From Farm To Table: The Market Returns

The Farmers Market of Ripley County (FMRC) will once again be returning Saturday, April 27, in front of Country Pickins on Jefferson Street starting at 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. The market will host a wide variety if seasonal fruits, vegetables and homemade products by residents of Ripley County and surrounding areas.

Dozens of vendors can be found each Saturday morning from April through October, selling home grown produce, plants, home made crafts that include floral, woodmade items, soaps, lotions, jellies, baked goods and much more.

Farmer’s Market Organizer, Georgia Klingler said, “The realization that the farmers market was coming together was when the sign was put up announcing Farmers Market of Ripley County hours at their current location. (Prior location was the former Meeks Lumber storage area on State Street.)

The FMRC was reestablished in April 2021, after the original market was disbanded, after several years. For the past three years there have been an average of 20 vendors per season the farmer’s market to sell there goods. This year more than 30 vendors are excpeted to participate.

The reestablished market came from the collective actions of Georgia Klingler and Pam Shaver. Currently the market is just about at capacity and in order to continue growth a new location would need to be obtained in the near future.

Klingler said, “I am looking to learn how to write grants for funding. We are getting very close to outgrowing our current location and I would like for us to eventually have a place of our own.”

In addition to the items available for purchase at the farmers market, there are monthly events that the farmers market sponsors.

Every third Saturday is “Little Sprouts Day,” with free activities for children.

Vendors are required to follow the Missouri State Health Guidelines for all items including eggs, milk, processed meats. The Ripley County Health Department does have health related requirements for certain foods prepared at home. The market itself only advises and reminds vendors to follow those guidelines.

“Most of our vendors harvest their produce the morning or evening prior to market day. It is fresh from the farm, not several days old like typically found produce at a grocery store,” said Shaver.

Shaver said, “Our goal is to be able to offer locally grown, handmade products for our community. We hope that the market continues to be a place that “you make it, you bake it, you grow it” and not a market of produced merchandise, or remarketing of retail merchandise ”

Individuals interested in becoming a vendor are required to submit an application, and pay a fee and in return an area is assigned to them of their choosing, if available. Interested parties can email gklingler39@gmail.com, call 972-841-8409, stop in at Current River Fabrics and Quilting to speak to Pam Shaver, call 573-996-1888 or send a message on Facebook to the Farmers Market of Ripley County.

Any sales tax that is collected is left up to the individual vendor to collect and report to tax agencies.

“Ripley County residents can support the farmer’s market by coming out every Saturday,” said Klingler.

Shaver said, “Shop local come out and support your friends and neighbors.”

There will also be live music performed by Hannah Kathreyn begining at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 27 for the opening day of Farmers Market of Ripley County.