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Produce, crafts draw crowd at Old Central City Harvest Festival
Three-year-old Kaylee Clark sits in a trailer full of pumpkins during the Old Central City Harvest Festival Saturday, Oct. 11, 2008, at Old Central City.
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HUNTINGTON -- The air around the Central City Farmer's Market in Huntington was filled with the smell of fresh produce Saturday as farmers and craftsmen peddled their wares at the Old Central City Harvest Festival.
Local farmers gathered at the small outdoor market to sell their fall harvest produce before the colder weather hit the Tri-State, while craftsmen were on hand selling homemade apple butter, quilts, jewelry and wooden crafts.
Dan Steele, a veteran farmer from Gallia County, Ohio, said he regularly attends the yearly festival and sells a variety of fall harvest items, including pumpkins. Steele said people started walking through the farmer's market after he set up his booth at 6:30 a.m.
Though the crowds seemed smaller this year compared to the past four years he's attended the festival, Steele said the farmers were still selling a lot of produce.
"I'm very grateful for the people who come out and try to support farmers," Steele said. "Most people don't realize they get a pretty good deal down here compared to going to a supermarket. Plus (our vegetables) are fresh."
The fresh produce keeps a number of people coming back to the festival every year. One of those shoppers is Patricia Bryan of Huntington. Bryan said she spends her entire voucher stipend from the Seniors Farmers Market Nutrition Program at the festival. The vouchers, she said, allow her to get her fill of fresh, locally grown produce.
"I enjoy coming here and getting as much as I can," Bryan said. "We've found quite a lot of produce that we like."
Lewis Bodiner, a 15-year veteran farmer from Gallipolis, Ohio, said he had a very successful festival this year. His greens, cabbages and red and green peppers were a big hit Saturday as most of his produce was sold by midday. Bodiner attributed much of the festival's success to the great farmer's market facility in the West Huntington neighborhood.
The covered, outdoor facility allows shoppers to comfortably browse the produce and crafts on a sturdy, concrete floor, instead of walking through dusty empty lots, he said. The covered area, Bodiner said, also keeps the sun off of the produce, which keeps it fresh.
