A customer checks out art at the Farmers and Artisans River Market at Firemen’s Park on June 26. Right, a customer buys cheese curds and bread at the Marshall Farmers Market on Main Street.
The new Farmers and Artisans River Market is thriving as it enters its second full month in business at Marshall’s Firemen’s Park, organizers say.
The market, nicknamed FARM, was formed by former Marshall Farmer’s Market assistant manager Becky Armstrong and runs every Sunday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. FARM started at the end of June and has grown to more than 40 vendors that sell a variety of products, including fresh local produce, baked goods, handmade crafts, canned goods and hot food vendors.
A customer checks out art at the Farmers and Artisans River Market at Firemen’s Park on June 26. Right, a customer buys cheese curds and bread at the Marshall Farmers Market on Main Street.
Photos by Madeline Westberg
After departing the Marshall Farmer’s Market earlier this year, Armstrong said she decided she wanted to start a new market at Firemen’s Park because the park provided space to grow and has other attractions in the area, including a playground, the river and Marshall baseball games.
Arm-Jak Homestead, the business Armstrong runs with her mother, Kathy Jakob, is the largest vendor at the market, but Armstrong emphasized that FARM isn’t about just one vendor. She said the market wouldn’t be possible without everyone working together.
“All of the vendors are family and that’s the atmosphere I’ve always wanted to have,” Armstrong said. “The slogan for our market is ‘You’ll love being a part of our family,’ and it really is one.”
A vendor sells canned goods at the Farmers and Artisans River Market at Firemen’s Park on June 26.
Madeline Westberg
The market is also unique for its ability to draw in new crowds with theme days, live music and a diverse array of vendors, Armstrong said.
“I’m a huge proponent of craft vendors because it brings down a whole different crowd of people,” Armstrong said. “You have your people who love going to craft shows and Comic Cons and things like that, so bringing in different vendors brings down that selection of customers.”
At the July 31 market, Armstrong said many vendors had themed items in honor of Harry Potter’s birthday, including crafts featuring his likeness and wizard-themed foods. The upcoming Aug. 7 market will also have specials for National Farmers Market Week and the Aug. 14 market will feature live music from the Mood Family Band.
While FARM is still new, Armstrong has big plans for the market going forward. She said the weekly market schedule will run through Oct. 22 before a winter market begins in November. She said she plans for the winter market to include two dates in November, two dates in December, one date in February, one date in March and two dates in April, with all eight markets taking place at Firemen’s Park.
“We’re hoping at some point to bring in Santa and to do a community event such as a tree lighting ceremony in either November or early December,” Armstrong said. “There’s all sorts of things that are still in play that we’re trying to work out so we can bring the community together.”
Next year, FARM is likely to run from mid-May to mid-October with a similar schedule to the market this year, Armstrong said. To learn more about the Farmers and Artisans River Market and its vendors, visit https://www.farmfamilywi.com/.
