• 27Jul


    Haymaker Farmers’ Market
    Franklin Ave.
    Kent, Ohio

    The Ohio Arts Council has awarded its Arts Access grant to the Haymaker Farmers’ Market in Kent Ohio. The grant will help to fund the Market Mural Project to be completed over the next several months at the market site on Franklin Avenue. The Ohio Department of Transportation has approved the project subject to liability waivers from the City of Kent to the State of Ohio regarding future mural maintenance.
    The project has been spearheaded by market director Fritz Seefeldt and will utilize the artistic vision of Kent artist and KSU graduate Elaine Hullihen. The mural will be completed by members of the community, art  students and vendors from the farmers’ market. The completed artwork will be painted on the columns and lintels under the Haymaker viaduct (Edmond Greer Bridge) as it passes over the market site. Scenes of the market and of Kent’s unique history will be featured throughout the work.

    Projected market mural- Haymaker Farmers' Market

    The Kent market is in the midst of its 18th year having begun in 1992 making it the first public farmers’ market in the area. 2010 marks a record year both in terms of diversity and number of vendors as well as in attendance by the public. According to the market manager,  the Music @ the Market series spotlighting local musicians and the now completed market bench project have contributed to market growth in recent years. The music series has been partially funded through the city of Kent’s Celebrate Kent! grant.

    Fritz Seefeldt

     

  • 28Jun
    Categories: market business, market growth, music @ the market Comments Off

    This last week brought us the season’s first red tomatoes from Bernie Chaykowski of Mantua Ohio. Bernie  also brought along a wide variety of early season crops along with quite a few green tomatoes too.  He said that there is a growing (pardon the pun) market for the green ones as people learn the joys of cooking and eating them.

    Rafael Rodriguez at Haymaker 26 June 2010

    Most of our vendors sold out early or were left with only scraps on their tables by market’s end at 1:00 this past Saturday.  Rafael, still grinning about Spain’s 2-0 win over Chile in the World Cup this past week was able to find lucky homes for his wonderful breads before noon.  He said that he didn’t understand why it took so long this week, he is usually done by shortly after 11 am.  I reminded him that  pride goeth before a fall, and how easily the long-shot Swiss had managed a 1-nil win over Spain early in the series.  The Segovian quietly looked down at the ground and predicted that this wouldn’t be reoccurring anytime soon. Viva España!!  ~Congratulations Spain! World Cup 2010!!!!~

    Some of you may have seen me climbing the light pole this past Saturday. No this wasn’t a publicity stunt for the papers, I was just plugging in the power for this weeks Music @ the Market performer, Byron Walker. Byron entertained the market for close to 3 hours. I only schedule the musicians for the 10 am to noon time slot to avoid the heat of the day, but in Byron’s wife’s words, “Once he gets going, it’s tough to get him to knock it off!”.  We all laughed and Byron continued to entertain us all. great job, and thank you for your playing.  This next week, July 3rd, the Kent Shindig All-Stars will return to Haymaker in a big way. The band led by Kent’s own David Badagnani will feature 11 musicians this year. Please don’t miss it as the market joins in the Heritage Festival/July 4th festivities!

    Byron Walker plays at Haymaker June 26 2010

    Byron Walker plays at Haymaker June 26 2010

  • 18May

    Haymaker Farmers' Market 2009

    The Kent Haymaker Farmers’ Market will begin its 2010 season Saturday May 29th with hours 9:00 am until 1:00 pm. This year marks the 18th year for the downtown market and promises to be even larger than last year’s record-breaking season.  Over 40 vendors will be on hand providing a diverse offering of locally grown produce, flowers, plants, cheeses, canned preserves, meats, mushrooms, honey, maple syrup, baked goods and ready to eat prepared foods. The popular Music @ the Market series will return this year to host a wide variety of homegrown music as well. Performances are made possible in part through a Celebrate Kent! grant provided by the city of Kent. Musicians will perform from 10 am until noon each Saturday under the Haymaker overpass at the market site along Franklin Avenue. All performances are free, open to the public and suitable for all ages.  For more information about the market or market activities, contact market manager Fritz Seefeldt at 330-678-5748, email at kentmarket@neo.rr.com .

  • 12Apr
    Categories: Market Opens, market growth, music @ the market Comments Off

    Andrea Bussinger and friends play at 2009 Music @ the Market

    Music @ the Market will reprise with a full lineup of homegrown music performances. Sponsored in part through a Celebrate Kent! grant, the market will be hosting 23 performances during the 2010 music series. Local musicians perform each and every Saturday, 10 am until 12 noon,free of charge to the public.
    May 29 May Andrews- folk guitar and vocals.
    June 5 Halim El-Dabh African drumming and keyboard.
    June 12 Hal Walker folk guitar, vocals, harmonica, banakula, ocarina and khaen.
    June 19 Don Hindenach folk guitar and vocals.
    June 26 Byron Walker blues guitar and vocals.
    July 3    Kent Shindig All Stars old-time string band, folk songs and Civil War tunes.

    Bob Glenn, fiddle
    David Badagnani, fiddle
    John Truitt, banjo
    Jim Warren, mandolin and double bass
    Rick Feinberg, guitar and banjo
    Bob Crane, guitar
    Jim Miller, wooden flute and whistle
    Jim Francis, lap dulcimer
    Bev Klimp, lap dulcimer
    Marilyn Phillips Garver, double bass
    Ed Wheeler, percussion

    July 10 Brad Bolton and Peggy Coyle swing guitar and vocals.
    July 17 Ashley Brooke Toussant folk vocals and instrumental.
    July 24 Brian Henke guitar instrumentalist, composer, founder of the “Woodchopper’s Ball”.
    July 31 Galgozy and Zeleny Duo eclectic folk guitar/vocals duo.
    August 7 Lisa and Heather Malyuk, fiddle, guitar, hammered dulcimer and vocals.
    August 14 Jim Gill- guitar and vocals.
    August 21 Bluestones- jazz and blues ensemble.
    August 28 Vagrant Revival-folk rock group.
    September 4 Jon Mosey-blues/folk guitar.
    September 11 Aidan Bailey Williams-folk indie acoustic.
    September 18 Tom Gwilt- classical guitar
    September 25  Adreanne Zeleny-blues rock composer guitarist and vocalist.
    October 2 Brian Henke- guitar instrumentalist, composer
    October 9 Wilbur Krebs- Caribbean sounds, steel drums.
    October 16 Guy Pernetti- folk blues composer, vocalist, guitarist.
    October 23 Kathy Johnson- guitar and vocals, blues, old country acoustic music.
    October 30 Don King guitar.

  • 17Dec

    We had a great time last weekend and this coming Saturday, December 19th will be our final market until next summer!  The market will be open from 9:00 am til 2:00 pm and is located inside the large heated garage behind our sponsors, Williams, Welser and Kratcoski LLC at 11 South River Street in beautiful downtown Kent!  We hope you will be able to join us we celebrate the holidays with this special indoor event. We’ll have 35 vendors on hand offering fresh seasonal produce, locally roasted coffees, various artisan cheeses, fresh baked items of every sort and many locally crafted gift ideas just in time for the holidays.  The Music @ the Market series continues with live music by Peggy Coyle and Brad Bolton, Jon Mosey and the Celtic Clan of Kent.  We hope to see every one there!

    Seasons best to everyone,

    Fritz.

    Bernie Chaykowski at Haymaker Holiday Market, 12 December 2009.

    Bernie Chaykowski at Haymaker Holiday Market, 12 December 2009.

  • 25Nov

    Holiday09.jpg

    2009 Haymaker Holiday Market flier.

    Thanks to the hard work of our good friend Kelly Ferry, the 2009 Holiday Market fliers are edited and Jo Anne had them printed at Wordsmiths here in Kent.  We’ll be posting them around town on just about everything that doesn’t move quickly.  If you would like to run a few off as well, you can find a link at the bottom of this post or just let me know and I’ll send you the pdf file.  As you know, the market is less than a month away and the preparations are well under way.  Our site is secured for the events, the musicians have been chosen and I’ve been in touch with the farmers, bakers and candlestick makers. It looks like we’re going to have about 30 vendors on hand again this year and we’ve expanded our winter Music @ the Market to 6 performances!  We are looking forward to seeing everyone there and Jo Anne and I would like to wish everyone the happiest of holidays.

    Fritz.

    Holiday09

  • 14Oct

    Andrea Bussinger plays at Haymaker Holiday Market 13 December 2008.

    Andrea Bussinger plays at Haymaker Holiday Market 13 December 2008.

    Friends,

    There will be two winter markets this coming December thanks to the generosity of our friends over at Williams, Welser and Kratcoski LLC at 11 South River Street in downtown Kent!  We have formal approval for both the 12th and 19th opening at 9:00 am and running until 2:00 pm.  The events will be held in the garage  area behind the law offices.

    Last year, we had close to 30 vendors for both events as well as  live music during the markets, making it a perfect social destination before the holidays.

    I hope to have a flier available for you to hand out  to your customers  for our last two markets of our summer season.  If you’re interested in taking part in these two special indoor events, let me know and I’ll start the sign up process.

    Thanks,

    Fritz.

  • 28Aug

    The market benches are all in place now, and from seeing how many folks are using them, it was a project well worthwhile.

    The benches have all been sponsored with the exception of one which will be paid for through the kind donations of our own Rafael Rodriguez and the market.  Thank you for the extra help Rafael!  The first 5 benches are sponsored by the Unitarian Universalist Church of Kent, the Kent Yoga Center and Brahmrishi Yoga,  Judge Barb Watson and County Auditor Janet Esposito, the Kent Environmental Council and one dedicated in memory of Frank Goodell who passed away this spring. The City of Kent has generously installed them all on concrete pads at the market site.

    We have a new arrival.  Jamie and Baron Hottensmith had a baby boy, Kiedis.  Jamie brought the little fellow to the market these past two weeks and I snapped a picture of him to share with everyone. Please be sure to congratulate them on their newest addition to the market family!

    Jamie and Kiedis at Haymaker

    Jamie and Kiedis at Haymaker

    I won’t be at the next 3 markets and Kelly Ferry has agreed to step into the fray in my absence, If you have a question that needs answered, or a problem with setting up in the north end,  feel free to ask her for help!

    I hope that you all have been enjoying having the musicians playing at the market this summer. We are having a different musician booked for every Saturday this season, and have been fortunate to have received a grant from the city to help defray the additional costs associated with the expansion of the Music @ the Market program. The sense that I have gotten has been that between having the live music as well as having the benches installed, our customers are spending more time at the market. Whether this has translated into the individual vendors selling more I can’t stay, but I do know that we have a much larger crowd on hand each week. This Saturday, 29 August, Wilbur Krebs will be playing sounds from the Caribbean on steel drums. Barb Withee will be on hand the following week playing swing guitar, and the following week the Bluestones will be featured.

    Haymaker Farmers' Market 22 August 2009

    Haymaker Farmers' Market 22 August 2009

    All the best to you all.

    Fritz.

  • 05Aug
    Categories: Uncategorized, market growth, music @ the market Comments Off
    Lisa and Heather Malyuk to play at Music @ the Market this Saturday, 8/8/2009

    Lisa and Heather Malyuk to play at Music @ the Market this Saturday, 8/8/2009

    Lisa & Heather Malyuk are reaching a new generation of listeners with their interpretation of old-time, Celtic, and world folk music. Lisa plays hammered dulcimer and banjo-uke and Heather plays fiddle and guitar. The pair will perform from 10 am to 12 noon as part of the Kent, Music @ the Market series. All live performances are free and open to the public every Saturday throughout the summer and fall.
    Haymaker Farmers’ Market is located on Franklin Ave. at Summit Street in downtown Kent. Hours: 9am-1pm.

  • 12Jul

    …and we got it in buckets this past Saturday!  What began as a really promising and well attended market yesterday was interrupted with a one hour deluge the likes of which I haven’t seen in quite a long time.  At about 11:45, our musician for the day, Jon Mosey told me he was unable to keep his guitar dry because the rain was blowing horizontally under the bridge and needed to pack up and call it a day.

    A good crowd at Haymaker before the rains came, July 11, 2009.

    A good crowd at Haymaker before the rains came, July 11, 2009.

    That said, the market was really a bustling place, with very few parking places available on Franklin and a record 38 vendors on hand selling all sorts of goodies.  With more of our seasonal farmers selling, the balance between bakers and  produce vendors is improving.  As this part of the season progresses, market attendance improves as well.

    I’m working on the next series of four market benches in my home wood shop. This past week I was able to pick up the leg brackets from Kevin at Quick Service Welding and the tops from The Plastic Lumber Company of Akron.  As soon as the stainless steel hardware is on hand this week, I’ll begin the assembly process here at my home.  If any one would like to lend a hand, give me a call at 330-678-5748.

    Next Saturday,  Don Hindenach will perform on guitar at 10 am-12 noon in the continuing Music @ the Market series.

    We currently have 102 votes in the Love Your Farm Market contest. If you haven’t voted yet, please cast your vote at

    Love Your Farmers’ Market .

    All the best to everyone for a less damp week ahead!

    Fritz