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Monday, 30 June 2008 |
By B.J. BETHEL
Assistant Managing Editor
ST. MARYS — Fresh produce, crafts and performances have kept locals going to the St. Marys Farmer’s Market at the covered bridge for a second consecutive year.
The market was the idea of Cherry Lyn of the Canalside Bookshop. Lyn had lived in a town with a market in Illinois and brought the idea to St. Marys, where she shared it with Kelly Kill of the St. Marys Chamber of Commerce.
“She talked to me and we decided to try it,” Kill said.
Traffic at the market has been steady over the last two years. Kill said crowds pick up when artists perform at the market. The market has attracted a steady and loyal stream of locals looking to shop.
“We have a lot of the same people who come back week after week,” Kill said. “They have certain vendors they like to buy things from.”
As the season changes, so does the produce that is offered.
Spring produce is showcased in May and June with rhubarb, asparagus and lettuce. Kill said one vendor has a greenhouse and grows early tomatoes. As summer moves along, vendors bring green beans, peas, broccoli, cauliflower, sweet corn, apples and peaches. Toward fall, pumpkins will be available
“In the fall we’ll see pumpkins in both the produce and the crafts,” Kill said.
Vendors have also kept an eye on offering healthier foods for those watching their diet. No-added sugar products are available to those with diabetes and health foods like raw honey, almonds and free-range eggs are offered.
Crafts stay seasonal as well with boating and beach themes being prominent. Last year, vendors brought Christmas goods toward the end of the year. Kill said the market offers a variety of different crafts.
“We not only have paintings and drawings but a real variety,” Kill said. “We have someone who does wedding invitations, a gal who does greeting cards, candles, wax and things like that. We also have sewing and knitting type projects. One gentlemen does woodcarvings.”
The market has been a good marketer for the city. Visitors who come into town for different events have made their way to the market.
“There was the softball tournament in town at K.C. Geiger Park a couple weekends ago, we put signs up at the park pointing toward the market,” Kill said. “There were a lot of people from Columbus, Toledo and Dayton who went up and really enjoyed what they saw and found. One weekend there was a heritage motorcycle group touring the area and they stopped in. We’ve had several interesting experiences with people from outside the area stopping in.”
Kill said the market also helps feature the downtown area.
“We have a beautiful downtown and we like to showcase it,” Kill said. “It’s another opportunity for people to shop, not just the market, but the stores we have and get a feel for who we are in St. Marys.”
The market runs from May through September from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. every Saturday.
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 03 July 2008 )
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