Farmers’
Market has started
By
Laura hagan
lhagan@owentonnewsherald.com
It’s
officially summer, which means many things for Owen County.
Kids are out of school, the weather is nicer, and the Farmers’
Market has begun.
In its fifth year, the market kicked off Friday morning. Vendors
set up to sell their flowers, vegetables, fruits and crafts as
customers and friends visited each table.
Patti Petzinger has been a part of the Farmers’ Market since
it started. She sells fresh lettuces, spinach, onions and herbs.
Next to her table was Veronica Gayle’s table. Gayle has
been a vendor at the market for a couple of years and sells breads
and jams. She said when she lived in Oklahoma she loved going
to the Farmers’ Market there, and that helped her decision
to be a part of the market in Owen County.
“I think it’s such a cool thing,” she said.
“It’s a unifying thing, there’s something for
everyone.”
Gayle said she loves the atmosphere the market offers as well.
This year, there are some new faces on the courthouse square.
Kenny Suter and Jim Bush are selling vegetables and Kim Hicks
comes from Shelby County to sell vegetables, daylilies and other
flowers.
Debra Arey is another new vendor. She sells her crafts, among
them, little girls’ dresses and bags for adults. Arey said
she has been doing crafts for years, but was just recently convinced
by other vendors to join the Owen County Farmers’ Market.
She is familiar with the market. When her photography studio,
Fairytales, was located in town, she would head over to the square
for lunch on Fridays.
“I tried to support (the vendors) by shopping,” she
said.
While she wasn’t at the opening day of the market, Arey
said she plans to be there June 15. Like Gayle, she said she enjoys
the atmosphere.
Larry Ayres is the President of the Farmers’ Market. While
he has only been president for two years, he was a vendor before
that, selling fruit from his orchard. He said the market was started
by the Leadership Owen County group and the first year, there
was music on the square.
Over the years, however, Ayres said the number of vendors has
grown and more people are coming to sell their fruits, vegetables
and crafts.
There are a few rules to be followed when becoming a vendor at
the market.
“You have to grow it or make it yourself,” Ayres said,
“and it has to meet health department regulations.”
Ayres said he will sell apples later this summer.
Vendors must also be from Owen County or the surrounding counties.
Getting involved with the market is easy. To become a member,
one must go to the Owen County Extension Office, fill out some
paperwork and pay $25. Vendors don’t have to have signed
up before the market began; new vendors can be added at anytime
until the market ends in early fall.
Ayres said he likes being able to see his friends and neighbors
at the market every week, and also enjoys being able to have lunch
there. Last week, Judge-Executive Billy O’Banion held his
annual “Cookout for a Cure” to raise money for Owen
County’s Relay for Life event this weekend.
“Everybody has a good time,” Ayres said, “and
you don’t have to go far.”
The Farmers’ Market is every Friday from 10:30 a.m. to 2
p.m. on the courthouse lawn, now through fall.
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