The Mount Vernon Farmers’ Market has come to a close, after almost 15 years in operation.
Management availability, scheduling conflicts and personal workloads of some of the members of the market have led to the closing.
“It is our sincere hope that someday a market may come back to Mount Vernon under the guidance and renewed vision of new leadership,” wrote Laura Strabala, market manager.
Strabala thanked the First Street Community Center for hosting the markets, especially over the past several years and allowing the market to weather the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We cannot say enough good things about the support received and kindness shown to the market, the customers and the vendors,” Strabala wrote.
Strabala commended the producers and the items that many in the community have provided to the market over the years.
“They all are incredibly gifted in the products that they have created for the market,” Strabala said. “We could never have been so successful without the staggering amounts of work that they have put in each and every week. There would have never been a market without the vendors making the choice each week to invest in our community.”
Strabala said that the market originally started at the Mount Vernon parking lot with just a handful of vendors, and has grown to encompass so many businesses that have become bigger in the community including Kroul Farms, The Perfect Blend Shortbread, Ridgeview Farms and more.
“As the years went by, vendors came and went, the market moved locations a few times, and new products have been brought to the table that would have not even been a thought back in the early 2000s,” Strabala said. “Back then, good gluten free alternatives for baked goods hardly existed, freshly roasted coffee beans were something bought at a coffee shop, someone making their own wine or cheese at their house to sell was not normal, and the flavor varieties of beef sticks or bacon slabs was very basic. The vast amounts of different colored vegetables, the ability to grow new crops once out of the Midwest growing zone and the creativity in using new and different materials to conjure up gorgeous jewelry, clothing, home decorations and other neat items have also morphed right along with the market.”
Strabala noted the most important thing for the vendors at the market has been the care they brought to the table.
“They had an idea, decided to give it a shot and see how things worked out,” Strabala said. “With that came some wonderful trial and error items for the market. It was not uncommon for a baker to bring their new recipe and have customers and vendors alike critique the item before adding it into the rotation. Nor was it unheard of for a produce grower buying a packet of seed and ‘tossing it into the ground’ just to see what would happen.
“Many unique and one-of-a-kind gifts have been purchased at the farmer’s market, funny stories of what not to do were told, life-long friendships have been made, and the power of small-town community lived.”
Even with the closure of the market, Strabala and the Elliotts recommend that people contact many of the vendors of their favorite products to continue patronage.
“A huge ‘thank you’ goes to all of the vendors, past and present, for the hard work, tenacity, and willingness to make ideas become a reality,” Strabala said. “And a huge ‘thank you’ needs to go to all of the customers for continually supporting all of the ideas that the vendors have tested. One group cannot exist without the other.”
A list of the vendors and their contact information are available at the Mount Vernon Farmers’ Market Facebook page.