BY DENNIS BARTLOW
COVINGTON, Ind. — Organizers of a new farmers market in Covington hope that it will draw people to the downtown area.
“It is our hope that people will come downtown and, hopefully, it will be a social time,” said Deb Duncan, one of the organizers for Green Minds Fountain County.
The first farmers market will be from 4-7 p.m. EDT Friday on the northeast corner of the courthouse square.
“We want people to be able to get homegrown products,” Duncan said. “There will be bakery items, eggs and informational items.”
There is no registration needed or fee.
Duncan said downtown businesses plan to stay open Friday nights.
“We may eventually expand with some music,” she said. “We want it to be a park-like atmosphere.”
Duncan remembers when downtowns came alive on Friday nights with everyone went to town to shop.
“I would love to see families come downtown,” Duncan said. “I think gardening is on the minds of many people now.”
Linda McGurk said she hopes the farmers market will give people another reason to go downtown.
“I think with some promotion and with everything open around the square, it gives people several reasons to go downtown,” she said. “We believe this will be a great opportunity for people in Covington and the surrounding area to access fresh, healthy foods produced by local farmers.”
Eventually, the organizers would also like the market to be a venue for special events and seminars on topics like gardening, health, local foods and living green.
“Part of the idea is to bring downtown to life with a family-friendly atmosphere on Friday evenings,” McGurk said. “The market will probably start on a small scale, since it’s still early in the growing season, but we hope it will expand and get a loyal following.”
McGurk feels this is a good time for another farmers market.
“This is also an economic development issue. Every dollar that we spend locally supports our farming families and keeps circulating in the community instead of being sent out-of-state,” McGurk said.
The Covington Business Association started a farmers market on Friday mornings six or seven years ago in the area north of Fountain Trust Co. on Third Street, and that market plans to continue.
“We will continue it,” said Patty Brewer, who oversees the current market. “It has been very successful. We have as many as eight to 10 vendors.”
Brewer is not sure that both markets can survive, but they may serve different audiences.
“Some people drive up and tell the vendors what they want and never leave their car,” Brewer said.
The CBA discussed the market at its meeting Tuesday.
“They didn’t discourage (continuing it),” she said. “We will continue. I wish (the new group) well.”
FAST FACTS
Green Minds Fountain County is sponsoring a farmers market from 4-7 p.m. EDT Fridays on the northeast corner of the courthouse square. For additional information, contact Deb Duncan at (765) 793-2322, Linda McGurk at (765) 793-0176 or K. Hunter at (765) 793-4609.
