The hot sun didn’t stop Stroud residents from getting out and exploring what the local area has to offer.
Town Talk hosted the third Stroud Farmers Market from 8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Saturday, July 18.
Over 40 vendors came from Stroud, Sparks, Bristow, Perkins, Maud, etc.
Makenzie Plett and Sherissa Banman saw an opportunity to make money and jumped on it.
“We have a lot of blackberries on our land and we decided to pick them,” Plett said.
These two young entrepreneurs sell blackberry jams, turnovers and blackberries.
Plett said this was their first time selling at the farmers market.
However, they weren’t the only rookies under the pavilion.
Lisa Patton with Patton’s Produce said this was her first time selling tomatoes at the farmers market.
Patton said she and her husband, Lindon, decided to start growing tomatoes in January and sell them on the side of the road or at local farmers markets.
Patton had tomatoes, peppers, basil plants and much more for sale.
“My vendors were amazing,”Town Talk Volunteer and Farmers Market organizer Mandy Clark said.
Clark said she doesn’t charge a vendor fee.
“Most my vendors do this for a living,” she said. “Most of them have lost a quarter of their income.”
Since COVID-19 has cancelled many events and vendors haven’t been able to sell their goods, Clark said her main motivation of not having a fee was to provide a cost-free venue for them.
Clark said four new vendors were shopping on Saturday and have already turned in their application for next month’s Farmers market.
The next farmers market will be Saturday, Aug. 15 at the Route 66 Pavilion.
The theme of this month’s farmers market will be “Back to School.”
Clarck said although it may be early, she will be hosting a coat drive.
“There’s so many people in need,” she said.
Clark also hopes to have school supplies donated.
“We’re working on getting it all together,” she said.
Clark said if attendees are looking for something specific, but don’t see it at the farmers market to let her know.
“I want you to find what you need,” she said.
Contact Mandy Clark to donate to the coat drive or receive a vendors application at amanda.cross@ farmersagency.com or call her at (405)240-0856.