Reaping profit: Boost in sales, customers benefit vendors at Noblesville Farmers Market

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Vendors at the Noblesville Farmers Market are enjoying success as they head into the summer months with plenty of foot traffic and sales each Saturday morning.

The market, which runs from 8 a.m. to noon at Federal Hill Commons, typically has around 80 vendors each week and offers items such as produce, meat, flowers, dog treats and more. This year’s market began May 6 and continues through Oct. 14, according to Noblesville Main Street, which runs the market.

For vendors such as Chaplin Farms, based in Alexandria, the market has been a good way to form connections with the public and sell its goods, owner Christy Douglas-Featherston said. She said she isn’t concerned about other farming businesses who show up every week, noting that it ultimately brings more customers.

“More vendors, more farmers, the more people come,” she said. “Especially with farmers, we’re all trying to sell, but we help each other.”

Douglas-Featherston said many farmers at the market have a common goal of serving the public and helping the community by providing produce. Chaplin Farms has been at the Noblesville Farmers Market since 2015 and sells asparagus, tomatoes, zucchini, broccoli and other items, she said.

“As the season goes on, we’ll have more and more summer crops,” she said. “Summer crops are peppers, watermelon, cantaloupes, and we’ll have some garlic.”

Douglas-Featherston said construction nearby hasn’t been a major issue on weekends with the ongoing development of Federal Hill Apartments, a mixed-use project that will eventually bring 220 apartments, a parking garage and 31,700 square feet of commercial retail space. However, she noted it might dissuade some people from visiting the market who might have concerns about parking, congestion, traffic and other issues.

“That probably has affected us somewhat in the last couple of years. However, when we have that parking lot, the parking (garage) building where people can park in the shade and walk the whole market conveniently, I think it’s going to be a win-win situation here,” Douglas-Featherston said.

Douglas-Featherston also noted that she particularly enjoys being able to educate people about how to grow their own food and stressed that the public can do so in a small space if they choose to. That’s particularly important, especially as the nation continues to grapple with rising food prices at the grocery store, she said.

“I think you get better quality and a better price than what you will get in a grocery store and it’s local,” Douglas-Featherston said.

Noblesville resident Jeff Johnson was among the visitors who recently stopped by the farmers market. He was joined by his wife, Beth. Jeff Johnson said he has visited the farmers market for six years and enjoys being able to purchase local fruit and vegetables from the vendors who are in attendance.

Other vendors such as Candace Nall, who owns Shady Grove Flower Farm in Noblesville, said she appreciates the community’s support. Shady Grove Flower Farm has had a presence at the farmers market for three years, Nall said.

“I do love the interaction with the public and (educating them) on local flowers or from another country and seeing what people love and what makes them happy,” Nall said.

Scott Wilson, who owns Wilson Farm Market in Arcadia, has been a longtime vendor at the farmers market. He said having a presence at the market allows him to see many customers he knows and gives the public an opportunity to see the different types of products that Wilson Farm Market has for sale.

Asparagus, cauliflower, zucchini and squash were among the items he recently had available for purchase. He said he’s seen much success since having a local presence.

“I think there’s plenty of potential in this market the way it is, and there’s a lot of potential for this to be the premiere market in the county and probably in central Indiana,” Wilson said. “It’s a good one to be at.”

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Candace Nall, owner of Shady Grove Flower Farm in Noblesville, prepares flowers at her booth at the Noblesville Farmers Market May 27 at Federal Hill Commons in Noblesville. (Photo by Matthew Kent)

If you go

What: Noblesville Farmers Market

Where: Federal Hill Commons, 175 Logan St.

When: 8 a.m. to noon on Saturdays through Oct. 14

More information: noblesvillemainstreet.org/farmers-market


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