Hartland Farmers Market returns from the brink with new organizers

HARTLAND TWP. — The Hartland Farmers Market was nearly cancelled last week, but it appears the event will return with new organizers.

Vendors were notified Thursday the market would come to an end after nearly 20 years. Following the announcement, two vendors offered to manage the event on-site to keep it going.

On Friday, market co-founder Kathie Horning told The Daily "the market is just not viable anymore."

Horning said she had trouble finding someone to commit to running the market on-site every Saturday through the market season, May-October, at Rural King off M-59.

On Monday, she said two vendors, Jenna Dorset and Erin Ulko, committed.

"We're trying to figure how we're going to manage and take it over," Dorset told The Daily. "We just think it's important for the community to have the farmers market. It's a popular market."

Dorset runs Perfect Fit Designs, with custom items like t-shirts, quilts and coffee mugs. Ulko sells fresh eggs.

Horning said Monday she would continue "doing all the back-end work," including advertising, taking vendor applications, collecting booth fees and planning special events.

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Horning said the volunteer-run market has recently faced "several challenges," including finding a vendor to organize on-site after co-founder Jim Sparks died and getting vendors to commit to appearing every Saturday.

The decision to return was made official with a social media post by the market, announcing vendor applications are coming Tuesday.

— Contact reporter Jennifer Eberbach at jeberbach@livingstondaily.com. 

This article originally appeared on Livingston Daily: Hartland Farmers Market returns from the brink with new organizers