FRANKFORT, Ind. – Mary Lynn Peter saw something missing in Frankfort – specifically in the downtown area – a farmer’s market.
She received approval from the Frankfort Board of Works at its meeting on Monday after asking for feedback on local Facebook groups and presenting to the board her findings. The first farmer’s market will be this Saturday, August 13 at Veteran’s Park from 9 am to 2 pm.
“Well, actually, we use to have farmer’s markets here,” said Mary Lynn. “We had one that used to be downtown and that kind of went away – I don’t know why. Then they started another one at the IVY Tech, but it was so hard to get to no one could really get in there to do it. So that didn’t go well either. So it’d been five years or so before we had another one.”
The thought came to her when driving past Veteran’s Park on a Saturday.
“I’m driving down the street and looking at Veteran’s Park, sitting empty on a Saturday, I’m like, come on, we got to do something. Let’s do a farmer’s market. Maybe I can do that.”
Mary Lynn contacted Frankfort Main Street director Kim Stevens who in turn pointed her to the right city departments to get the necessary permission.
“So I got a hold of Kim Stevens at Main Street and she directed me to everybody else and all the paperwork and everything.”
The farmer’s market is set to run every Saturday from 9 am to 2 pm – weather permitting, until the end of the season. There is no cost to vendors to set-up. She hopes to have a wide variety of producers and makers come and offer their items to the public.
“Hopefully we’ll have flowers, baked goods, vegetables, maybe some fruits, whatever people are growing out of their gardens and stuff to have them come up here and sell, and citizens can come and buy.”
Frankfort Mayor Judy Sheets thanked Mary Lynn for having the vision and approaching the city.
“I’m so excited about it and I loved the idea,” said Mayor Sheets. “I think it is something that we need in the downtown area. As I’ve said before, you know, that’s what we want to do, want to keep the downtown area busy and people want to come down here and visit our different places.”
“It’s just another time for them to be down here and to enjoy it. And I, I thank Mary Lynn for having that vision and wanting to bring that back to Frankfort. I think it’s exciting for our community.”
Mary Lynn noted there is an individual that has a produce stand in the parking lot of Goodwill and is busy.
“We’ve got one guy at Goodwill right now that sells, and every time I go by there, there’s tons of cars, people buying off of him. Let’s make it local and keep it fun and exciting.”
Vendors do not have to sign-up ahead of time, but will be asked to complete a form to track vendor participation. The only costs associated are for those that offer non-uncut produce, baked goods and other food items due to health department rules.
“There’s no charge as long as they have uncut produce. As far as home baked goods – honey eggs, stuff like that, they have to pay a $60 fee through the health department, but that’s for the whole season.”
