly (Saturday) Facebook live stream, visiting each vendor, videotaping the wares and talking to the vendors about what they do and have. I don’t know how often I’ve heard a customer say something to the effect of, “I was at home and totally forgot about the market and then saw the Facebook live stream notice and knew I needed to get here fast!” Gwen coordinates the community guests and musicians and makes sure information about that guest is included in the weekly article.
She and David both arrive early each Saturday and stay late, setting up and taking down, along with our fabulous and much appreciated volunteers – I’ve written of them before, but a repeat could be pending.
Having a cooperative farmers market takes a true “village,” with vendors supporting each other, serving on the market board, and volunteers stepping up each and every week because they believe in the market. Thank you!
As we celebrate Independence Day, we remember that buying local can be an act of asserting our independence.
Children shopping at this week’s market can stop by the Kids Activity Table at the info booth to make a patriotic American flag wind catcher with Mrs. Debra. David Zinn, Appalachian Balladeer, will again provide the music for this festive market day.
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.
Julie G’s Cookies (Julie Greenslade): Chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, ginger, peanut butter, peanut butter jumbos, peanut butter fudge, lemon bars, sugar, pineapple, macadamia nut and Cracker Jack cookies.
Karyn’s Kreations (Karyn Brunton): Crocheted creations and stickers.
PPCF/ The Jam Man (David Persinger): No sugar added peach, strawberry, seedless blackberry jams. Jams/Jellies/Fruit Butters: peach, cherry, red raspberry, red raspberry jalapeno, strawberry, strawberry rhubarb, rhubarb, blackberry, black raspberry, Brazilian pineapple, pineapple habanero, peach flamingo, plum, triple berry, blueberry, seedless blackberry, seedless red raspberry, and mango habanero jams. Hot pepper, triple hot pepper and elderberry jellies, ginger pear preserves, and apple butter. Also, chocolate Texas sheet cakes with or without pecans OR black walnuts, and oatmeal cake.
PPCF/The Pie Lady and S. Plymouth Raw Honey (Julie & Dennis Mosny): Black raspberry, blackberry, rhubarb, strawberry rhubarb, peach and apple pies, Buns Bars, Cini Mini’s, banana cake 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.
Teter Farm (Owen and Kate Teter): Fresh cut flower bouquets and arrangements, houseplants. Cucumbers.
Windy Hen Acres (Jeff Shepherd & Angie Nichols): Farm fresh eggs & assorted pottery. 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): Fresh produce including peaches, tomatoes, candy onions, zucchini, new potatoes and cucumbers.
Compton Creek Farms (Jason and Jenna Bryan): assorted packaged (frozen) cuts of pasture raised chicken.
Cultivating Eden Mushroom Co (Christopher & Danielle Johnson): Blue oyster mushrooms.
DSC Produce Farm (Darren Cox): 10 flavors of salsa, 5 salad dressings and 3 BBQ sauce flavors.
Edlynns Attic (Robin Dement): Dog biscuits, wax melts, loveys, fingerless gloves, loveys, yarn, knitted pumpkins and snakes and more.
Engeti (Alana Walters & Janet Bick): dinner rolls, cinnamon rolls, cakes, brownies, pies, cookies, and other baked goods.
Greens & Greenery (Katrina Bush): Fresh produce (chemical/pesticide free) grown with organic practices including fresh garlic, green beans and cucumbers. Milkweed starts (red swamp and [non-native] balloon). Potted, flowering plants and herbs, including cypress vine, cleome, sacred (holy) basil. Elderberry jelly (with farm grown berries and honey) and sourdough crackers.
Hostetter Kitchen (Melody Martin): Pies, yeast breads, butter rolls, cheese bread, cinnamon buns, raspberry swirl buns, zucchini, pumpkin and banana (tea) breads, cakes, bars, whoopie pies and more.
Jim’s Premium Ground Beef (Jim Hobbs): Premium ground beef in assorted packages (patties, bulk tubes).
Katrina Bush is a vendor with the Fayette County Farmers Market.
