'People come and just have a good time': Farmers market season has arrived

Each week, the vendors come with tables and tents, baked goods and flowers, produce and products. For a few hours each week, whether the weather cooperates or not, the parking lot is transformed into a lively, colorful marketplace.

Farmers market season has arrived.

On Thursday, the Dutchtown Farmers Market in New Washington kicked off this year's season, followed by markets in Bucyrus on Saturday and in Crestline on Tuesday.

Jan Mizell helps plan the God’s Little Acre Farmers Market in Galion, which will kick off its season on June 3.

"It’s a very relaxed atmosphere," she said. "People really enjoy coming to the market. The vendors are all very friendly. People come and just have a good time. We get the return customers all the time, and so you get to know them, and that’s really nice. It’s terrific."

The Bucyrus Farmers Market is 8:30 a.m. to noon Saturdays at Family Farm and Home, 2460 E. Mansfield St.

The Crestline Farmers Market is open 3 to 6 p.m. Tuesdays, rain or shine, outside Crestline United Methodist Church, 202 N. Thoman St.

The Dutchtown Farmers Market is 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. Thursdays at St. John's Lutheran Church, 203 E. Mansfield St., New Washington.

God’s Little Acre Farmers Market in Galion will be open 9 a.m. to noon each Saturday, June 3 to Sept. 30, in the pavilion and rear parking lot of the First United Church of Christ, 248 Harding Way West, Galion.

Many vendors attend the same markets regularly.

Laurie Risner of Perfection Greenhouse said she's at the Dutchtown Farmers Market every other week.

"We do flowers — annual flowers in the spring, then perennials in the summer and then we do mums, pumpkins and gourds in the fall," she said.

Baker Marci Teynor attends the New Washington and Crestline markets every week, selling pies, cookies, quick breads and other goodies. She used to go to the Bucyrus market, too.

"I just can’t do three a week; it’s just too hard," she said, chuckling. "Too much time. I said I already go nights without sleeping; at my age it’s just too much to do that."

Donna Craven calls her business Craven's Cluckers — she sells eggs and baked goods, including cutout cookies in chicken and egg shapes. She and her cousin, Connie Roub, who sells Avon products, both said they attend the Dutchtown market regularly.

“I did pretty well last year — last year was my first year,” Roub said.

Craven, who's in her third year of selling items at the market, said she tried to keep her prices the same this year, despite inflation.

"The only thing that really went up was my cookies," she said. "And I’m trying something new, the cake pops. I didn’t do those last year … we’ll see how it goes."

"I like coming over and seeing everybody," Roub said.

Market organizers eager to welcome new vendors

Janell Benner, one of the organizers for the Dutchtown market, said the market season got off to a good start on Thursday, with "almost a record start of vendors."

The New Washington market features produce from Holthouse Farms and a meal served inside the church.

"We have at least three new vendors this year, so that's exciting," Benner said. "And the return vendors, so that's also good."

Benner said she generally asks new vendors to contact her in advance, so they can complete necessary paperwork. That also helps her update the market's Facebook page to let shoppers know what items will be available each week.

But "if somebody comes today and they say, 'Hey, I'd like to be a vendor, how does it work?' I say just show up and we'll get you set up and get paperwork," she said. "We're always open to new vendors and just whenever it works out for them."

Mizell said she isn’t certain yet how many vendors will be participating in the God’s Little Acre Farmers Market this year, but “the numbers are growing.” Last year, about 18 vendors participated each week, and she’s heard from a number of potential new ones.

The market's planners also have invited food trucks to attend.

"We’ve been around a long time; actually longer than just about anybody in the area; about 15 years," she said. "But we constantly run across people who say, ‘Gee, we didn’t even know you were around.’”

The market is an outreach mission of the First Presbyterian Church of Galion, she said.

"As such, we do not charge our vendors a setup fee," she said. "That’s part of the mission, is to just provide a space for local growers and crafters and artisans to present their wares. And we follow the guidelines for the Ohio Department of Agriculture. We’re very adamant about that. Everything that we have is garden-fresh or handmade."

Because First Presbyterian does not have enough space for such an event, the First United Church of Christ donates use of its site for the market, she said.

Each week, the vendors who are present donate an item for a special basket that's given away to a customer through a free drawing.

Mizell said she definitely needs to hear from potential vendors ahead of market day, so she can know who's coming and make sure they understand what kind of goods are acceptable. She can be reached at 740-244-5897 or through the market's Facebook page.

"We want to make sure that they understand that it’s garden-fresh or handmade or home-baked or whatever. It’s not resale of anything," said said. "We follow those guidelines for cottage industries."

ggoble@gannett.com

419-559-7263

This article originally appeared on Bucyrus Telegraph-Forum: Farmers market season has arrived in Crawford County