Farmer, Flea & Craft Market kicks off in Grant

By Becky Uehling

Grant Tribune-Sentinel

A total of 19 vendors showed up last Wednesday for the first ever Grant Farmer, Flea & Craft Market, and co-organizer Valerie Karsjens is pleased. 

“It went really well,” she said. “We got a lot of positive feedback from vendors and customers alike. I have a feeling it will just grow and grow each week.” 

Karsjens started the market with the help of DeeAnn Tatum with the goal of bringing the community together to share their goods and services.

Karsjens said the customers came in a steady stream from start to finish. 

“I couldn’t estimate how many customers came. There were too many for me to count,” she said. What she did notice, however, was the upbeat and jovial atmosphere. 

“I noticed that people were enjoying not only shopping, but seeing and talking to friends,” she said. 

The vendors also expressed they “had a good day,” she said, with several selling out before the market was over. 

“We had a food truck, Tumbleweed Smokehouse Cafe, and a drink truck, Saved By The Well, selling different kinds of coffee, teas, and lemonade.  They both expressed that they had an extremely busy time and people were very complimentary about the food and drinks they got,” she said. 

 Both trucks will be back for this week’s Wednesday market, as well as the many to come through September.  

Karjens said they organizers have learned from the first event and plan on changing a few things. 

“We are going to change the parking so there is a line of vendors coming down the middle to give more room and equal exposure to all vendors,” she said. “Mr. (Noel) Bullock has increased our space for upcoming market days.”

  Karsjens is positive about the future of the market, saying she hopes to see it grow and bring more people into Grant.  

“I heard that Hatch’s grocery store was also extremely busy during market hours, and I hope that we played a part in that,” she said.

For future markets, she hopes to incorporate music, perhaps even bringing in a street musician.

Karsjens said people can find out more about the market, and also sign up to be a vendor, on Facebook at the Grant Farmer, Flea & Craft Vendors page and the public page at Grant Farmer, Flea & Craft Market.Those with ideas are asked to reach out to Karsjens or to Tatum.