HIGH SPRINGS ‒ On Tuesday, Oct. 27 the ribbon was cut announcing the grand opening of the High Springs Farmers Market Pavilion located at 23517 N.W. 185th Road, High Springs. It has been an eight-year process to reach completion. It all started in 2012 when the City applied for a USDA Rural Business Enterprise Grant to build a permanent covered structure to house the farmers market. The proposed 100 ft x 30 ft building would provide cover and electrical power for the market to be open regardless of weather and offer a space for outdoor events including night activities.
In 2014, the USDA awarded the City a grant for $199,441 to help fund the project with the City providing an additional $45,800. Delays due to a number of factors included unanticipated USDA requirements, CSX railroad issues, environmental concerns and construction design revisions kept the dream from being a reality until last year. By then, the cost had gone up and the City's portion of the project had risen to $109,132 including $46,575 from Alachua County’s Wild Spaces Funding. During all this time, the market continued as a outdoor event with the vendors under tents at the mercy of the weather. For Market Director Carol Rowan it has been a struggle to keep enough variety of vendors at the weekly market, especially when competing against several larger, well established markets in Gainesville.
City and state dignitaries attended the ribbon cutting to celebrate the new building. Attending the opening were various city officials and candidates for the commission, as well as incoming Alachua County Sheriff Clovis Watson, Jr. and State Representative Chuck Clemons. Rowan, High Springs Mayor Brian Williams and Assistant Agriculture Secretary Debra Tannenbaum each spoke as over 20 vendors waited for the ribbon to be cut and the audience to enter.
After the ribbon was cut, the audience went from booth to both buying a variety of fresh produce, meat, shrimp, homemade bake goods, local honey and vegetarian meals. Interspersed with the farm vendors were crafters and artists selling their art.
For customers that don't have cash, the market will also offer credit alternatives. The FAB/Manager Booth can run debit or credit cards and the customer will receive blue tokens to spend at the market the same as cash. There are no processing fee and the tokens do not expire, so customers can use them on return visits. The market also participates in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). SNAP/EBT recipients can run their card and receive yellow tokens, which can be used only at this market for a large variety of SNAP eligible items, which includes most of the food items.
The Farmer's Market also participates in the Fresh Access Bucks/Feeding Florida program (FAB). It allows the market to double SNAP/EBT participates transactions, up to an extra $40 free each market day. Since 2017 the market has distributed over $20,000 in free incentive tokens to feed families in the community. In the last six months, over $5,000 in incentive/free tokens have been distributed from the farmers market. The green tokens can only be used on fresh produce, herbs, or any fruit or vegetable producing plant.
Anyone who is interested in being a vendor can apply at the FAB/Manager Booth for information on how to become a vendor. Produce vendors need a grower’s permit and plant vendors need a nursery license. Crafts are permitted, as long as they are homemade by the vendor. If interested in becoming a vendor contact High Springs Farmers Market Manager Carol Rowan at 352-275-6346 or crowan@highsprings.us. The High Springs Farmers Market will be open Fridays, 3 -7 p.m.
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Email rcarson@
alachuatoday.com
HIGH SPRINGS ‒ On Tuesday, Oct. 27 the ribbon was cut announcing the grand opening of the High Springs Farmers Market Pavilion located at 23517 N.W. 185th Road, High Springs. It has been an eight-year process to reach completion. It all started in 2012 when the City applied for a USDA Rural Business Enterprise Grant to build a permanent covered structure to house the farmers market. The proposed 100 ft x 30 ft building would provide cover and electrical power for the market to be open regardless of weather and offer a space for outdoor events including night activities.
In 2014, the USDA awarded the City a grant for $199,441 to help fund the project with the City providing an additional $45,800. Delays due to a number of factors included unanticipated USDA requirements, CSX railroad issues, environmental concerns and construction design revisions kept the dream from being a reality until last year. By then, the cost had gone up and the City's portion of the project had risen to $109,132 including $46,575 from Alachua County’s Wild Spaces Funding. During all this time, the market continued as a outdoor event with the vendors under tents at the mercy of the weather. For Market Director Carol Rowan it has been a struggle to keep enough variety of vendors at the weekly market, especially when competing against several larger, well established markets in Gainesville.
City and state dignitaries attended the ribbon cutting to celebrate the new building. Attending the opening were various city officials and candidates for the commission, as well as incoming Alachua County Sheriff Clovis Watson, Jr. and State Representative Chuck Clemons. Rowan, High Springs Mayor Brian Williams and Assistant Agriculture Secretary Debra Tannenbaum each spoke as over 20 vendors waited for the ribbon to be cut and the audience to enter.
After the ribbon was cut, the audience went from booth to both buying a variety of fresh produce, meat, shrimp, homemade bake goods, local honey and vegetarian meals. Interspersed with the farm vendors were crafters and artists selling their art.
For customers that don't have cash, the market will also offer credit alternatives. The FAB/Manager Booth can run debit or credit cards and the customer will receive blue tokens to spend at the market the same as cash. There are no processing fee and the tokens do not expire, so customers can use them on return visits. The market also participates in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). SNAP/EBT recipients can run their card and receive yellow tokens, which can be used only at this market for a large variety of SNAP eligible items, which includes most of the food items.
The Farmer's Market also participates in the Fresh Access Bucks/Feeding Florida program (FAB). It allows the market to double SNAP/EBT participates transactions, up to an extra $40 free each market day. Since 2017 the market has distributed over $20,000 in free incentive tokens to feed families in the community. In the last six months, over $5,000 in incentive/free tokens have been distributed from the farmers market. The green tokens can only be used on fresh produce, herbs, or any fruit or vegetable producing plant.
Anyone who is interested in being a vendor can apply at the FAB/Manager Booth for information on how to become a vendor. Produce vendors need a grower’s permit and plant vendors need a nursery license. Crafts are permitted, as long as they are homemade by the vendor. If interested in becoming a vendor contact High Springs Farmers Market Manager Carol Rowan at 352-275-6346 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. The High Springs Farmers Market will be open Fridays, 3 -7 p.m.
# # #
Email rcarson@
alachuatoday.com