By Sadie Hunter
As the oldest farmers market in the area, existing for more than 20 years, the Noblesville Main Street organization works to enhance the market experience and expand their offerings by making the market more accessible.
And in 2016, that means taking the market online, increasing the number of vendors and getting creative with programming.
If shoppers can’t make it to the market during its regular hours – 8 a.m. to noon each Saturday from now to Oct. 15 at the Riverview Health hospital overflow lot at the Ind. 19 and Ind. 32/38 junction – they now have another option.
“We are excited to announce our partnership with farmersmarket.com, which is an online resource for many of our vendors and other local vendors throughout central Indiana where patrons can go online and place their order, then use our Saturday market as the pick-up (location) for that order,” said Noblesville Main Street CEO Chris Owens. “So, there’s a deadline – I believe that is midnight on Tuesday – to have their orders placed. We will have their local produce at our Main Street tent on Saturday morning.”
Owens said his ultimate goal for the partnership would mean being able to offer a year-round produce option.
There is no charge to use the farmersmarket.com service, and those who use the service will pay only for the items they purchase.
FRESH BUCKS, WIC and SNAP
“The other thing we’ve introduced this year is Fresh Bucks, and that’s a complimentary program to SNAP (supplemental nutritional assistance program), which we debuted in 2015,” Owens said. “Families who are eligible for SNAP benefits can now bring their debit card on site, swipe those benefits, then be given a market card to be used here at our market.”
Other than being able to shop locally, the advantage to using SNAP benefits via Fresh Bucks at the market is the doubled allotment of benefits, up to $20 each day. For example, if a shopper has $10 to spend, by using Fresh Bucks, the market card gives them $20 to spend on food from the market.
In addition to SNAP and Fresh Bucks, WIC, a federal assistance program for pregnant and breastfeeding women, infants and children under the age of 5, has been accepted by many of the farmers market’s vendors for several years.
NEW VENDORS
This year, the Noblesville Farmers Market is offering food (meat, cheese, baked goods, produce, herbs etc.), flowers and plants, pet items and treats, handmade crafts, art, jewelry and more among more than 80 vendors.
“There are a few new vendors,” Owens said. “We’ve had a cheese vendor submit an application, so I’m excited to see them start. Some more downtown restaurants are back – The Sunrise Café at Uptown, as well as Matteo’s. So, as the weather warms, you’ll start to see more vendors out here with more produce.”
At the middle of the market, patrons will be able to find cooked food for sale including tamales, egg rolls, sandwiches, desserts and more.
“The other thing we’re working on this year is the entertainment aspect,” Owens said. “Every other week will be programmed by some sort of student performance from Noblesville High School.”
MEALS FROM THE MARKET
This year, in place of the organization’s Thursday market – in brick alley on the south side of the downtown square adjacent to the Visitors Center – Noblesville Main Street has announced Meals from the Market, a limited, farm-to-table dining series that will feature live music and art from Logan Street Sanctuary in addition to food prepared from local, professional chef Rick Moreland.
“We’ll set up and cook in the alley,” Owens said. “There will be an actual 40 feet of table in the alley way as well. Our vendors are going to help us with the tablescape and flowers, and Logan Street Sanctuary is going to do local music, local art and live art on site. It’s just another outlet for people to learn about what happens here in Noblesville.”
The series is limited to 30 guests per each of its four dates – June 9, July 7, Aug. 4 and Sept. 1.
Attendees will be given a recipe card containing the chef’s recipe for the evening and the contact information for the market vendor who supplied the ingredients. Noblesville Main Street is taking reservations and payments at www.noblesvillemainstreet.org and 317-776-0205.
“I just think there’s different community aspect here,” Owens said. “We allow pets, which is appealing to a lot of people. There’s high visibility, which helps, and it’s been around for years. It’s become a weekly expectation, so I think there’s kind of that legacy built within the community. These (vendors) are people in your community. If they’re not from Noblesville, they’re from greater Hamilton County, or regionally, from central Indiana.”
SPECIAL EVENT DAYS AT THE MARKET
- May 21 – Blood Mobile
- June 4 – Business Showcase
- June 18 or June 25 – Kids Day
- July 2 – Business Showcase
- July 9 – Veterans Day
- July 23 – Pet Day
- Aug. 6 – Business Showcase
- Aug. 13 – Pie Day
- Sept. 3 – Business Showcase
- Sept. 24 or Oct. 1 – Health Fair
- Oct. 1 – Business Showcase
- Oct. 15 – Firefighters’ Chili Cook-Off
