Partnership of like-minded community members pool resources to create farmers market

Memorial Day weekend is best known for the start of tourist season in Loudonville, and this year there is a new attraction as well − fresh produce, baked good and more in the form of the Loudonville Farmers Market.

The market opens Saturday and runs every Saturday, except during the July 6 car show, until the end of September. The market will be held in the northeast quadrant of Central Park and operates 9 a.m.-noon.

The market was developed by Megan Timmons, who owns Muddy Meadows Farm outside of Loudonville, Kenny Libben who owns Locust Grove honey outside of Perrysville and Wende Lance whose daughter, Megan, operates Local Blooms Flower Farm.

Loudonville FFA Alumni & Supporters quickly stepped up and offered to partner with the market committee to provide organizational support and resources as well as the first round of funding.

“What we’re trying to do different,” Libben said, “is that we want the market to represent the farmers and to provide an environment for them to connect to the rest of the community.”

Manpower issue was overcome, then it was time to search for vendors

The partnership with Loudonville FFA Alumni was an obvious one, he said, not only because he serves as the organization’s president, but that they had discussed starting a market in the past.

“In the past the issue was always manpower, but when Timmons and Lance came forward and offered to help that was no longer an issue. Meanwhile FFA Alumni had just successfully finished raising more than $256,000 for a new greenhouse at the high school and wanted to continue that momentum by providing something for the community as a whole,” Libben added.

With FFA Alumni’s backing and approval from the Village of Loudonville to host the market in Central Park, Timmons said the next hurdle was seeing if there were enough vendors interested in participating.

“It’s a lot of work for someone to commit to not only showing up every Saturday morning, but spending their weekday nights preparing as well − whether picking produce, baking bread, filling honey jars, etc,” Timmons said, “our initial goal was to just make sure we had at least 10 anchor vendors that would stick with us for the first season. In the end we were amazed at how much interest there was − we have nearly 30 full-season vendors.”

Although too numerous to list everything, and noting the selection will vary throughout the summer as different goods are in season or not, the market will include local vendors offering a range of fruits and vegetables, cut flowers, baked goods ranging from sourdough breads to sweets, honey, maple syrup, beeswax, salves, balms, soaps, frozen yogurt and ice cream, roasted coffee, mushrooms and much more, including artisan goods like homemade jewelry, woodworking, and other art.

The market will feature favorites City Sips and the Roaming Donut trucks, as well as other food or beverage trucks throughout the summer.

Community support goes a long way

The committee is thankful for the support of numerous businesses and organizations for providing financial assistance and sponsorships for the market.

“It means a lot that they recognize the importance of connecting our community with local food sources, and the sponsorships go a long way in making sure the market is financial sustainability and can continue into the future,” Libben said.

Among the sponsors are the Mohican Area Growth Foundation, Strive Health Chiropractic & Fitness, Shrivers Pharmacy, Park National Bank, Haudenschild Agency, Re/Max Showcase The Home Team, Buzzard’s Family Shoes, and TK4Rent Property Management Services.

Libben also thanks Jess Bush of Kind Creek Coordinating for volunteering her efforts in recruiting musicians to play at the market.

This article originally appeared on Ashland Times Gazette: Farmers market setting up Saturdays in Loudonville, Ashland County