By HANNA MORDOH
WISH-TV | wishtv.com
The Carmel Farmers Market will begin its 28th season this weekend.
The market is every Saturday from 8 to 11:30 a.m. from May to the end of September at Carter Green, south of the Palladium. It features 84 vendors offering Indiana-grown and produced goods.
Organizers say the farmers’ market serves as a significant community gathering place and a hub for local businesses to thrive.
Susan Bock is a market master and oversees the Farmers Market. Miriam Boyer, the owner of Guacamole and More, has been a vendor at the market for 10 years. Both women joined Daybreak on Tuesday to talk about the market’s long-term impact on local enterprises.
Bock highlighted the unique atmosphere of the Carmel Farmers Market, emphasizing its role as a social hub.
“I would say it’s really a gathering place. We have live music every week, and we typically have between 5,000 and 75,000 people in 3 ½ hours,” Bock said. “Our mission is to support small local businesses and see them thrive.”
Bock emphasized that the food and produce are all grown in Indiana.
“Everything in our market is Indiana-grown and produced, and you can rest assured that we don’t bring things in from other areas,” Bock said. She added that customers can, nine times out of 10, talk to the business owner. “When you come to the market, you learn all about them.”
Boyer described the profound positive effect the market has had.
“The market helps a lot, a lot, a lot. And not only the businesses, but also the community. They come and have a great time,” Boyer said. She noted that her business “keeps growing” and that “people are very thankful.”
Boyer’s products include fresh guacamole and salsas, Mexican lime pie, chicharrons, and mangoes on a stick.
“All of my products are fresh ingredients, no preservatives, no artificial colors. Most of them are gluten-free, dairy-free, oil-free, and sugar-free. That’s what a lot of people are looking for these days.”
The Carmel Farmers Market will be open every Saturday from 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Carter Green until the last Saturday in September.
This story was originally published by WISH-TV at wishtv.com/news/carmel-farmers-market-opens.
