Study circles plant seed for farmers' market

Columbus launches farmers' market

by Linda Halstead-Acharya

August 8, 2007 | Billings Gazette | Columbus, Montana

 

Sisters Mary Kuehn, left, of Columbus, and Laura Tayne, visiting from Washington, sold chokecherry syrup and home-baked goods during Columbus' first farmers' market last week. The event was such a hit that many of the booths sold out their entire inventories in the first 45 minutes. Courtesy: Linda Halstead-Acharya/Gazette staff

Robust basil plants. Lean cuts of bison. Home-baked goods made from wheat grown outside Rapelje.

There were treasures to be had at Columbus' first farmers' market last week, but shoppers learned that they had best show up early.

"Most of the vendors sold out in the first 45 minutes," said Marcia Spano, one of the organizers. "There's a tremendous demand out there."

This Thursday evening, she not only expects vendors to bring more produce, she also expects to see additional vendors, including representation from one of the Hutterite colonies.

Like farmers' markets sweeping the nation, the Columbus event offered an opportunity for local producers to showcase their products. Besides the local benefits, buying local minimizes the energy wasted when goods are transported over long distances, Spano pointed out.

Dot Gallager, who signed up to sell her locally raised bison products, said she not only made money but she made new customers. Plus, the casual venue allowed her to share tips for cooking bison and to promote the dietary benefits of the "other" red meat.

Mary Kuehn, who also helped organize the event, had so much fun selling chokecherry syrup and home-baked bread that she plans to cook up more for this week's market.

From the get-go, Spano said, the idea of a farmers' market received tremendous support. The Helena-based Alternative Energy Resource Organization provided resource materials for getting started and the Columbus Community Action Network helped with promotion.

But the seed for the Columbus Farmers' Market was actually planted last winter in conjunction with the Horizons Program. The program, supported through the Northwest Foundation and organized in Montana through Montana State University's Extension Service, seeks to help small, rural communities take on the challenges of economic decline, poverty and demographic change.

Karen Tyra, Stillwater County Extension Agent, said the idea was one of the short-term action items identified by Columbus residents who attended study circles, one of the first steps of the Horizon process.

The study circles listed two other projects - community beautification and a student and family mentoring program - that are being developed by other volunteers.

"I think in the end those things will really benefit the community," Tyra said.

"And that's the whole purpose."

Although the farmers' market has been slated to run Thursday afternoons through the end of August, Spano said it may be extended into September depending on interest.

"We want to make this an annual thing," she said. "But we didn't want to bite off more than we could chew."

http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2007/08/08/news/state/60-market.txt

Learn more: Poverty