Saturday morning in Starkville offered the smell of ripe tomatoes, the sound of a bluegrass band and a street full of people enjoying local arts and crafts.The Starkville Community Market was the vision of Jeremiah Dumas, the founder and chairman of the market.
“Our goal here is to give people of Starkville a way to reconnect with local produce and local arts and crafts. We’ve become so dependent on industrial food systems. It doesn’t really reflect who we are or our culture,” Dumas said.
The market has had produce, granola, local arts and crafts and music available most weekends, he said.
This Saturday music was provided by Tom Henderson and the Market Ramblers.
“We try to have a special event besides just the music,” Dumas said.
Potters, wool spinning, painters and sketch artists have been featured on past market days, he said.
Dumas said the market currently averages about 20 vendors a week.
“June 14 was the first day. We had seven vendors, and every one of them sold out in 15 to 20 minutes,” he said.
Some of the vendors have started to become regulars at the market.
“I missed the first couple because of other engagements, but I’ve been here since then every week. It’s just been a great experience,” said vendor Fran Lavelle of Franola Granola a local granola vendor.
She said she was excited when she heard about it, so she inquired about how to become a vendor.
“The market depends on the vendors and the people to come. We need each other,” Lavelle said.
Rain this past Saturday moved the market to the rain location at the Cre8tive Warehouse.
Co-founder of the Cre8tive Warehouse Heath Kleinke said that they got involved because the market would promote art in the downtown area.
“What everyone needs to know is they just need to come out and support [the market],” he said.
The market sustains itself on volunteers who set it up and take it apart.
“We need more volunteers. Student workers would be great,” market volunteer Bill Poe said.
Volunteers are needed most from 6 a.m. to 7:30 a.m., Poe said.
“This is almost as much a social event as a market event. Some people you see every week and some people you haven’t seen in years,” he said.
Saturday, the market was bustling with a variety of people ranging from young children to college students to seniors citizens.
“It looks like a lot of fun, and it has a lot to offer,” junior history major Amanda Wilson said.
She said that it may be too early for many students, but there is a good opportunity for more student participation.
“Maybe doing it in other parts of the day would benefit the market too,” Wilson said.
The market will be open every Saturday until Oct. 25.
“We don’t want people to get out of their car, buy a tomato and get back in their car. We want them to stay, listen to the music, buy some produce and buy some art, drink some coffee, play with the dogs, you know just a whole bunch of things,” Dumas said.
The Starkville Community Market is open from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. Saturday mornings on South Lafayette Street in downtown Starkville.
For information, visit www.starkvillecommunitymarket.com.