Downpours don’t dampen turnout at opening of Eden Downtown Farmers’ Market

Beverly O’Dell was a little disappointed when he showed up at the opening day of the Eden Downtown Farmers’ Market on Friday evening but not because of lack of interest in the new event.

“I was trying to make a B.L.T.,” O’Dell joked, referring to the pork and lettuce he bought from the market, “but they ran out of tomatoes.”

Despite early afternoon downpours that dumped buckets of water on Eden, several of the vendors that had set up at the farmers market had already sold all their goods and closed shop by 5 p.m.

The vendors who remained said they were both pleased and surprised by the turnout.

“Considering the weather, it’s been pretty steady,” said Faye McCollum, who operates Massey Creek Farms with her husband. “A lot of vendors sold out.”

McCollum said her family’s business sets up shop on a regular basis at the Rockingham County Farmers’ Market at Chinqua-Penn stables and will now make time to sell at Eden’s venue as well.

Megan Arrington, human resources manager for Karastan, which overlooks the Henry Street parking lot in the Old Leaksville shopping district, said she had been watching with envy as market visitors walked away with armloads of veggies and homemade goods. As soon as she got off work, she headed across the street.

“I think there’s been a wonderful turnout,” Arrington said, as she tried different nut spreads from a stand set up by Totally Nuts.

Charles and Emily Shields, from Brown Summit, who have operated Totally Nuts since September, said they agreed and that they are looking forward to coming back to the Eden market.

Several tables down from the Shields’ stand, jars of honey were going quickly at River Bottom Honey. Linda Wyatt, who runs River Bottom Honey with her husband Frank, said she was pleased with the number of customers her stand had seen.

“It’s been a really good attendance,” Wyatt said. “We’ve really sold a lot.”

Wyatt also said she was pleased with the setup at the market. The city provided the tables and tents for vendors, she said, so all sellers had to do was display their items.

The Eden Farmers Market will be open the first and third Friday evenings of each month through October, beginning at 3 p.m. For more information about the market, call Eden Tourism Development at (336) 623-7789, ext. 3021.

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