Summer is almost here and that means farmer’s markets across the county are opening.
Johnson County has six options to shop for local and fresh products. The Franklin Farmer’s Market opens Saturday with markets in Whiteland, Bargersville, Edinburgh and Trafalgar close behind. Greenwood’s market has been open since April.
‘Make a day of it’
Franklin Farmer’s Market will be bigger and better this year, said Jen Weltich, economic vitality specialist from Discover Downtown Franklin. There will be 95 vendors throughout the market season.
The cornerstone of the market is great produce, but it has much more to offer, she said. Vendors will sell produce, meat, cheese, baked goods, crafts, fresh-cut flowers and plants, freeze-dried candy and honey. There will also be a nonprofit booth and a Discover Downtown Franklin booth.
“I think it started with the produce and the foods and such, but everybody loves a place to go and be within their community and have a good time, grab a coffee somewhere and walk around the market. I think it’s just that sense of community that Franklin has so much of,” she said.
Music, along with free yoga and fitness classes, will also return. There will also be new theme days this year, with a Young Entrepreneurs Day and a family picnic day planned.
One of Discover Downtown’s goals for the market is for people to stay to enjoy what else downtown has to offer, Weltich said.
“(We want) a cool place for people to hang out on Saturday mornings and get some good food, fun things, bring people to downtown so they can shop our brick-and-mortar stores and restaurants and make a day of it,” Weltich said.
‘True farmer’s market’
The Greenwood Farmer’s Market runs the longest of any in the county, from April to September’s end.
“It’s a small market and emphasis on we try to be a true farmers market, a place where local people who grow produce can come and sell their product to the local community,” said Mike Campbell, president of the farmers market’s governing board.
Vendors have been selling produce, eggs, baked goods, meat, candles, tea towels, plants, popcorn and more since 1992. Food vendors also come on some days of the market. This Saturday, a Filipino food vendor plans to set up, according to the market’s Facebook page.
People should check out the market to support locally-grown food and small business, Campbell said.
“I think, number one, (the food) healthier and I do know it tastes better,” he said. “I don’t buy sweet corn at the grocery store anymore. The ones you get at the farmer’s market — they pick it on Friday and sell it on Saturday … Everything is just so much better when it’s fresh like that.”
‘Healthier behaviors’
The Whiteland Farmer’s Market will open Tuesday. It was brought back in 2022 to bring residents better access to local produce. This is important because Whiteland doesn’t have a grocery store to get those types of items, said Carmen Young, Whiteland’s director of administration.
Changes this year include closing 30 minutes earlier than usual, moving to Tuesday and using the Clark-Pleasant branch of the Johnson County Public Library. She said being near the library will provide educational opportunities and the new location will be walkable for some residents. That, alongside the locally-grown food, creates healthier behaviors, she said.
So far, 28 vendors have signed up for this season’s market, which is an increase in vendors, said Angie Petrow, executive assistant. Some items available to buy will include bread and bagels, T-shirts, bags and purses, rugs, tumblers, aprons, flowers, plants, artwork, dog items, produce and more.
To kick off the festivities, the band Acoustic Edge will perform on opening day and there will be a lemonade food truck and taco food truck. The town will also set up a booth to speak with residents about the comprehensive plan.
“It’s a feel good (event),” Young said. “We don’t have a lot of festivals. This is just an opportunity for your community to kind of come together and you might meet somebody you didn’t know lived in your community. Just giving a quality-of-life amenity for our residents to take advantage of and to potentially attract folks from outside the community.”
‘Community gatheredness’
The Bargersville Farmer’s Market will open Wednesday. The market was “what built and centered Bargersville Main Street” when the market started in 2018, said Whitney Habig, Bargersville Main Street executive director.
New this year is seating the for market. The seating area dubbed Picnic Grove will be set up in the gravel lot next to Hope Gallery. Habig said the market has never had formal seating other than a few benches.
“This is going to allow people to linger a little bit longer at the farmers market, to relax and eat, picnic with their family, and we foresee using this in the future for other events as well,” she said.
There will also be a new theme day centered around bees from Reebee’s Hives, and new merchandise. The event will also have more volunteers thanks to a newly launched volunteer program.
There will be a food truck, yoga, food demonstrations, two scheduled kids markets and a kids tent, among other festivities. For opening day, there will be a face painter.
Vendors will bring produce, baked goods, bread, food, handmade goods and crafts like candles, woodworking, plants and flowers and more. There are 55 vendors in total throughout the market season, which is similar to last year.
“We really strive to keep it agricultural and produce heavy,” she said. “We are an agricultural small town so we really take pride in that.”
Habig said Bargersville Main Street tries to bring the community together through events like this.
“I honestly think our farmers market is so popular. … we just keep doubling in attendance and it’s really neat to see how much our farmers market has grown,” Habig said. “… We are this small town community who really focuses on community gatheredness.”
‘No one’s in a bad mood’
The Edinburgh Farmer’s Market opens Thursday in downtown Edinburgh.
This is the market’s fifth year and it has grown every year; new and old vendors share their wares, said SaraBeth Drybread, the town’s community development director.
“It has been such a fantastic market and just really added to the downtown atmosphere (but) also given a lot of people, a lot of vendors in the area, another outlet in the summer months,” she said.
Vendors are expected to bring baked goods, meat, jams and jellies, produce and craft items.
The Cub Scouts will also offer lemonade and cotton candy until July and there will be a truck that offers either food, snow cones or ice cream each market.
In the future, the town is looking to turn the location where the farmers market is into a plaza area where more programming can happen and the farmers market can potentially be expanded, Drybread said.
“No one’s in a bad mood at a farmers market. … We really love the opportunity to get people connected to the local growers that are producing food that is nutritious, that tastes great and is supporting the local economy,” Drybread said. “It’s such a fun way to get together and be doing something good for the local economy as well.”
‘Cultivating our community’
The Trafalgar Farmer’s Market also starts Thursday in a parking lot along State Road 135. It started in 2022 out of the Brave Nutrition storefront, said Jen Stauffer, creator of the farmers market and owner of Brave Nutrition.
Stauffer is a certified livestock producer and has a small cattle farm. She sold meat, eggs, honey, tea and smoothie shakes at her store. Eventually, she invited vendors to sell products and launched the farmer’s market in her store in 2022. In 2023, employees of Keller Williams offered their parking lot for the event.
Changes this year include a new day — Thursday — an increased number of vendors and more younger entrepreneurs among the vendors, Stauffer said. There will be pony rides and carriage rides, fresh produce, flowers, meat, honey, bread, drink mixes, candles, woodcrafting items, Taylor Swift items, information booths and more.
Alongside products for sale, Stauffer is trying to get sponsorships for local musicians and wants to have events at the end of each month.
“We’re cultivating our community and it’s already there, we’re just bringing it together,” Stauffer said. “And that’s what the farmers market is all about. We are facilitating the farmers with the community to keep that thriving.”
Where to find farmer’s markets around the county
Franklin
When: Opens Saturday 8 a.m. to noon; runs Saturdays until Sept. 14
Where: DriveHubler.com Amphitheater at Youngs Creek Park, 237 W. Monroe St.
Greenwood
When: Saturdays 8 a.m. to noon; runs until Sept. 28
Where: Greenwood United Methodist Church, 525 N. Madison Ave.
Whiteland
When: Tuesdays 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. from June 4 to Aug. 27
Where: Johnson County Public Library Clark Pleasant Branch, 350 Clearwater Blvd.
Bargersville
When: Wednesdays from 5 to 7 p.m. from June 5 to Sept. 25
Where: Downtown Bargersville, 24 N. Main St.
Special events: July 21 and Sept. 15 noon to 3 p.m. at Mallow Run Winery, 6964 W. Whiteland Rd.
Edinburgh
When: Thursdays 4 to 7 p.m. from June 6 to Sept. 26
Where: Downtown Edinburgh, 201 W. Main Cross St.
Trafalgar
When: Thursdays from 4:30 to 7 p.m. June 6 to Aug. 29
Where: Parking lot at Keller Williams, 108 N. State Road 135
