Farmers' Market opening Saturday

The Bourbon County Master Gardeners and Garden Club maintain planters in downtown Fort Scott. Pictured are Chris Gant and Martha Jane Gentry as they tend to a planter on Skubitz Plaza earlier this week. Through a donation, the club made possible a new sign at the east entrance of the plaza welcoming shoppers to the Farmers' Market, which opens Saturday. (Ruth Campbell/Tribune)

The Fort Scott Farmers' Market will begin a fresh season Saturday and organizers and vendors said they are ready.

"Vendors are ready and excited," Fort Scott Farmers' Market Association spokeswoman and vendor Mary Corpstein said. "We're looking forward to a busy, productive and fun season."

The market, which is sponsored, organized and conducted by the FSFMA, offers local residents a variety of fresh produce, baked goods, all-natural food products, plants and flowers, arts and crafts and other items. Last year, organizers changed the hours and days on which the market operates in order to be more accommodating to customers. The market operates from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturdays, and from 4 to 7 p.m. on Tuesdays through October at Skubitz Plaza.

"It's (the market) an important piece of the puzzle in the community ... as far as eating healthy and living healthy," Corpstein said. "For six months, you can eat fresh."

Corpstein added that "eating fresh is better, especially for women and young children."

Many of last year's vendors will be returning this season and several people have applied to become new vendors. Anyone who is interested in becoming a vendor may pick up an application at the market, Corpstein said.

The market promotes seasonal, locally-grown produce including farm fresh eggs, meats, jellies and honey. Corpstein said vendors are reporting this season a variety of cool crop vegetables such as lettuces, spinach, Swiss chard, green onions, radishes, broccoli and rhubarb, will be ready for this year's market.

Several local organizations are scheduled this season to use the community tent located near the market to share information on their groups or conduct fundraisers. Featured at the tent this Saturday will be the Bourbon County Master Gardener's Club, which will hold a plant swap. Many dates are still open and any group interested in using the tent may contact Corpstein at (620) 857-4190.

A new addition to the market's schedule of events this year will be a basket drawing that will take place on the first and third Tuesday of every month. The basket will contain items from the day's market donated by vendors, and a gift certificate to a downtown business that will be given away.

Organizers hope this new event will bring more attention to the Tuesday evening market and encourage more shopping at local businesses, Corpstein said.

Corpstein said she is excited about new banners that will be placed around the plaza and a new sign that has been installed at the east entrance of Skubitz Plaza to welcome shoppers. The banners and sign were donated by two other community organizations that support the market. The banners are provided by the Visioning a Healthier Bourbon County group. The sign was made possible by a cash donation from the Bourbon County Master Gardener's Club.

The opening day of the market is part of the Downtown Spring Open House scheduled for Saturday and sponsored by the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce.