Farmers market season is here and Johnson County boasts five options to buy fresh, local produce and artisan products.

The Bargersville Farmers Market kicked off Wednesday and the Franklin Farmers Market kicks off this Saturday. Greenwood’s market is already open, while Whiteland’s and Edinburgh’s farmers market will open later this month.

At Bargersville’s farmers market about 50 vendors set up a wide variety of products including locally grown flowers, homemade soap and honey at the parking lot outside Bargersville Town Hall. The market also offers live music and food trucks for visitors to enjoy.

Carrissa Comstock, director of Bargersville Farmers Market, said the market will be a pleasant experience for families. The market is open through the last Wednesday in September.

“The market is a nice family friendly outing, we want people to enjoy the atmosphere and the music,” Comstock said.

In Franklin, the farmers market will open at 8 a.m. Saturday. This year, the market will be located at its new space at the DriveHubler.com Amphitheater, Saturdays 8 a.m. to noon until Sept. 17.

For the first market, Strawberries on the Square will sweeten the event, as the Discover Downtown Franklin event was moved because of severe weather on the event’s original date last Friday.

Traci Hill, manager of Franklin’s Farmers Market, said visiting the market is a great opportunity for residents to support local farmers and crafters and to visit other local businesses downtown.

“People should come out to the market, the market has a good community feel, and you would be able to shop local, there are a variety of options to shop, once people finish shopping they are welcome to walk around town to get good food at one of the local restaurants,” Hill said.

Whiteland will also have a farmers market this year and opening day is set for June 10.

Tanya Stainbrook decided to create the Whiteland Farmers Market to give the community an opportunity to share their interests and hobbies. Since she moved to the area in October, she said she realized how she wanted to bring more people out to the town. She wanted to take the chance by creating events and activities for residents of Whiteland. Whiteland’s Market will be open 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. every Friday until September 30. There are still a few spots available for interested vendors, Stainbrook said.

Supporting farmers markets will help local small business owners and farmers, many of whom have particularly have struggled to get back on their feet, Stainbrook said.

“It is really important to support local businesses especially since the pandemic, small businesses were hit harder,” Stainbrook said. “I guess you can say there is one blessing that came out during the pandemic, which gave people the opportunity to get creative and find different ways to make money.”

The Edinburgh Farmers Market will open June 16, with a later than normal start as the town prepares for the Bicentennial Bash set for next weekend. The market will be open Wednesdays 5-7 p.m. and sell a wide variety of products including meat, fish, dairy products and baked goods.

Greenwood’s farmers market opened April 30, and will continue to be open from 8 a.m. to noon every Saturday until September 30. With many fresh local options available each week, Mike Campbell, president of the market, said he noticed some customers will visit weekly in the summer to do their grocery shopping. Greenwood’s market is vibrant and it draws vendors from Johnson County and around the southside, he said.

“To show you how we have a great community of vendors, last year we had a max of 40 vendors and about all but 4 vendors have returned to this year’s market,” Campbell said. “We have very dedicated vendors that enjoy being a part of our community.”

Not just produce, the market offers plants and artisanal goods, including soy candles made by Campbell. He has been a vendor at the market for six years after he decided to sell the candles he started making as a hobby. Now, he continues to make and sell them at farmers markets, while also taking on the role as president of Greenwood’s market this year. Campbell enjoys seeing people from the community at the market, he said.

“I enjoy seeing the other vendors of the community and creating a bond with them and meeting the different customers that come by,” Campbell said.

For updates and more information on each of the farmers markets in the county, see each market’s Facebook page.