Saturday, May 2, 2015

There's a New Market In Town!

As some of my long-time readers may remember, I used to participate in weekly farmers markets to sell my cards. And even though I was a crafter, hoping beyond hope to just sell something, we all know I was really there for the produce. And the cute dogs. I loved the interaction with customers, but I got old and tired, and eventually just became a customer instead of a vendor.

So, when I planned to move to Ohio, one of the first things I did was check out local farmers markets so I could support local. There were a few in the area, but not in my town. When someone asked if there was any interest in starting up a market, I was all over it!

We were a group of volunteers that came together and pooled our respective talents and resources, and I'm happy to say that after almost a year and a half of work, today was our Opening Day!

Here are a few of the offerings from our vendors:

We have eggs!


She sold out in about an hour and a half.

The egg lady also brought baby goats and some hens for our entertainment:




One of the goats turned out to be an escape artist. Kept her busy!

We have hanging plants!


They almost sold out. Amazingly pretty!

We have tasty 2-bite desserts!




I love this stuff. A tiny bit of guilt-free yumminess. They're small, but oh so good. Friends of mine stopped by and bought some to freeze. Smart.

We have homemade breads and jams:



And Buckeye Brownies? Um, yes!



We have Kettle Korn!


and it's popped fresh all day long:


YUM!! I might have bought 3 bags, just for me. Maybe.

We also have a tent each week for school groups, and this week the Robotics Team was there, doing their thing:


I think it's awesome that these groups will be participating in our little market.

Also, the local fire department showed up with their truck:


The kids loved getting to sit in the truck!  I think the truck will come once a month. So fun!

Oh, and I might have bought something from everyone. I didn't get a hanging plant, because I know me pretty well, and I'd kill the poor thing in about a week. They are so pretty they deserve to live. But the same people were selling broccoli plants, and after a brief lesson from the vendor (why I love buying from the producers), I caved and got some.



They'll go into a pot, since I suspect the rabbits like broccoli the same as they like Brussels sprouts.

As you can see, it was a glorious day. Sunny, low 70s, just a perfect day for Opening Day. We had a fantastic turnout, and are thrilled to think we might be a hit. So many people stopped by our market tent to thank us for making this happen. We also heard from a  lot of people who want to join us as vendors, so we have that in the works, too.

We're very excited with the response, and if the rest of the season goes like it did today, I think we'll have an amazing summer.

So please be prepared for some photos from the Saturday markets. I'm very excited about what we've done, and I hope for a very successful and produce-filled summer!

Thanks for stopping by!

10 comments:

  1. Wonderful fun post Leslie.

    Hugs diane

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  2. Wonderful! Glad your first day was a success.

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  3. yay you, hard work has paid off

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  4. Leslie, that is wonderful that you got a farmers market going. It is so wonderful to support your local people. I love the range of vendor items there. Good luck with the broccoli. I'm giving in this year and buying it from the farmers because every year I try to grow it and only get maybe one or two heads, so I might as well just buy it. I'm very happy for you that you had such a successful day which will lead to a great season. Hooray for you.

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  5. yay! I *missed* market day posts - so happy they're back!

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  6. Congrats and much success with your farmers market! I absolutely LOVE farmer's markets, so kudos to you! I have to giggle about the flowers - I'm the same way! Never could grow a danged plant without killing it the first few days/weeks it came home with me! Plastic plants work for me! LOL

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  7. Oh how fun! I visited our local farmer's market last weekend. It reminded me why I quit going. I had $100 from selling crafty goods on me when we left home. I had $0 when I got home. They always have the best things to eat and see and enjoy. I did pick up a Mother's Day present while there so it wasn't all edibles. Congrats for helping to make this one a go!

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  8. Good luck with the broccoli! I might never have made it past the food booths...

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  9. Oh, how fun! More friends, more yummy produce :)

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  10. Wonderful! Congratulations on your opening day and may your summer enterprise continue to be fun and successful.

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I'd love to hear what you really think! :-)

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