Sponsored by the Irvington Garden Club since 1999, the first Farmer’s Market had only three vendors and was held in the small paved parking lot west of today’s Hilton U. Brown Educational Center on East Washington. The following year, 15 vendors were present when it was relocated to Ellenberger Park, 5301 East St. Clair. The June 8, from noon to 3 p.m. market — with over 80 exhibitors — will include many previous vendors, including Fields Farm Fresh, Wildflower Farm’s Honey, and Wooly Bully Farms. More that 15 new vendors including Garden Gifts Galore, Bundles of Buttercups, and Mays’ Bakery will be present.
As in the past, those in attendance will have the opportunity to enjoy the mouthwatering offerings of Bryan’s Pizza, Alan’s Catering Events, and A & M Bakery and others, not to mention flavorful drinks of soda, teas and coffees.
In addition to over 12 not-for-profit community booths, the Garden Club’s educational exhibit will feature a demonstration on how to make miniature gardens (fairy gardens) by Amy Beausir, from Millie and Myrtle’s.
The event’s current Market Master, Nina Evans, commented “the market has grown into a monthly community festival which is still, after fifteen years, run entirely by members of the Garden Club.”
As the second Market Master, club member Marcia Doty DeBolt, delighted in seeing the community’s turnout at each month’s market. She said that “although each market required much of my free time, a lot of planning, being a one day meteorologist — even perspiration — I enjoyed meeting new neighbors and building bonds with vendors and the staff of Ellenberger Park.”
Dawn Briggs, the market’s first master, calls it “a summer rite” where neighbors share their ‘over winter’ experiences, show off their beloved pets and children, and enjoy neighborly Irvington.”
Looking back to the market’s early years, she remembers watching the children of frequent attendees grow from newborns to teenagers. Her own son, Gardner, had a booth — Gardner’s Ruins — where he sold lava rocks at the tender ages of 6 to 13.
Ed Myers is the club’s Green Initiatives Chair, a club past president, and the immediate past president of the Garfield Park Master Gardeners Association. In addition, he is Steward of both the Benton House Historic and Kile Oak Habitat Gardens.