Kokomo's Farmers' Market is more than food

Posted: July 11, 2009

By Peter Adelsen

For those who want to have the freshest of foods, the Kokomo Farmers' Market is the place to be every Saturday morning until Oct. 10.

It is located in the city parking lot west of Union Street and between Sycamore and Walnut streets.

Vendors this year are Barefoot Baking Company LLC, Das Bauck Haus, Childers' Produce, Copper Creek Farms LLC, Farlow's Orchard, Michelle Gilbert, Larry Hedges, Rozzi's @ the Farmers' Market, Awe Serenity and Jill's Backyard Gardens.

"I think it's more important to know who is raising their food these days," said Garry Childers, who runs Childers' Produce and a former president of the market. "More people are interested in buying local and meet the people who grow the products."

The prices are reasonable as compared to supermarkets, he said.

"All the food is naturally raised," he said. "We do not use any chemicals that are not approved for organic use."

There is also more at the farmers' market than its food. Larry Hedges brings hand-crafted wooden tables to the market, Awe Serenity brings annual and perennial plants and Jill's Backyard Gardens brings shrubs, trees and perennials to the market.

Childers said there is even more to offer at the market.

"It's kind of a social thing," he said. "People come to meet other people who they don't see a lot."

The farmers' market is trying to get as much of the community involved, he said. If anyone would like to become involved, he said to contact Jo Ellen DuFresne, Kokomo Farmers' Market president, at 765-865-3034. The farmers' market also has a Web site at www.farmersmarket46901.com.

Link: http://kokomoperspective.com/news/article_19178e15-2bad-5cd5-ba46-6d354c649ab2.html