Volume 18 / 2016
W
elcome to the 18th annual Preserve The Past…Imagine The Future publication. Every year we strive to find a subject matter that will interest our community. This year our focus is on our long time farmers market. The Downtown Farmers Market, originally called Downtown Saturday Market, has been setting up around the court square for eighteen years. From the early years with only six vendors to upwards of fifty vendors, the market has taken on a life of its own and the tagline Keepin’ It Fresh is just what we do!
A special thank you to our 2016 market sponsors, Trends N Treasures and CFSB. Without your support, we couldn’t do what we do for our market community. Please enjoy this publication and, as always, if you have a story to tell or a picture to share, feel free to come by and see us or call us at 270-759-9474.
DEANA WRIGHT, PROGRAM DIRECTOR
In this publication you will learn about the history of our market and more about our vendors. In addition, you will find a directory of our vendors and how to reach them in the off season.
Number of years with MMS: 18
JAMES GALLIMORE, PRESIDENT
TIA ALLBRITTEN, SECRETARY
TRICE SEARGENT, TREASURER
President/Owner, GEC Number of years with MMS: 2
Benefits Account Manager, Peel & Holland InsuranceNumber of years with MMS: 2
Vice President, Sales and Service Officer, FNB Bank Number of years with MMS: 2
B O A R D
O F
Angela Adams Julie Keller Paul McCreary
D I R E C T O R S Mark Welch Tony Nolcox Carolyn Todd
E X - O F F I C I O S Kendall Young Aaron Dail Carol Brunn
Mayor Jack Rose Chris Wooldridge
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BE A PART OF MURRAY MAIN STREET BECOME A MEMBER TODAY
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Murray, KY: 1800s It’s early in the morning on the fourth Monday of the month. The house is full of excitement getting ready for the big day. The kids are quickly eating their breakfast and ‘father’ is outside readying the horse carriage and the horses. ‘Mother’ is cleaning up while thrilled with the prospects of the day. She cannot wait to get her hands on the newest fabric fresh off the train. The ride to town seems long even though it is only a mile away from the court square. Once the horse carriage arrives, the kids jump off and run to find their friends. ‘Mother’ heads to the nearest dry good stores, mostly for her fabric, but also for the other items on her list and ‘father’ heads over to the men who are trading goods and mules; a typical day in Murray, KY.
would buy, sell, trade or barter for livestock and food. It was a day to watch entertainers, see the medicine show, meet girls and have political conversations. Thousands of people along with their mules and horses were on the court square for the day. Shops sold their goods and restaurants fed the crowds. It was a day of commerce like no other. But, as quickly as it became tradition before the Civil War, it ended in the 1950s. Could it have ended due to the automobile era, the sprawl from downtown, or just the fact that technology was growing by leaps and bounds? Who knows, but this was what the organization decided would make for a great activity...a modern day ‘Trade Day.’
In July of 1999, the first market began. It was a small market with only a handful of vendors and Downtown grew to almost one dozen vendors (weather permitting) in the first year. The market hosted a Saturday Market few farmers with produce, a few crafters and started, we had someone with chickens and other animals. It set no idea up on S 5th Street thinking that was the best what the reaction Murray, KY: Current Day location because it was close to Main Street for to it would be... easy accessibility and the visibility. In an effort to The year 1999 seems so long ago. The Murray Main make it work with the businesses around the Street Program was in its infancy and each square, discounts and deals were advertised with volunteer was trying to find ways to help save the the downtown businesses to encourage visiting downtown and bring back the relevance that the market and the stores. The market began as a existed in years past. The Promotions Committee four, Saturday-a-month venture in July-October from 7:30-2:00pm. turned to history to find something that would ‘stick’ and make the The fee to become a vendor was only $5. downtown a draw for people again. When the
“”
A very important day in Murray from the late 1800s was the Fourth Monday of each month. This day, called ‘Trade Day’, was the day for all members of the county to travel to the court square where they
In its second year, Laura Miller and Martha Alls took on the task of growing the market. As Laura Miller stated in a press release in August of 2000, “When the Downtown Saturday Market started we
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had no idea what the reaction to it would be or how it would fair. Last year was our first year and we are slowly learning as we go along. The market has been well received and we are grateful for both our loyal vendors and customers. It’s great to come downtown on Saturday morning and see all the activity on the square.” In August, the market was moved to Maple Street to allow for construction and the addition of new businesses on S 5th Street. It was thought that Maple Street would be a better place to grow the market since it was a wider street.
Our final ‘Special Saturday’ was in October. We joined with the Murray State University group to celebrate homecoming. The Parade began downtown and we wanted to interest students and faculty alike to learn about the market. In 2010, the county farmers market disbanded and those vendors moved to the downtown market and the growth of our market really took off.
In the meantime, the Kentucky Department of Agriculture started gaining speed behind the statewide marketing campaign, Kentucky Proud. Touting that patrons could get the ‘bounty All farmers markets were encouraged to of the county’ was used as a means to participate and funds in the form of promote the ‘open-air’ market. Vendors, grants were available to help advertise COPELAND FARMS IN THE EARLY 2000S such as Jerry Copeland of Copeland the farmers markets. Murray Main Farms, were developing relationships Street has taken advantage of the with regular customers and working to make sure the patrons had the Kentucky Proud grants every year. produce they wanted. If you haven’t tasted a peach from Copeland Farms you haven’t tasted a peach. Mr. Copeland is just one of the In 2012, the idea of a farmers market started to catch on. Meat many vendors who sell produce on Saturdays. Most days his peaches vendors arrived on the scene with eggs, lamb and chicken to are sold out by 10:00am. compliment the beef and sausage we already had on the market. New crafters were added to the mix giving the market a real feel of In the early 2000s, the Calloway County extension office decided they shopping. Our crowds started to grow and we quickly became the would open another farmers market in the county. The Downtown best market in the region. We also partnered with the hospital to Saturday Market stayed open and continued to thrive expanding their bring a Tuesday market to the community. months from May-October and adding a ‘special Saturday’ each month. In 2015, shopping local at farmers market was in Each ‘Special Saturday’ was to draw new and more diverse people to vogue. The market boasted the market. May’s special Saturday was the opening of the market almost 50 vendors in peak with a ribbon cutting. The Chamber hosted the ribbon cutting and times (June and July) and the newspaper always attended. A Father’s Day car show was added no less than 24 during the in the month of June, hoping to bring in the car enthusiasts. In July, months of May-June. Some the market celebrated Independence Day and worked with the vendors would travel an Murray Convention and Visitors Bureau to host the downtown hour to set up on portion of Freedom Fest, an annual festival on the 4th of July. In Saturdays. August, it was HOT, but we enjoyed the Iris Festival with the KennTenn Iris society. The Murray Art Guild helped us out in In 2016, we enjoyed our September as we celebrated National Art Month with art largest season yet. The demonstrations, chalk art for the kids, pumpkin painting and more. excitement of the market really began with the renewed look of the market and the promotional campaign. With the help of the Kentucky Proud and Community Farm Alliance grants, we have been able to expand our efforts. New signage, new t-shirts and more were created to bring attention to our market. The new tagline ‘Keepin’ It Fresh’ was brought to light and used throughout the season. Each year brings more and more people to our court square and our farmers market. It’s hard to believe it has been 18 years since the idea was brought to reality. There is a strong tradition of Farmers Markets in Kentucky. We hope to become part of that rich Kentucky tradition and history. Since Calloway County is known for farming and has such a strong history of agriculture what better way to help keep us all connected to our roots and help celebrate what comes from our land than to have a market for all to enjoy the “bounty of the county” while Keepin’ It Fresh!
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By: Angie Hatton
T
he dew is still thick on the grass as I lace up my sneakers. I grab the dog's leash from its hook by the door and stuff my canvas bags under the crook of my arm. My dog prances around me in excitement as we head out the door and down the street. My neighbors are drinking coffee on their front porch. As we pass, I wave and they raise mugs in greeting. Smells waft out to the sidewalk: the cottony sweet dryer sheets tumbling with the laundry, fatty bacon crisping in the frying pan. This is Saturday in Murray; a little slower, a little quieter, but oh so full of possibility. My heart swells with anticipation as I see Renaissance Park ahead. Just one block away now. This walk to the court square and the Downtown Farmers Market is part of my Saturday ritual. It feels like Christmas morning every weekend when I come to the Farmers Market. What colors and shapes of squash will I see? Will someone have my favorite heirloom tomatoes? Will the bison stand have a special on liver again? Will I find the perfect handcrafted cutting board, jewelry, or soap? To me, being a part of the local-vore culture is about connecting to my community. I see the farmers who raised my food face-to-face. They tell me about the conditions of the soil that week. We joke about how scratchy the okra plants are. We get excited together over the ripe, juicy peaches and the mottled brown eggs. It's also where I see my friends and where I grab a cup of coffee and rest after our shopping bags are full. It's an atmosphere of joy and bounty. Yes, the freshness of the food is important to me, too. Anyone who has eaten a cherry tomato straight off the vine knows food tastes better the sooner after it's picked and the less it has to travel in plastic shipping containers. But the food I get from the Downtown Market doesn't taste good only because it's fresh. It is also imbued with the fond feelings I have for this community of farmers and crafters who gather every week to share something they have nurtured for so many hours. I bring a little piece of them home with me in my shopping bag. And when I've roasted the garlic chicken and marinated the roots vegetables in rosemary, lemon and olive oil, it tastes so much better knowing that I met the people who raised the ingredients, and that I will see them again next week.
The Urban Dictionary gives the following as definition of localvore as follows:
A "locavore" or "localvore" (the term is a neologism) is a person interested in eating food that is locally produced, not moved long distances to market. One common – but not universal – definition of "local" food is food grown within 100 miles of its point of purchase or consumption. Angie Hatton is a weekly visitor to the Downtown Farmers Market. She is an active member of the community and is very involved in community organizations such as Playhouse in the Park and the Rotary Club of Murray. We love seeing her visit our market every weekend and we hope you will visit us too!
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SHOP SMALL. SHOP LOCAL.
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VISIT THE DOWNTOWN FARMERS MARKET: MAY - OCTOBER
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M
arket Meatballs with bison….Murray Market Cavier with purple hull peas….Stuffed bell peppers….bourbon soaked peaches & cream….Are you hungry yet?
In 2016, the Murray Main Street organization knew it would be a brilliant idea to have a farm-to-table dinner for their annual membership meeting. Beginning in January, the planning began on what would become the dinner of the year. The idea….a locally grown, locally sourced, locally prepared dinner in downtown and served under the stars in our newly designed park. Saturday, July 30th, was a busy day for downtown Murray. Not only was the farmers market in full swing with the most popular veggies and the best vendors in the region selling their items on the court square, but the Murray Main Street program was gearing up for their first ever farm-to-table dinner. Julie Keller, a newer board member to Murray Main Street, took on the challenge and ran with it. She organized her team and got to work planning the event. Hours of working on the menu took place. Multiple vendors at the market provided food for the market-to-menu event. Tripp’s Bison Ranch provided bison for the Market Meatballs, Stubblefield Farms provided their famous sausage for the Stuffed Bell Pepper, Jolly Hog Farm provided chickens for the entreé. Wurth Farms, Wade
Drinking from
mason jars and enjoying conversation
over the lanterns, the evening was a great mix of
good southern food and good friends.
“”
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Creek Farms and D&B Farms provided produce while Morningstar Farms provided the dinner rolls. Filling in with other needs from the market, the dinner was a full-on Downtown Farmers Market event with the freshest threecourse family-style meal available in Murray, KY. FNB Bank was the title sponsor for the inaugural event and course sponsors were Gallimore Electric System, Kentucky Farm Bureau and Kopperud Realty. Mason jars were etched with the Market-To-Menu and FNB Bank logos as fun drink containers/party favors for the guests. Renaissance Park was the planned location for the event, but with the threat of rain and the heat of the day in late July, the location was moved to the beautiful Robert O Miller Conference Center. Instead of stars in the sky, the ceiling was draped with mini-lights. The six long rustic tables seated sixteen people each and gas lanterns helped give off a low romantic glow. Julie and her husband Heath managed the event and, with the help of Anne Marie Tanner of FitMeals Murray, prepared a wonderful dinner that everyone raved about all summer. The dinner consisted of delicacies such as a summer squash crestini and Murray Market Caviar while the entrées were Orechiette Pasta with Chicken and Stuffed Bell Peppers. Dessert consisted of bourbon soaked peaches & cream and watermelon granita.
ORECCHIETTE PASTA WITH CHICKEN
Over 100 guests dined at the Robert O Miller Conference Center, under the ‘stars’ and enjoyed an informational speech from Fred Nesler, Department of Agriculture representation, and Sharon Furches, a local family farmer. Fit Meals Murray and volunteers from the Calloway County 4-H served the six long tables of guests. Drinking from mason jars and enjoying conversation over the lanterns, the evening was a great mix of good southern food and good friends. Special guests included Sharon Furches and Fred Nesler, as well as, Mayor Jack Rose and his wife, Janice and MSU President Bob Davies and his wife, Cindy.
OVER 100 GUESTS DINED ‘UNDER THE STARS’
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I
n the late 1990s, the Department of Agriculture Office of Marketing and Product Promotion set out to market the local farmer and agribusinesses in Kentucky. In June of 1997 and running until late 2007, the ‘Kentucky-Where quality grows’ promotion began the ‘go local’ campaign before ‘go local’ was the popular phrase. After ten years, the need for a fresh new look was obvious. In July of 2008, the Department of Agriculture Office of Marketing and Product Promotion and the Kentucky Proud Advisory Council introduced the Kentucky Proud initiative. Kentucky Proud, the official State Department of Agriculture marketing program has a well-recognized logo that is placed on products grown, produced or processed by Kentucky farmers, businesses or small agribusinesses. It is not only a way to provide safe and nutritious foods for your loved ones, but you are ‘being a localist’ by keeping your money close to home and investing in local families who in turn, reinvest in the community. This strengthens the local economy and creates a sense of community during the process. In addition, you can be assured that your food is fresh and has not spent a great deal of time on a truck traveling across the country. The Downtown
Farmers Market has been a
member of the Kentucky Proud program since its inception.
“”
The Kentucky Proud program has grown tremendously over the years and boasts over 5,000 members such as farms, stores, restaurants, retail stores, wineries and more. Within a 40 mile radius of Murray, there are approximately one-hundred Kentucky Proud members. Some of our local members include:
• Downtown Farmers Market • Little Rayne Farm • Johnson Farm • Krug Farm • CRD Farm • Achenbach Farm • Crider Farms • Wurth Farms • Silver Pink Rose Soaps & Such • Stubblefield Farm • Murray State University-Farm to Campus • Murray Independent Schools • MSU Hutson School of Ag • Calloway County Agriculture Department • And many more…
Being a member of the Kentucky Proud Program means we have the ability to consult with marketing specialists, apply for grants and cost share funds, and purchase promotional items at cost. We are also allowed to promote the Kentucky Proud logo and know that the state supports our program, promoting it on their website and mobile locator app. It is also a way to say ‘we support local’! The Downtown Farmers Market has been a member of the Kentucky Proud program since its inception. We have been fortunate to receive marketing grants to help promote the market and make it one of the strongest farmers markets in the region. For more information on the Kentucky Proud program, please visit www.kyproud.com.
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By: Krit Stubblefield
F
rom mid-May through the last weekend in October, every Saturday morning the south side of the court square in Murray slowly comes to life just before 6 A.M. By 6:30, the street is a bustle of tables being unfolded, basket and boxes being unloaded, produce being stacked, and craftwork being displayed. By 7 A.M., the vendors are ready for the parade of customers that will stroll the streets until nearly noon, as the south side of the court square becomes Murray’s Downtown Farmers Market. Paul McDade (also known as “the bread man”) of Morning Star Farms has sold fresh breads at farmers markets for over 17 years. Paul’s wife Juanita learned the art of baking while raising their children. “My wife home-schooled our children while I worked off the farm, and she baked fresh bread every day. That’s how it all started.” After leasing a commercial kitchen for several years, Paul and Juanita are now in a new bakery recently constructed on their Henry County farm. “Baking bread is an art, you don’t just mix everything together, you have to know and understand how the yeast works with different types of flour under different conditions.”
MR. COPELAND
Jerry Copelands' family has operated orchards in southern Graves county for years. About 20 years ago, he expanded into vegetable production and has been a fixture at area farmers markets ever since. While many vendors figure prices with a calculator or opt for an electronic scale that tells weight and
calculates price, Ol’ Man Copeland (as he is affectionately called) still uses an old heavy duty spring scale, and figures the prices in his head, calling off the amount owed as the scale needle settles on a weight. “I’ve done it long enough I can figure in my head quicker than you can do it with calculator.”
Everything,
the produce, the meats, the breads
it’s all so fresh. When the Farmers Market is in season
The art of Ken and Beverly Kietzke is a we eat like kings. feast for the eyes, if not for the palette. - MARY ANNE MEDLOCK The daughter of a renowned mural artist, Beverly, traveled the Southwest with her father in the 40’s & 50’s. That influence clearly shows in her extensive use of turquoise in her hand made jewelry. A stop at Berkley in the late 60’s for college, it was a summer between classes, when on a fossil dig in the badlands of South Dakota Beverly met the man who was to become her husband 15 years later. Ken started going on fossil digs with professionals when he was in high school. As a geologist, he has traveled throughout North and South America looking for everything from oil to uranium to dinosaur bones. Ken’s list of accomplishments as a paleontologist makes him look like the guy from “Jurassic Park”, and on top of all that, he retired in 2003 after 15 years at Intel. Beverly has been a professional artist of some note for over 40 years, crafting and selling her wearable art. After retirement, Ken started painting and decorating gourds as a hobby, and an attempt to stave off boredom. Before long, he was joining his wife at arts and crafts shows, selling his creations.
“”
“Chickens are the gateway drug into farming,” says vendor Angela Magney. Her husband, Capt. Ray Magney, was deployed to
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Afghanistan in 2009, and in his absence she rhubarb.” said Donnie. Brother Frankie adds, “And if somebody asks got eight laying hens and turned their for something one Saturday, and we can buy it where we can sell it for suburban back yard into a microcosm of a fair price and make a little, we’ll try to have it.” her dream. “When he returned stateside, I showed him the Charles Palmer has lived most of his life in Calloway County except chickens and announced, I for a short period of time when he worked as a herdsman for a large want to be a farmer.” They dairy farm down south. “I got homesick, one year was all I could quickly expanded to a flock stand, so I came back.” said Palmer. Palmer still operates a small of 1,500 pasture-raised dairy farm which makes him a 4th generation dairyman, but much of chickens, selling eggs and his attention is now focused on his expanding vegetable operation. meat at farmers markets While he doesn’t sell milk at the farmers market, customers can secure in the Augustus, GA area. a supply of fresh milk through a “cow shares” program from Palmer’s Ray was “Wades Creek Dairy.” reassigned to Fort Campbell in late 2012 and Magney Legacy Ridge Farm was established near Princeton, Mark Paschalls' family has farmed in southwest KY. With the help of daughter Hannah and sons Jonah Calloway County since before the civil war, and Mark is and Eric, the Magneys have diversified their operation, the third generation to farm at their current location. I enjoy the work, offering organically grown vegetables, flowers, eggs Mark has been recognized as an outstanding tobacco and lamb for sale to their customers. “We started farmer several times over the years, going all the way but my pay is when a coming to Murray’s Farmers Market three years ago,” back to his days at Calloway County High. At the customer comes back Angela explains “and every year things have just farmers market Mark is known for his seedless and tells me mine is gotten better and better.” watermelons. Paschall diversified into watermelons the best sweet corn several years ago, now he produces between 30 and 40 they’ve ever eaten, A long-time local farming operation, Stubblefield Farm acres a year. “In the past few years, we’ve shipped that’s why is owned & operated by Kathy Jo Stubblefield along between 50 and 60 semi-truck loads of melons, each I do this. with her brother. Specializing in pasture raised beef summer,” said Paschall. Paschall --says they've shipped - BILL TRIMBLE and fresh country sausage, the current beef operation as far east as Portland Maine, as far west as Denver, and traces its roots back to the dairy the family operated as far north as Canada. for 70 years until their father retired and sold the milking herd in the late 90’s. It’s spelled M-I-R-A-I, and pronounced ME-RI. It’s some of the sweetest sweet corn on the planet and it is the “Daddy always raised Jersey steers to sell as freezer only kind of sweet corn that Bill and Sue Trimble grow beef, the whole time we had the dairy, customers were always on their Arrowhead Acres farm. Mirai corn gained wide acceptance in bragging about how good the beef tasted… we just raise ‘em the way Japan where it is sometimes served raw and is so sweet it is often daddy did.” Retired from 33 years of teaching English at Calloway served as a dessert. A proud Vietnam Vet, and a retired engineer, Bill County High, Kathy Jo Stubblefield said it was “Miss Jimmie’s” fresh owned his own firm working under contract for years with Dean country sausage that really made a hit during their first years at the Foods and later Morningstar. “I don’t do this (sweet corn) for the market. “It was Mama’s old recipe; two of the things our mama was known for were, being the long-time secretary of New Concord and later East Elementary and her country sausage.”
“”
It’s a family affair at the Adam’s farms booth, Donnie and his brother Frankie, along with a cousin and Frankies’ two daughters, continually refill baskets with produce replenishing their display as fast as customers walk off with their purchases. The Adams grow a variety of vegetables on their Calloway County farm, but they also purchase some produce from Amish farmers. Older brother Donnie says this helps them and their customers. “By going to Fairview, (the Amish produce auction near Hopkinsville) it allows us to fill in holes in our production; that way we can have the product when our crop is late or it’s already played out. It also lets us bring in produce you normally wouldn’t see like asparagus and
BASKETS OVERFLOW WITH FRESH PRODUCE
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Mary Anne Medlock and her husband Vince come to the market almost every week, sometimes spending an hour going from stall to stall, visiting with vendors. “Everything, the produce, the meats, the breads it’s all so fresh,” Mary brags, “when the farmers market is in season we eat like kings.” Retired MSU professor, Dr. Bob Lochte, is always there during the height of the season. He says you can’t find this kind of quality and freshness at the grocery. “At the farmers market, you have the opportunity to meet the person who nurtured the plant or raised the animal that produced the food you are going to eat. Our society has lost that connection with our food, we need to get that back,” said Lochte. HANDMADE WOOD CUTTING BOARDS BY CLAUDE MILLER
money,” Bill expounds, “I enjoy the work, but my pay is when a customer comes back and tells me mine is the best sweet corn they’ve ever eaten, that’s why I do this.” Wurth Farms has been synonymous with fresh produce for years in McCracken County. “My grandfather William Alliwishus Wurth and his wife Nora opened a produce stand on market street in 1908” explains Jim Wurth, “in those days farmers would go down to Market Street in Paducah, to sell their products.” These days Wurth farms grows about 70 acres of produce and operates two permanent seasonal produce stands in the Paducah area. A true family operation with eight family members involved in all stages from production to sales Jim and his wife Rebecca began coming to the Murray Farmers Market four years ago.“ "We heard good things about the market in Murray, so we thought we’d come check it out.” they said. Producing a wide variety of vegetables, from eggplants to watermelon, “our family picks every variety of the vegetables we grow based on taste,” Jim notes. “We may not have the prettiest tomatoes, but you won’t find any that tastes better. That’s what it’s all about, how it tastes.” The parade of customers continues, as vendors greet their weekly regulars and explain to new visitors what they have to offer. Housewives, with husbands in tow, leaving a few moments later loaded down with bags of produce, as they head home to can tomatoes, or cut off corn, or freeze green beans. A lone man with a “covering ground pace” and a “looks like he has lost something” gaze wanders through the market. It is obvious his wife has sent him to the market for a specific item or items, and it is also obvious that this man’s Saturday plans to fish, golf, or whatever, are in limbo until he fills the request of his spouse. At You have the opportunity to any one time there are a half-ameet the person who dozen people on cells phones nurtured the plant or calling someone, and the conversation always starts raised the animal that “they’ve got some of this at the produced the food you are farmers market, do you want me going to eat. to get you some?” Our society has lost that connection with our food, we need to get it back.
“”
But if you ask customers why they buy at the Saturday farmers market, two reasons will be near the top of most lists: fresh local produce and the desire to support local farmers and craftspeople.
Calloway County Native, Danny “Sput” Kingins is also a regular at the market. “I buy something down here every week, bread or sweet rolls, tomatoes, and you’re always running into someone you haven’t seen in a while,” said Kingins. You will see everybody at the market, the judge, the mayor, many local elected officials, on most Saturdays during the height of the market, one could easily get a quorum for a city council meeting. By 11:45 A.M., the flow of people coming into the market has dwindled to just a trickle, and vendors are getting ready to call it a day as they stack empty baskets, take down signs and fold up tablecloths. If it’s been a good day, loading up is easy since most of the produce carried in at the start of the day, has been carried out by customers one bag at a time. Normally by 12:15 P.M., the south side of the court square is deserted again, except maybe for a couple of vendors, leaning over the beds of pickup trucks, talking about the rain or the lack thereof. As many times as not, somebody will drive up and ask if anybody has any squash or tomatoes or green beans, apologizing about being late or not realizing the market closed at noon. Tailgates are dropped, tarps are turned back, and in a minute another customer’s order is filled and they head home happy with fresh veggies in hand.
Murray’s Downtown Farmers Market is managed by the Murray Main Street Program. They are assisted in this effort by the Murray Farmers Market Vendors Association. For information about becoming a vendor contact Murray Main Street at 759-9474. For information on the vendors association contact Paul McDade 731-363-0093 or Krit Stubblefield 270-853-0528. Krit Stubblefield’s 25 year career in Radio & TV as a broadcast journalist included a 10 year stint as Farm Director for the Ky Agri-Net. He currently operates Stubblefield Farm with his sister.
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2016 BUSINESS / CORPORATE MEMBERS Sheila A Wilson CPA MCCH Bristol Broadcasting CFSB Becky Lew Murray Animal Hospital Heritage Bank Greenspace Properties MCVB J.H. Churchill Funeral Home Rolling Hills Garden Center
PLATINUM ATA KenLake Foods The Murray Bank CFSB Trends & Treasures FNB GEC GOLD Murray Vision Center BB&T Pella Corporation
BRONZE Law Office of Warren Hopkins Kopperud Realty Forever Green Lawn Service Tony L Page, CPA
SILVER Murray Calloway Chamber Pierce, Keller & Associates
Fitts Block & Ready Mix The Murray Insurance Agency Gear Up Cycles Enix Jewelers Murray Ophthalmology Associates First United Methodist Church Murray Family Dentistry Murray Calloway County Board of Realtors Diana Thomason The Maple Center KY TN Oral Surgery LLC Printing Services New Life Christian Bookstore LakeLand Painting Dr. Dan Miller Crye-Leike Realty Services
Become a Member Today! ___Yes, I/We want to be a part of keeping our downtown vibrant, attractive and inviting, to families, visitors and businesses! Investor(s)/Corporation:_______________________________________________ Name of Representative:______________________________________________ Address:___________________________________________________________ City:_______________________________________________________________ St:______Zip:____________ Phone:_____________________________________ Email:______________________________________________________________ Individual Investment Levels: ___Partner ___Visionary ___Downtowner ___Supporter
$500 & above $250-299 $100-249 $50-99
___*First time member
$25
*Listing available for first-time Main Street members only
Corporate/Business Investment Levels: ___Platinum ___Diamond ___Gold ___Silver
$2000 and above $1000-1999 $500-999 $250-499
___Bronze
$100-249
Murray Main Street is a 501(c)3 organization. Donations may be tax-deductable. ___Please list my/our name at the appropriate level in publications and advertising. ___List my/our investment as "ANONYMOUS" Checks should be payable to Murray Main Street. Deliver to the office or mail to PO Box 143, Murray, KY 42071. Thank you.
Murray Family Church Peel & Holland Law Office of Rick Jones, PLLC Charlton & Park Yours Mine & Ours Downtown Dynabody Calloway County Library Sirloin Stockade & Buffet A Good thing Consignment Lake Land Painting Solid Rock Development Shane Lee Helix Creative
2016 INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS PARTNER Roger Reichmuth VISIONARY Jerry Penner Jamie Penner DOWNTOWNER Mike Faihst Dick Weaver Charles Hal Shipley Gene & Dortha Bailey Dave & Kate Reeves Scott & Pat Sieber Marie Taylor Martin Tracy Bob & Nita Head Betty Vinson Jack & Janice Rose Burton & Cathy Young Ken Winters Paul & Nancy McCreary Asia Burnett & Mark Markgraf John and Barbara Weatherly Robert & Debi Danielson Randy Patterson Ron Churchill Darrel McFerron
Rainey Apperson Joy Van Loon Howard Giles Steve Andrus J. Williams Phillips Phil & Joan Niffenegger Anne B. Adams Wilma Billington Angela Hatton Bill & Alice Rouse Linda Scott Barry & Mary Gail Johnson Marti Erwin Georgena Taylor Don & Cathy Elias Dannie & Jackie Harrison John Kopperud FRIEND Whitney Cooper William Forrest Amos McCarty Merry Miller Donna Herndon Dave Howe Mary Jane Littleton Jeremy Bell
SUPPORTER Dan & Frankie McNutt Shirley Robinson
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December . . . . .2012 . .
Murray Main Street . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 .
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T
he Community Farm Alliance (CFA) has been in existence since 1985. The mission of the organization is to organize and encourage cooperation among rural and urban citizens through leadership development and grassroots democratic processes to ensure an essential, prosperous place for family-scale agriculture in our economies and communities. For over 30 years, the CFA and its members have been affecting change in public policy as it pertains to farm communities in Kentucky.
Witht the
average age of a Kentucky farmer being 57.6, the need for creating a
pathway for the next generation is a fundamental issue.
Understanding that long-term change must begin on the local level, the CFA has worked with a successful model that starts with creating good policy change locally and building support with each step toward the policy makers in Frankfort. Over the years, the CFA has grown, helping to develop community-based projects in those communities. They have successfully been able to pass or defeat two-dozen pieces of legislation in support of Kentucky’s farmers and the communities that depend on the success of those farmers.
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Some of the programs CFA supports are the Agricultural Legacy initiative (ALI), the Farmers’ Market Support Program and the KY Food Policy. These, as well as other programs, are the strong hold of the CFA helping to create successful agriculture in our communities.
The Kentucky Farmers’ Market Support Program is helping over thirty farmers’ markets in the Commonwealth by providing them with the tools, resources and network development that enables the markets to provide a profitable market outlet for farmers and access to fresh food for all community members. The Farmers’ Market Support Program uses collaborative resource providers to give financial and technical support to our farmers’ markets. The Downtown Farmers Market is proud to state that we are one of the thirty markets supported by this program across Kentucky.
With funding from a USDA NIFA Community Food Projects grant and matching funds from the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky, a feasibility study was completed to build a grassroots effort to address the issues of food, health and poverty by creating a Food Policy in Kentucky. Using the results of the study, the CFA will be engaging policy makers and legislators to coordinate efforts to write policy to build a sustainable food system for all Kentuckians. The Community Farm Alliance believes that prosperity of rural and urban communities is linked, and agriculture is the common link to that prosperity. To get more information about this organization, please visit www.cfaky.org or find them on facebook @communityfarmalliance.
With the average age of a Kentucky farmer being 57.6, the need for creating a pathway for the next generation is a fundamental issue. The Agricultural Legacy Initiative is essentially creating an atmosphere where new farmers can find their way to success through a support system that offers peer-to-peer learning and a mentorship from older farmers. It also gives farmers a voice in front of policy makers to create the policies and programs that will provide technical, financial and marketing support to new farmers.
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“Drive One Away Today”
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VISIT OUR WEBSITE MURRAYFARMERSMARKET.COM
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