Friday, Oct. 12, marks the final day of the 2012 Decatur County Fall Farmer’s Market.

Kimmie Gauck served as “Market Master” for the absent Bryan Robbins of MainStreet Greensburg at the Oct. 5 Fall Farmer’s market.

Gauck said that although the Fall Market is winding down, the Winter Decatur County Farmer’s Market starts in November.

“Nov. 10 is the first day for that,” Gauck said. “It runs through March on the second Saturday of every month.”

According to Gauck, although many of the goods available at Fall Market will also be available at the Winter Market, the two events are markedly different.

“For one,” she explained, “We hold Winter’s Market in the gymnasium at City Hall, so it’s a very different environment with a unique atmosphere. A lot of these vendors out here now don’t grow or produce a viable winter product, either. There’s a greater focus on baked goods and jams and jellies at Winter Market. We also have vendors who specialize in crafts.”

Indeed, several vendors interviewed by the Daily News at Friday’s Market confirmed they won’t be participating in the winter version.

Greensburg farmer Matt Meyer, of Meyer’s Produce, said, “You can’t grow melons in the winter. All the stuff I raise grows in the field, so there’s nothing for me to sell come winter.”

Added Delbert Knudson, owner and operator of Knudson Produce, “Squash, corn, sweet potatoes, Lima beans and Finger Ling potatoes won’t grow in winter, unless you’ve got a greenhouse, and we just don’t have that option.”

“Besides,” the veteran Decatur County farmer added, “The end of the season isn’t the end of farming. After the last market next week, I’ve got to get everything cleaned and packed and get ready to plant wheat.”

Some vendors, however, did promise to return for Winter Market.

Becky Moat of Moats Apiaries fell into the latter category, telling the Daily News, “We only sell honey at the Farmer’s Markets, and it’s normally not ready until the first of July. So my husband, Phil, and I will certainly return for winter. We’ll keep coming and selling until we’ve got no honey left.”

Joyce Durbin Miller, owner and operator of Rushville’s Huckleberry Hutch — which specializes in jams, jellies, herbs and “handcrafted herbal products” — promised to return for winter as well.

So did Jannis Jackson of Jacksonhole Heaven Scent. Heaven Scent specializes in “Goats Milk Bath and Body Products,” but Jackson also promised to include winter radishes, turnips and, possibly, eggs in her winter offerings.

“We might have eggs,” she said. “It just depends how cold the chickens get. They definitely slow down in winter, but we always get some eggs out of them.”

Gauck echoed Jackson’s comments.

“We do always have eggs at winter Market,” said Gauck, whose family owns and operates Gauck’s Mapleway Meats. “I’m not sure if we’ll do meat for winter market, though.”

Gauck also named a handful of “winter vegetables” that grow well during the year’s coldest season, which will be featured at Winter Market, including cabbage, spinach and lettuce.

“There’ll certainly be no shortage of good stuff at Winter Market,” she concluded, “so we encourage everyone to come out and support local business.”

For more information on MainStreet Greensburg’s Fall or Winter Markets, call 812-593-4207.



Contact: Rob Cox at 812-663-3111 x7011.