Farmer's Market
Tina Rose, Nichole Starr, and Mayor Jean Ann Wright
discuss plans for a Farmer’s Market in Stilwell.
The first is set for Thursday, April 9 downtown.
photo: Renee Fite
Spring is here, and another new opportunity for healthy shopping is coming to downtown Stilwell. Mayor Jean Ann Wright is excited to help facilitate a Farmer’s Market.
“Citizens have asked, so we’re working to bring a new Farmer’s Market to give people access to healthy options,” Wright said.
The first opportunity is on Wednesday, April 1, with a Cherokee Nation Farmer’s Market WIC sign up for seniors 55 and older and Farmer’s Market vendor sign up. Some vendors will be on site with products
April 1.
The date for the first full Farmer’s Market will be announced soon.
Nichole Starr with Eubanks Produce and Garden, and Tina Rose, of Rose Farms think shoppers are ready for a Farmer’s Market in Stilwell.
The first opportunity to get started is Wednesday, April 1 at Carson Park. Cherokee Nation WIC representatives will be on hand to with up citizens starting at 10 a.m.
“Citizens will need to bring their Cherokee card, and will receive their WIC card that day,” said Rose.
Also interested vendors can register with the group, which includes Juan Navarro, Bryce Miller, Starr and Rose.
“Not everything will be fully ready on April 1, so to start we’ll have plants, fruit trees, seeds and homegrown pork, beef and eggs,” said Starr.
Rose said she’ll have eggs, honey, spices and herbs, teas, canned goods such as pickles, jams, beets, asparagus, sauerkraut, and pickled quail eggs, “my biggest seller.”
If the weather is rainy, the April 1 sign-up will be held at City Hall in the council chambers.
This Farmer’s Market will be strictly food or homestead items, not an arts and craft event. Vendors Rose and Starr will be able to take SNAP, Venmo, credit/debit cards and cash ap.
Vendors will be graded in three categories: Producers #1, Farming; Prepared goods from what is grown #2, and Artisans #3, such as sour dough, bread, herbal teas and goat milk products.
“Tina does all three of these,” said Starr.
The homesteading aspect is the goal, said Rose.
“I’m very big on educating people regarding why you should buy fresh. I always include that information in my products. Type 2 diabetes is reversible,” she said.
The beef, pork and ground beef from Starr has no red dyes.
Wright said, “All you have to do is try the homegrown beef or pork, processed verses homegrown, to know the difference. Processed has no flavor.”
“We pretty much eat what we grow,” Rose said.
As the market takes off, acoustic musicians, firefighters with Sparky the dog, police officers, and educational speakers will be invited to participate.
While Rose and Starr participate in several Farmer’s Markets, they hope the community will be supportive so they can set up in Stilwell rather than other towns.
For information contact Tina at Rose Farms at
562 447-9871, or Nichole at Eubanks Produce at
918 797-7563.
