Published: June 30, 2008 11:03 am         

Tilton opens farmers market

TILTON — Residents in Tilton and those traveling Georgetown Road now have another choice when it comes to homegrown produce.

The Tilton Farmer’s Market started operating last week on the parking lot of the former Eagle grocery story on Georgetown Road.

The market is a collaboration of Bob Martin, formerly coordinator of the Danville Farmer’s Market, and Tilton trustee and businessman Todd Schultz.

Schultz credits Martin with putting the idea in his head.

“Bob suggested the site to me and I thought it was a great idea,” said Schultz. “I contacted the owner of the property and talked to the current businesses located in the area about setting up a farmer’s market.

“The property owner gave us permission and none of the businesses objected,” added Schultz.

“This is a great location, with great visibility,” explained Schultz. “The average daily traffic count for that stretch of George-town Road is 25,000 cars a day.”

Schultz adds the traffic light at that intersection makes getting in and out of the farmer’s market easy.

Martin credits Schultz with getting it going.

“Todd brought this into being,” said Martin. “This is just a very good site. This location has so many parking spaces available for the sellers and the buyers.”

Martin said the farmer’s market will operate on Wednesdays from 3-6 p.m. Wednesdays and from 6:30 a.m. to noon Saturdays.

“I thought the later hours on Wednesday would be great for people on their way home from work,” said Martin. “That way the produce will be fresh and will not have been sitting in their hot car all day.”

Martin said he will sell items at the Tilton site, but not as much as in the past.

“I have several other enterprises that require so much of my time,” said Martin.

Martin was affiliated with the Danville Farmer’s Market for 15 years.

“In Danville, there was so much trouble with parking and vendors claimed they lost business because of no parking spaces,” Martin added.

Martin said that the cost for a vendor to set up at the Tilton farmer’s market is $5 a day and someone will be on site to collect the money. Martin said there also are plans to add a sign or banner and to bring in some portable toilets for the vendors.

According to Martin, due to all of the rain in the area, a lot of the growers are running about two to three weeks behind schedule.

Also Martin said that the items sold at the market must be locally grown and not from wholesalers.

Schultz said he would anticipate that the market would operate until Sept. 1.

“I have been told that most growers are done around that time,” said Schultz.



WHEN TO GO

The Tilton Farmer’s Market is at the old Eagle parking lot on Georgetown Road. It operates from 3-6 p.m. Wednesdays and from 6:30 a.m. to noon Saturdays.