Water Street Farmer’s Market attracting new business

Tuesday, 13 September 2011

Fairy Farms co-owner Melissa Paschall (left) speaks to a customer about a plant during last Saturday’s Water Street Farmer’s Market.Several local farmers and entrepreneurs have found new way to bring their products to the public.

Three weeks ago, Marnelle Ruby and Melissa Paschall (co-owners of Fairy Farms) organized the Water Street Farmer's Market along with other local farmers in response to being denied access to the Bell County Farmer's Market.

"A lot of us have been trying to get into that year after year and we've been denied access," Ruby said. "We were all talking and I thought, 'Why don't we start our own market?'"

Although the exact location of the market has changed places during its short tenure, the market is set up every Saturday morning either in front of The Gin or along Nolan Creek behind The Gin.

"The whole purpose is to get fresh produce to the markets," said Soggy Bottom Goat Farm owner Bob Bonney. "Marnelle is a genius and she has worked so hard to try and get us an opportunity."

So far, about a dozen local vendors are associated with the new market and it's continuously expanding. This Saturday's Water Street Farmer's Market will be along Nolan Creek behind The Gin.

"We have produce, we have herbs, we have people that make jewelry, we have cheese and we have soaps," Ruby said. "We have a variety of things and what we wanted to do was have an avenue for people that make something or grow something to be able to sell it."

Paschall said the response to the market has been amazing.

"We've had tremendous response. People have been really happy and congratulating us and wanting to know if we are going to have more vendors," Paschall said. "Everybody is real happy about us being here and we're happy about it."

The Water Street Farmer's Market will continue through November.