Poplar Head Farmers Market’s successful run draws to a close

The vendors have packed up their produce and headed back to their farms. The artisans have tucked away their arts and crafts. The inaugural Poplar Head Farmers Market has drawn to a close.

By all accounts, this new downtown event was a roaring success and more.

“This has been an educational experience for all of us in many ways,” said Julie Bishop, director of the Poplar Head Farmers Market. “We’ve all learned a lot and developed an appreciation for all of the people who have provided these products.”

Ms. Bishop noted the event brought out some first-time sellers and also provided a meeting place for friends and acquaintances to re-connect.

“It’s satisfying to know that the market helped to launch several businesses, bring increased sales to some existing businesses and provide another venue for our local farmers to add to their income,” Ms. Bishop added. “Of course, we are appreciative to our customers of the Wiregrass area for their help in making this first-year market a success by investing their dollars to ‘Buy Fresh, Buy Local’.

“It was also interesting to see people stand for an hour with people they haven’t seen in a while. They were catching up with each other.”

The event, which covered eight consecutive Saturdays in June and July, was also blessed in another way.

“We’ve been blessed in not having any rain (on the eight Saturday mornings),” Ms. Bishop said. “But we did have to endure some triple-digit temperatures.”

The Downtown Group played a major role as sponsor of the event. And Cathy Cole, the group’s executive director, was pleased with the way the event turned out.

“I don’t think you could have had it any better,” Ms. Cole said. “It was a great experience for Dothan and the outlying areas.”

While the focus was rightfully placed on the fresh produce that was offered for sale each Saturday morning, there were other activities included in each day’s schedule. Live entertainment and cooking demonstrations were provided for shoppers to enjoy.

“We had a nice variety of entertainment,” Ms. Bishop said. “And Chef Paul from the Bistro, for two Saturdays, had a cooking demonstration. And he used the local produce both times.”

The Wiregrass Museum of Art turned its grounds into an art education classroom. Beverly Leach, art educator for the museum, provided interesting art projects with an agriculture theme for children to do.

“The art activities have been just right in the amount of challenge for the children,” Ms. Bishop noted. “It was wonderful to see the way Beverly Leach tied agriculture to art.”

The Houston-Love Memorial Library was also on hand to offer a fun time of reading for the youngsters. The new books that were used all had an agricultural theme. Those books will now be part of the library’s permanent collection in its Children’s Department.

On two Saturday’s, the Houston-Love Memorial Library Bookmobile was on hand. Visitors with cards from the facility were able to check out books. Others could browse the motor vehicle and perhaps whet their appetite for a good book. The unit was especially popular with the younger set.

“The Bookmobile is definitely an attention-getter,” said Liz Stewart, Bookmobile librarian/coordinator. “Unfortunately, it wasn’t possible for us to have it here every weekend.”

But when it was on the premises, such as for the closing Saturday of the Poplar Head Farmers Market, Ms. Stewart says it attracted its share of visitors.

“We’ve had a lot of people in and out looking over the Bookmobile,” Ms. Stewart said.

She noted the Bookmobile brings added value to the community.

“This brings the level of America up,” Ms. Stewart said. “It builds America. “We have a lot of home-schoolers and the elderly who visit the Bookmobile. People know this is their chance to get books once a month.”

Ms. Stewart runs a fairly tight schedule. Some stops on her routes take as little as 15 minutes. Others and be scheduled for a longer stop, depending upon the location of the stop and the number of residences involved.

“We work to keep a wide variety of books on board,” Ms. Stewart continued. “We even bring large-print books from the main library. There are always fresh books, even best-sellers, on here. This is a great way for people to get books to read.”

Plans for the 2009 Poplar Head Farmers Market started in April of 2008. After a much-needed break, Ms. Bishop and the Poplar Head Farmers Market board members and volunteers will be back planning for 2010’s event in January.

“We look forward to a second season the same time and the same place next year,” Ms. Bishop said.