Steuben County Farmers’ Market: It’s About Community
The experience of eating is enhanced by the love and care taken to prepare it, the freshness and quality of its ingredients, as well as the ambiance created through a thoughtfully curated environment.
The experience of eating is enhanced by the love and care taken to prepare it, the freshness and quality of its ingredients, as well as the ambiance created through a thoughtfully curated environment.
If you love to cook or love to eat (which is just about everyone), you’ve probably visited your local farmers market. Buying there not only helps to ensure the freshness of your food, but it can give you first-hand knowledge of the people who raised, planted and cultivated it.
You’ll probably also find fresh flowers, unique décor and practical home goods created by local crafters. Purchasing food and other items from your local farmers’ market supports local vendors. They, in turn, support the local economy and their community. Getting to know local market vendors can be a great way of learning about a community and meeting people if you’ve recently moved or even if you’re just visiting. Farmers markets are a wonderful thing.
Ralph and Colleen Holman are the main contacts for the local Steuben County Farmers Market. You’ll see them regularly selling their products there. They and other market vendors get to know their customers as they interact with them at the market. Aside from providing produce, they can help with food recipes, canning and freezing produce and ideas for those starting their own garden.
Customer confidence is important, and they work closely with the local county health department. According to Colleen Holman, bakers undergo food handling training and list their name, their ingredients and contact information on their labels. Meat vendors hold health department certificates.
Home-grown products
Products sold are home-grown or homemade. The Holmans list fresh local seasonal produce, raw honey, maple syrup, Amish baked goods, gluten-free baked goods, frozen meats, goat milk lotions and soaps and handcrafts among the things the market vendors make available. Favorites among their customers are fresh tomatoes, sweet corn, melons, strawberries and blueberries. In the fall it’s mums and pumpkins.
Close bonds are formed between the market members and their customers. Community is the most important part of their market. “If we didn’t have community we would not be here,” said Colleen Holman. Goodbyes at the end of October can be difficult for the family of vendors when they look to the coming winter. Some have passed away during their 21 years, so when a vendor is missing for whatever reason, it’s evident to regular marketgoers.
The local farmers and crafters of the Steuben County Farmers’ Market gather two times weekly between the months of July and the end of October in Angola to sell their wares and produce – all with the care and passion inherent to small business owners.
They are known to donate the overages of vegetables to local food pantries, women’s shelters and the city’s local food and clothing pantry – Project Help. The Saturday market is the larger market of the two and begins operating in May.
It’s held in the parking lot of the Steuben County Community Center at 317 S. Wayne St. in Angola from 8 a.m. to noon.
They hold a smaller market at Monument Plaza at 206 N. Wayne St. on Wednesdays from 8 a.m. to noon.
steubencountyfarmersmarket@yahoo.com
steubencountyfarmersmarket.com
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