The planning of Carroll County’s soon-to-be farmer’s market has been in the works for nearly a year now, according to Carroll County Extension Office’s Tracey Boone, the idea for the market began somewhere around the time frame of September to October of last year, around the time of the famous Pilgrimage. It began with an interest and a need within the community for homegrown fresh produce. Many residents of the county expressed their strong desire for a marketplace of their own that would be run by and servicing their community. After an abundance of interest expressed in the project, a board was formed to begin the planning process to give the community what they requested.
The board of the farmer’s market was built of strong pillars in the community, who sought to lay the foundation for another community centric service. Familiar names such as Tammy Inmon (Carroll County Tax Assessor), William Vaughan and Claude Elam (both Carroll County Development Association Members), Josh Hurst (Carroll County Beat 2 Supervisor), Jenifer Houston, David Dale, and Tracey Boone (of the Carroll County Extension Office) came together to make this dream a reality. And, so, after nearly a year of planning, The Big Sand Farmer’s Market will make its official debut this Thursday, May 30 on the Carrollton square.
Boone commented on the long anticipated opening, stating “Most everybody seems to be very excited about it, and all seem to be very positive about it because each one will say ‘We need something like this’ because we don’t have any fresh produce in the area without having to drive to another county.”
Though providing homegrown, hearty vegetables is the first priority of the market, Boone assured there would be an array of goods for visitors to browse and buy. The market encourages its vendors to provide produce from their home gardens, along with jams, jellies, and even baked goods. In addition, local plant enthusiasts are welcomed to sell fresh herbs and fruit trees. As of right now, any vendors selling handmade or craft items are required to also sell a vegetable. Boone states that this is a preventative measure to ensure that the farmer’s market is not overtaken by craft booths, so that everyone will continue to be able to have access to fresh produce.
Currently the market has approximately six large scale vendors signed to show at the debut, and the board is hopeful to gain interest as the market becomes established and as the seasons change, allowing for larger crop availability.
“The reason why we chose to do it not on a Saturday is we want those farmers - [that] are already going to Winona and Vaiden and Greenwood - [we want] them to have an extra day to sell their produce at a farmers market other than those they were already attending.” Boone explained.
In addition, the board is hoping to catch evening traffic through Carrollton as residents are coming home from work and non-residents are leaving from work, allowing the market to reach a greater range of potential buyers.
The feat of the Big Sand Farmer’s Market was made possible by a growing list of invested sponsors who helped to fund the project, including but not limited to the Bank of Commerce, Snooky and Pam Lee, William Vaughan, Hoover Auto, Scott Petroleum, Dent Turner, and the Town of Carrollton.
