Poplar Head Farmers market helps vendors, assists public

From the outset, one of the goals of the Poplar Head Farmers Market was to provide a place for the community to buy fresh produce from local vendors.

In addition to bringing consumers and producers together, the market has also provided educational and entertainment opportunities for the community to enjoy.

There is a third component to the Poplar Head Farmers Market. Local artisans and merchants have also been able to introduce their products to the shopping public.

The owners of Mildred’s Restaurant and Tea Room have seen an increase in their business since they opened a booth at the market.

“This is our first venture out like this,” said Mildred McClintick, co-owner of the restaurant located at 401 N. Alice St. in Dothan. “We’ve really enjoyed participating in the Poplar Head Farmers Market.”

Ms. McClintick and her business partner, William Phillips, agree that the decision to take part in the downtown event has introduced their restaurant to more patrons.

“Business has been good, very successful,” Ms. Mc-Clintick said of the steady stream of shoppers who have stopped by to select from a wide array of tasty pastries. “We’ve had people come to the Poplar Head Farmers Market on Saturday and then come to the restaurant on Sunday.”

No two Saturdays have been the same at their booth.

“Every week we try to bring something different,” Ms. McClintick added. “We try to add something new to what we normally bring.”

Mildred’s Restaurant and Tea Room is open on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and on Sunday from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. The restaurant also has a catering service.
For more information about Mildred’s Restaurant and Tea Room, call 702-9030.

Assisting those in need
In addition to selling their fresh fruits and vegetables to the community, the vendors at the Poplar Head Farmers Market also assist those in need. Instead of packing up their unsold produce and taking it back to their farms, many of the vendors are donating what they do not sell to the Golden Age Ministry, led by Bill Jenkins.

Located in The Ark (475 W. Main St.), Golden Age Ministry, which was established by Jenkins in 1993, serves as an outlet to assist families who have fallen on hard times.
A retiree, Jenkins feels this work is a calling from the Lord.

“I’m retired military and also retired from the regular work force,” said Jenkins, who will celebrate his 79th birthday later this month. “I felt the Lord was telling me to feed people. I went to The Ark and found a place for this ministry. We are a tenant of The Ark. We do the food pantry from The Ark three days a week - Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.”

Jenkins says working with the vendors at the Poplar Head Farmers Market has enabled him to provide items missing from a lot of low-income families’ diets.

“The first week we were out here, the vendors donated 300 pounds of produce,” Jenkins said. “We gave that food out the next week.

“If they don’t want to take the produce back to their farms, they donate it to us. In turn, we’re able to help others. The people we serve are thrilled to get fresh produce.”

Jenkins says his ministry serves 50-60 families each week.

“To qualify for our program, they must meet a set income level,” Jenkins noted. “If they qualify, they can come once a month.”

The ministry’s reach goes beyond that core of families.

“We have 1,400 families that we have paperwork on who come periodically to get food,” Jenkins added. “In the past year, we have seen an increase of 30 to 40 percent in the number of people we have served, which I believe is directly related to our country’s economic condition.”

Golden Age Ministry buys most of its food pantry items from the Wiregrass Area United Way Food Bank. Jenkins says additional help is provided by the generosity of a local merchant.
“We are very appreciative of the help we receive from U-Sav and The Food Depot,” Jenkins said. “This merchant regularly donates $50 or more to assist this ministry. We’re grateful for that help.”
With so many families and individuals in need, Jenkins says he couldn’t sit back and do nothing to help.

“This is the most rewarding thing I’ve done in my life,” Jenkins said, “and I’ve done a lot of things in my life. The scriptures tell us it’s more blessed to give than to receive. I believe that.

“The Lord told me years ago to work, to have something to give to others. I’m doing that through Golden Age Ministry.”