Todd community launches

newest farmers’ market
By Scott Nicholson
nicholson@wataugademocrat.com

The farmers’ market business is growing along with the popularity of local food and crafts, as a new farmers’ market has started in Todd.

The market, which is held every Thursday in the parking lot of the Todd Mercantile on Railroad Grade Road, will focus exclusively on locally made products and will remain small and intimate, though more vendors are welcome.

The Todd market emerged from local growers in the community who participated in weekend markets in Boone and West Jefferson but wanted something closer to home.

Stacey Martin, owner of Yellow Wolf Farm in Todd, said the idea emerged informally as local growers chatted about the upcoming market season. “I started out asking a few people who do other markets,” she said.

Martin’s farm offers a community-supported agriculture program, in which people buy shares in the farm operation and come by weekly to get their fresh produce. The pick-up point was at the mercantile and she noticed a lot of visitor traffic. “I was going to be there anyway, and every time I was sitting there with a bag of food, people tried to buy it from me,” Martin said. “I had so many people trying to buy it that I thought we might as well try a market.”

In addition to in-season produce, Martin will have lamb, goat, chicken and other poultry, with some available on site and others for special order, such as turkey, duck and goose. Vendors will also offer nursery stock, plants, and candles, soaps and lotions made by hand. Other crafts such as wood carvings will be available, though Martin said the emphasis is on naturally grown or organic foods, as well as crafts made locally using native materials.

Martin said the Todd farmers’ market vendors aren’t aiming to offer the cheapest prices, but to focus on freshness and quality in such garden crops as heirloom tomatoes, greens, lettuce mixes and summer and winter squashes. Eggplants, broccoli, Brussel’s sprouts, rutabagas and other food will also be sold once it matures. “I really grow for taste,” Martin said. “I’m not trying to sell tomatoes for 50 cents a pound.”

The market is already underway, from 2 to 6 p.m. every Thursday in Todd, and will continue into the fall. To get vendor information or learn more, call Martin at (336) 709-6541 or email yellowwolffarm@yahoo.com.

The farmers’ markets in Boone and West Jefferson have started, with regular Saturday hours. A new Sunday market is planned at the Human Services Center in Boone but the opening date hasn’t been announced yet.