Glasgow Farmers Market A Homegrown Tradition

It's time to celebrate your homegrown vegetables this week. As it's National Farmers Market Week, salute to those hard workers that keep the local farmers markets open and running is deserved.

The farmers market in Glasgow has been going on for at least 25 years and Tammi Dahl has hopes it will continue for years to come.

While the local farmers market is small, it's also a favorite hangout spot for complimentary coffee, donuts and cookies. Neighbors can visit with neighbors at the Red Rock Plaza, once known as Magruder's.

In the past week there were four tables set up. Vendors with locally grown fruits, vegetables, breads, sweets and herbs await customers from 8 a.m. until around 3 p.m. every Saturday.

"We're trying to get locally homegrown vegetables, there's some competition with the local Hooterites, but the corn and tomatoes should be coming soon," Dahl said about the market.

She hopes more vendors will join in at the farmers market. She also has welcomed musicians in the past to join in, but said that in recent years they haven't had one. As August is just beginning the farmers market is about to see its peak in customers. More people show up in August and September, and sometimes show up after they visit the garage sales. Rummage sales sometimes show up at the farmers market which also bring in more people interested in trinkets and used goods.

"We work our butts off to provide locally grown," Dahl said. "It's a lot of hard work but in the end it's worth it."

Her family has kept the farmers market running for the last five or six years. She said that her husband and son have continued to help every week, as the other kids have moved away. They've all chipped in time, funds and efforts to keep the market area maintained and ready for people. The city helps pay for the water it takes to keep the flowers and plants alive and well.

"I have lots of good memories at the market," Dahl said.

Dahl's time at the market started around 21 years ago, when they moved to their farm. They had an excess of corn and didn't know what to do with it all. So she brought corn to the market and things just grew from there.

She recalled that Ivy Knight ran the farmers market for 14 years. Knight wanted to turn the market over to someone who might take good care of it and keep the tradition growing.

She hopes that eventually more vendors come to the market. She welcomes all kinds of giftware, art and other goods that are locally made or grown. She said she charges $5 per booth and there is power available for those that need it. She also welcomes volunteers who are willing to help out.

For more information, call Dahl at 263-7822.