Vendors Of Linton Farmers Market
The Stories of Local People Sharing Truly Local Food
Location of Market and Vendors
The Linton Farmers Market is a small but robust collection of individuals who are passionate about growing food in their small community and want to share their knowledge and abundance of fresh food, homemade goods, and heart felt experiences.
The Linton Farmers Market is a Non-Profit volunteer run organization that is focused on local nutritious goods, small farm support, and community outreach like food benefit programs and The Humane Society.
The Market Masters Mark and Joanne Stacy have been dedicated advocates and volunteers of the Linton Farmers Market for the 7 years the market has been operating.
Their drive along with a solid group of dedicated vendors keeps the markets momentum strong; A positive force and influence to the communities surrounding it.
Living in Linton, Mark and Joanne became frustrated by how far they had to drive to buy fresh, local food. Over time, this frustration grew into suggestion of a market to the local government. Little did they know, if they wanted it that badly then they would have to run it. However, they stepped up to the task and have devoted 7 years throughout all the seasons to keeping this market afloat.
The Linton Farmers Market is pieced together by volunteers, vendors, customers and held together with a solid ground of dedication, perseverance, and a love of local fresh food.
As of 2019, the Linton Farmers Market consists of 22 vendors and an average of 12 full season vendors. Interact with the map to see that these vendors do not solely reside in the town of Linton but make commutes up to an hour to attend the Linton Farmers Market every Saturday from June through September.
Vending at the Market is rarely a full time job for these individuals. Most vendors have full time jobs and full time family on top of their vending responsibilities . This kind of dedication that is shared with their cherished customers is a love of a lifestyle not found on the shelves of a conventional store.
The vendor's values that are based on fresh food and homesteading keep them motivated to continue to return to the market every Saturday morning.
SPURLIN HOMESTEAD FARM
Bill and Wendy Spurlin had enough. They had always dreamed of growing their own food, so when they recognized their dependence on forces they couldn't control, they decided to take their livelihoods into their own hands. In hopes of becoming entirely self sufficient, they turned to a life of homesteading.
Now, they are able to both feed themselves and provide holistic medicinal treatments for their ailments. Bill and Wendy can be found at the Linton Farmers market selling a range of goods from rabbit meat to herbal teas. Typically, the tasks are divided. Wendy will tend to the garden and the herbs while Bill will tend to the goats, chickens, rabbits and bees.
Fortunately during the winter they can find time to travel, but in the summer they spend upwards of 12-15 hours a week in the summer preparing for the market each week. This doesn't include tending to the animals and the garden. When they do get a moment to themselves, though, they are often found in the car driving to see either their son in Louisiana, or their daughter in Ohio, who has adopted their love of growing food.
The time they spend preparing and tending to the homestead is valued by not only them, but also their dedicated group of followers. These followers continue to purchase food from them throughout all the seasons and often follow Bill and Wendy to the craft shows where they vend. They feel very blessed to have such a wonderful support network which shares Spurlin Homestead through word of mouth and social media.
Spurlin Homestead faces the same hardships of any other farm, so they are not to be underestimated. For example, this season the bees weren't producing nearly as much honey. At the mercy of the weather, Bill and Wendy adapt and they are able to still provide for themselves and others. Through effective communication, they are able to keep healthy relationships with their understanding customers.
SHANTY IRIS
Shanty Iris came about because the Anna and Brett Telligman needed to stir up their homesteading lifestyle in a way that felt wholesome, authentic, and profitable.
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Anna was already growing and preserving food. She was already making kombucha and sharing it with her friends and family. She was already living part the life she longed to live; then she found a way to share it though the market.
The recipe for Shanty Iris wrote itself. Anna was exposed to the market by volunteering at the Linton Farmers Market through her hospital job doing blood pressure testing. She felt the positive effect Linton Farmers Market has on its visitors and took the leap and became a vendor.
2019 was Shanty Iris’s first year vending and though she wasn’t as profitable as she hoped for this season, she knows vending at the Linton Market is a worthy endeavor that only has the potential to grow in a positive direction.
When asked what sets this market aside from other markets Anna remarks with hardly any hesitation--
" It's so small, and there in lies the sweetness-- people know where the farmer is. Its local food showing up in a small town."
FOUR FLAGS FARM
Ben and Armonda Riggs began farming because it allowed them to create a lifestyle that produced good things and become stewards of the land they live on.
Ben is a veteran and works full time at Crane Naval Base. He is found on his tractor anytime he gets a chance and builds little free library's in the down season. While Armonda says she is full time on the farm. Her volunteer positions for the Greene County Literacy Coalition, The Hoosier Young Farmers Coalition, and The Lady Homesteading Group she is a part of speaks beyond her humbleness of just being full time on the farm.
Armonda and Ben are far from market novices. Their experience began in Iowa at a food cooperative then continued on at the Bedford Bloomfield Markets in Indiana but never felt like they quite fit into those markets.
Although this is Four Flags Farm's first season vending at the Linton Farmers Market, they have already found a home at the market. This is a place where everyone can share common attitudes, interests, and goals about small farming and generate conversations about local foods that is shared with the community.
There is more to expect from Four Flags Farm with the new installment of a high tunnel and their ideas of cooperative vending and community outreach.
WAGLER FAMILY FARMS
Phillip Wagner lives on his 80 acre farm that his father and grandfather farmed. After 10 years in the construction business Phillip decided to make full time farming his full time work. It was important to be at home with his family.
Wagler Family Farm has been with The Linton Farmers Market since the beginning, 7 years ago.
Phillip got started with the Linton Market when he was vending at another market in the area. He ended up in Linton on a random Saturday when the market was first starting and had a conversation with the Market Master and began vending shortly thereafter.
Wagler Family Farm has so much to offer to the customers of Linton. Sweet Corn, Potatoes, Cauliflower, Cabbage, Green Beans, Baked Goods and Kettle Corn just to name a few items sold at his booth.
Phillip says there were only 3-4 vendors in the beginning days of the Linton Farmers Market and that its nice to see it where it is today.
JANETTE EVANS
This is Janette and her buddy Big Jake. While Janette is not technically a vendor at the Linton Farmers Market, she plays an equally as important role. As the president of the Linton Parks Board, Janette defends the farmers market vehemently in all decisions made determining the fate of the market.
When she isn't in park board meetings, Janette is tending to a local hardware store which she has co-owned for 51 years.
Any free time that she can spare elsewhere is spent crocheting. One weekend this summer, Janette was found vending her handmade hats and potholders in order to raise money for the city of Linton. While Janette always appreciates a moment to herself, her love of connecting with others keeps her involved in the community.
These are just a few examples of the diverse vendors at the Linton Market. Not included were more examples of impressive baked goods and soap makers.
This is a small window into the power local food has on a community. The connections that both consumers and vendors make at market will carry it swiftly into the future.
The Linton Farmers Market has had its up and downs, but its structure of vendors and support is strong and has the ability to be as successful as they dream it to be.
