Local Farmers’ Markets Open for Business
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Local Farmers’ Markets Open for Business
Scott County Market celebrates 15 years
The Market at Oneida City Park began operating on May 6th and will continue every Tuesday, from 5 – 7:30 pm, at the Oneida Park.
By Shane Gilreath
The option to immerse yourself springs to life locally on May 17, 2025 when Scott County Farmers and Crafters’ Market reopens for the season at the Farmers Market Building on Scott High Drive.
There’s a growing popularity for small town Farmers’ Markets as they bring about reminiscence of bygone eras, and reconnect us to our roots, one buyer and grower at a time. Scott County is no exception. While a new study from JAFSCD, a journal that watches for trends in agriculture and community development, shows that a staggering 80% of the population attended at least one Farmers Market in 2024, citing the availability of fresh, high-quality food, supporting local farmers, and doing something fun in the community as chief motivators for attendance, those indicators are no surprise to local organizers.
“The people,” Mark Mattson, the new president of the Scott County organization, said when asked his favorite part of being involved in the local market. “I think I can speak for all the vendors when I say that interacting with the local people, talking, getting to know them and our community is the most rewarding part of the Farmers’ Market.”
The option to immerse yourself springs to life locally on May 17, 2025 when Scott County Farmers and Crafters’ Market reopens for the season at the Farmers Market Building on Scott High Drive.
According to Mattson, the Scott County Market will be partnering with the Extension Services and the Master, who will provide growing plots outside the building and an opportunity for visitors to ask a multitude of questions about agriculture.
When the morning of opening dawns for Mattson’s team, locals can count as many as 24 vendors already signed up, a number, organizers say, that will fluctuate with the growing season. “Currently,” Mattson told SCN, “there’s actually not a lot of fresh fruits and veggies, but we’ll have starter plants and supplies.”
The Market at Oneida City Park began operating on May 6th and will continue every Tuesday, from 5 – 7:30 pm, at the Oneida Park.
Oneida Park shoppers can look for a multitude of good, as well. Artisans are expected to be on hand, showcasing a variety of local works, as well as offering scrumptious baked goods and other homemade delights, local produce, and a variety of food trucks. Vendors for the park event are still welcome, and can call Terry Jeffers at 423-569-8300, ext 4, for more information.
According to the JAFSCD study, the majority of market attendees reported that they ate healthier because of farmers markets and that they did non-consumer activities at farmers markets, such as socializing and learning, underscoring, just as in Scott County, that farmers’ markets are often a shared community experience that goes beyond agricultural consumption.
“We have a little bit of everything,” Mattson said of the multitude of offerings to locals. “From fresh produce (in season), breads, fresh homemade cheese, pastries, fudge, candies, jewelry, woodworking products, sewn and homemade originals, apothecary and homeopathy items, and artwork.”
As the Scott County Farmers’ and Crafters’ Market celebrates this crystal anniversary, Mattson calls it a real milestone for the community and the original owners. “The Farmers Market has been giving the local community an opportunity to show, sell, and distribute their items for 15 years,” he told SCN. “It’s about supporting our community and farmers and craft people that work and live here. As our Farmers Market grows, more and more people are coming from adjacent communities, which brings revenue to Scott County. The support from our local patrons has ensured that growth and we appreciate them more than I can say.”
It’s clear that local organizers view the success of the market as very much a community endeavor. “Our people are awesome in this community,” Mattson said. “It’s as much a social event as it is a market. We love it.”
