Old Jail Farmer’s Market makes for a great success

By Guest Columnist Joy Foy

Thanks to all the customers who came and supported the first year of the Old Jail Farmers Market.  

Committee members Joy Foy, Misty Slay, Dana Nowell, Sarah Ellis, and Sherry Anderson worked with Canton Historical Society President Maureen Simpson to funds and provide this service to the city.  The gold sponsors were G.A. Carmichael, Madison County Co-op, Madison County Farm Bureau Federation, and Bank Plus, silver sponsors were Performance Therapy and Merit Health.  The committee is, also, very grateful to Moses Thompson for his generous donation.   

Stone with Mansell Media designed a Farmers Market logo and added the Market to the Historical Society’s Facebook page.  The logo was used in posters, banners and on a cute black shopping bag that is still available for $3.00 each.  Hurstine Watts helped to promote the market on her radio show by interviewing Foy about the details the week of the first market.  

The huge oaks around the Old Jail was a perfect place to stage the market and made a convenient meeting place with ample parking, shade, and space for the kids to enjoy a sprinkler on the hot afternoons.  G.A. Carmichael set up shop with the big travel trailer and gave medical advice and Covid vaccines.  Performance Therapy was there to give advice and pass out therapy balls.  Entertainment included local singers, Frazer Riddell and Tommy Sutherland.  Gardening advice was available from Madison County master gardeners Lynda Hunsicker and John Malanchak.  Evanne Flanders and Naomi Magola with the Canton Library brought the Bookmobile and offered crafts and games.  New potatoes, green tomatoes, peppers were some of the vegetables available in the spring market along with eggs, homemade breads, brownies, cookies and other baked goods.  The fall market offered sweet potatoes, peas, boiled peanuts, eggplant, squash, tomatoes, okra, bell peppers, mustard and turnip greens.  Honey, and tomato salsa were available at both markets. There were wooden crafts both large (baskets, welcome signs, garden stakes, angles, etc.) and small (pens, keychains, cutting boards, etc.), candles, dolls, table linens, and jewelry.  Flowers and garden plants were for sale.

 
It was lots of fun getting to catch up with old friends and meeting new ones.  Episcopal Priest Beth Foose invited two of our craft vendors to come and display at the church for the Canton fall flea market.  Crystal Brakebill with the Canton Chamber was one of the woodcraft vendors, and she has invited the farmer market vendors to the Chambers Holiday Market.  The Old Jail Flea Market added a food vendor from the Farmers Market.  The Farmers Market proved to be a good networking event, as well as a fun way to get fresh foods.  Thanks to you all.  

EDITOR’S NOTE:  Joy Foy is married to James Foy and is a retired Economic Developer with the Mississippi Development Authority. Foy is an active participant in the community of Canton. She is a member of the Canton Lions Club, the Keep Canton Beautiful Committee and the Canton Beautification Committee.