Farmers markets reopen, offering creative outlet and resources

Temperatures are rising and COVID-19 regulations are falling, making it a great time for Johnson County farmers markets to begin serving up fresh produce.

Last summer’s farmers markets were tainted by fear of the coronavirus and several virus-related precautions, such as mask wearing and social distancing. Indiana Grown, a statewide organization that promotes the distribution of Indiana produce, received a lot of questions regarding COVID-19 spread prevention from market organizers and vendors, said program director Heather Tallman. Many markets were concerned they would not be able to open.

“(Johnson County markets) worked really hard to try to be open and provide a safe space for people to sell their products and still have an enjoyable experience,” Tallman said.

New year, new options

Farmers markets were considered an essential business throughout the pandemic because they provide food to local communities.

Still, due to the pandemic, there was a dip in vendor participation in 2020, said Jess Giles, executive director of Discover Downtown Franklin.

This year, though, that number has shot back up. About 50 vendors are planning to participate in Franklin’s farmers market when it opens Saturday, up from last year, when between 40 and 45 vendors sold goods at the market, Giles said.

Now that about 43% of Johnson County residents have received at least one dose of the vaccine, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has relaxed guidelines, Giles expects a high turnout at this year’s farmers market. Shoppers should expect some similar safety precautions to last year’s, including socially distanced booths and some vendors providing options to pay with a card instead of cash.

Indiana Grown provided a $10,000 grant to the Johnson County Food Council in March, which funded the Franklin farmers market’s new capability to accept Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program cards. This will help get fresh produce to locals who receive SNAP benefits, Tallman said.

Greenwood’s farmers market has been up and running for a month. The farmers market is especially important to the city because many families shop there weekly for groceries, said Mike Campbell, organizer and Greenwood City Council member.

There aren’t any requirements at the Greenwood market that vendors or visitors must abide by, but booths are spaced 10 feet apart to allow for social distancing, and most vendors and customers have chosen to wear masks, Campbell said.

The market has 40 vendor spaces, 38 of which are filled.

Hobby with a purpose

Some vendors use the markets to supplement their day jobs, or as a hobby that brings personal fulfillment.

Allen Davidson, a vendor at the Greenwood market, used to frequent the market as a consumer. After he was a regular for a few years, vendors encouraged him to begin selling his own products.

He started off selling homemade laundry soap, baked goods and produce about 13 years ago. Now, he sells plants and produce, with a focus on tomatoes.

“This gives me an excuse to order 40 or 50 different types of tomato seeds and make a little money off the plants, as well as having the variety I want for my garden,” Davidson said.

He works full time in an air quality lab, and as a part-time professor of biology at Indiana University. He usually sells produce at the Greenwood farmers market, but occasionally attends the Southport market as well.

The additional money was a partial motivator to begin selling at the market, but he really enjoys talking to customers, too. He also enjoys growing the food he produces, he said.

“I’ve been gardening most of my life, kind of out in the country and on a farm,” Davidson said.

Heather Hart, owner of The Hart Ranch, is also a Center Grove High School teacher. She started making goat milk soap nine years ago as a way to use the byproducts of the goats her two children showed at the Johnson County 4-H and Agricultural Fair.

Now, with one college in college and another soon-to-be college student, Hart began using this business as a way to occupy her time over the summer and pay for her kids’ college tuition.

She enjoys hearing from satisfied customers who tell her the goat milk products help them with skin issues such as eczema.

“It’s really kind of rewarding knowing that I made something that people love. That they continue to buy over and over again and that helps people,” Hart said.

Her soaps are also sold online, but the majority of her business comes from the connections she makes in person at the markets, she said.

She stays busy, selling at the Greenwood and Nashville markets on Sundays, the Bargersville market on Wednesday nights, Franciscan Health’s market on Wednesday mornings, and the Southport market on Tuesday mornings and Thursday evenings.

Paying for her children’s’ college tuitions is the reason she and her husband, Matt, prioritize the business. Hart said the two teenagers do help out when they can on the family’s 13-acre property in Trafalgar that maintains 15 goats.

Both Davidson and Hart enjoy the sense of community that comes from the markets, as they see repeat customers and frequently work alongside the same vendors week after week.

The Franklin farmers market opens at 8 a.m. Saturday, and the Greenwood farmers market is open every from 8 a.m. to noon every Saturday.

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Here is a look at when you can visit nearby farmers markets:

Bargersville Farmers Market

When: 5 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays

Open: Now through July 29

Where: 24 N. Baldwin St., Bargersville

Information: BargersvilleMainStreet.com

Edinburgh Farmers Market

When: 4 to 7 p.m. Thursdays

Open: Now through Oct. 1

Where: John R. Drybread Community Center, 100 E. Main Cross St., Edinburgh

Information: edinburgh.in.us

Franklin Farmers Market

When: 8 a.m. to noon Saturdays

Open: May 29 to Oct. 10

Where: Downtown Franklin, two blocks west of courthouse square

Information: discoverdowntownfranklin.com/franklinfarmersmarket

Greenwood Farmers Market

When: 8 a.m. to noon Saturdays

Open: Now through Oct. 10

Where: 525 N. Madison Ave., Greenwood

Information: Greenwood Indiana Farmers Market on Facebook

Original Farmers Market

When: 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Wednesdays

Open: Now through the end of October

Where: Market Street, one block east of City Market, Indianapolis

Information:.indycm.com/original-farmers-market

Columbus Farmers Market

When: 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturdays

Open: Now through Sept. 18

Where: 123 Washington St, Columbus

Information: columbusfarmersmarket.org

Garfield Park Farmers Market

When: 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturdays

Open: Now through October

Where: Southeast corner of Garfield Park, near the corner of Shelby Street and East Southern Avenue, Indianapolis

Information: garfieldparkfarmersmarket.com

Broad Ripple Farmers Market

When: 8 a.m. to noon Saturdays

Open: Now through October

Where: Glendale Town Center, East Parking Lot, 6179 N. Rural St., Indianapolis

Information: broadrippleindy.org/farmers-market

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