Chamber hosts Ag Appreciation Lunch
Nov. 5—Cody Wornkey noted elderberry jam and pickled pigs feet and other unusual foods while browsing at Watson Farms Meat Processing and Market on Friday.
The market, which opened this summer, hosted the Greater Muskogee Area Chamber of Commerce's annual Ag Appreciation Lunch on Friday. Wornkey and other workers at Stewart Martin Kubota took part.
Wornkey said the luncheon is "a good opportunity for local businesses to get together and discuss how they're doing in their position in the community."
Dozens of chamber members, agriculture leaders and business leaders filled the market's deli restaurant during the come-and-go lunch.
Friday marked the first dine-in ag appreciation event the the chamber hosted in three years. Concern over COVID-19 prompted the chamber to host drive-thru and outdoor events in 2020 and 2021.
Chamber Operations Director Amber Crall said it was awesome to be able to have an indoor luncheon again. She said she was expecting about 100.
"We're glad they were able to host us," she said. "We're giving them business today, and that is our goal, to stimulate the economy by bringing people to local businesses and help them see what's in town."
She said agriculture is important to a local economy.
"It's everything you buy at the local grocery store," she said. "It's your meat. It's your milk. It's your cheese. You think about it, all of it comes from a farm."
Crall said the chamber decided to have the luncheon at the meat market partly because it is new to Muskogee.
"They also have a large influence in agriculture in this area," Crall said. "Most of their meat is locally grown," she said. "This is their third location to my understanding."
Market owner Damon Watson said he's honored to host the chamber luncheon.
"I'm a third-generation farmer and rancher in Council Hill," he said. "Checotah and Muskogee is always where we've done business because Council Hill doesn't have much. We live in Muskogee County, and the kids are always involved with showing pigs and animals with Oktaha."
He said he first opened the meat processing plant and retail store in Council Hill in 2020.
"And it went great, so we went to Checotah and started one there. Then, we decided to just come up to Muskogee," he said.
In addition to processing locally grown meats, the market sells locally grown produce, plus specialty items from the area. Products include Lovera's Italian sausage from McAlester and Donna's Pantry jams and pickled products from Weston, Missouri.
