It’s a rainy Saturday morning in Athens, and families with strollers, children in rain boots, and couples sharing umbrellas pile out of their cars, hurrying into Bishop Park to seek shelter under the rows of white tents that line the Athens Farmers Market.
Athenians brave the rain to attend the Athens Farmers Market at Bishop Park
Athenians brave the rain to attend the Athens Farmers Market at Bishop Park
However, people do not seem to come to the market simply to buy fresh carrots or handmade beaded necklaces. The live music from a band playing in the corner and the casual chitchat among patrons and vendors give the market the feel of a social event.
The market, which runs every Saturday from May 9 through Nov. 14, has been providing Athenians with locally grown produce, freshly prepared food, handmade arts and crafts, and live music for the past two years.
The market, which runs every Saturday from May 9 through Nov. 14, has been providing Athenians with locally grown produce, freshly prepared food, handmade arts and crafts, and live music for the past two years.
David Voytik, a farmer from Deerfield Farm in Bogart and first-year vendor at the market, said that, from what he has heard from other vendors, increased public awareness of the benefits of eating minimally processed food has helped the market grow consistently since its opening.
“You can still go the store and get fresh vegetables,” Voytik said, “but more people are wanting something that wasn’t trucked in from clear across the country.”
You definitely won’t find anything “trucked in” at this market. According to Board of Directors President Donn Cooper, there are three requirements for vendors at the market:
If you are selling it here, you grew it yourself or you made it yourself
You have to be from within a 26-county area around Clarke County
You can’t use chemicals in the production of food.
Not only are chemicals banned, but Cooper said that next year the market will require that all food sold is certified naturally grown.
“You can still go the store and get fresh vegetables,” Voytik said, “but more people are wanting something that wasn’t trucked in from clear across the country.”
You definitely won’t find anything “trucked in” at this market. According to Board of Directors President Donn Cooper, there are three requirements for vendors at the market:
If you are selling it here, you grew it yourself or you made it yourself
You have to be from within a 26-county area around Clarke County
You can’t use chemicals in the production of food.
Not only are chemicals banned, but Cooper said that next year the market will require that all food sold is certified naturally grown.
“It’s not certified organic, but I like to say it’s bona fide organic,” Cooper said. “It’s the same rules, but it’s not a government program – the farmers run it themselves.”
President of the Athens Farmers Market, Donn Cooper, selling his produce.
Although farmers have historically been hit hard by economic downturns, according to Cooper, the current recession has not had a significant effect on local farmers or the market.
“This is sort of a special niche,” Cooper said. “There aren’t that many local farmers that do row crops and produce. …Most of the production in this country is done in Florida, Texas and California, so this has stimulated the rebirth of local farmers.”
“This is sort of a special niche,” Cooper said. “There aren’t that many local farmers that do row crops and produce. …Most of the production in this country is done in Florida, Texas and California, so this has stimulated the rebirth of local farmers.”
Mary Weisenburg, who recently retired as the coordinator of Athens-area soup kitchen Our Daily Bread, comes to the market to buy chemical-free food and chat with friends and neighbors. She said that buying local food does more than just support local farmers.
“You wouldn’t have as much driving to bring food if people bought locally, and there would be more control over the quality of the food if you bought locally,” Weisenburg said, “and in these economic times, a lot of people are going into business, so it would support a lot of new industry and new employment also.”
While many customers come to buy produce, the market also provides local businesses with a place to sell prepared food, such as coffee and baked goods.
Jessie Downes, who owns Athens Bakery Luna Baking Co. with her husband, sells fresh-baked bread and other baked goods at the market, and she said she enjoys the community support that the market provides.
“We’re only wholesale, so we don’t have a way to sell to the public other than through here,” Downes said. “We have a lot of people that come every Saturday, so it’s been really good for us.”
Although the farmers market is currently held at Bishop Park, Cooper said there is a possibility that a new tennis center planned for Athens will force the market to have to move to another location. Cooper said he hopes they can stay where they are because the park setting adds to the social feel of the market.
“This is a real Saturday morning family outing,” Cooper said. “If you look around here, one of the great things about this market is that there are so many young families that come.”
“It’s more than just coming and grabbing some food. It’s a leisurely, meet your neighbors, meet your friends kind of a thing.”
Edited By: Alexandra Laing
“You wouldn’t have as much driving to bring food if people bought locally, and there would be more control over the quality of the food if you bought locally,” Weisenburg said, “and in these economic times, a lot of people are going into business, so it would support a lot of new industry and new employment also.”
While many customers come to buy produce, the market also provides local businesses with a place to sell prepared food, such as coffee and baked goods.
Jessie Downes, who owns Athens Bakery Luna Baking Co. with her husband, sells fresh-baked bread and other baked goods at the market, and she said she enjoys the community support that the market provides.
“We’re only wholesale, so we don’t have a way to sell to the public other than through here,” Downes said. “We have a lot of people that come every Saturday, so it’s been really good for us.”
Although the farmers market is currently held at Bishop Park, Cooper said there is a possibility that a new tennis center planned for Athens will force the market to have to move to another location. Cooper said he hopes they can stay where they are because the park setting adds to the social feel of the market.
“This is a real Saturday morning family outing,” Cooper said. “If you look around here, one of the great things about this market is that there are so many young families that come.”
“It’s more than just coming and grabbing some food. It’s a leisurely, meet your neighbors, meet your friends kind of a thing.”
Edited By: Alexandra Laing
This is a much more compelling lead with good details from the event, and the story flows more smoothly from it.
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