The Hancock County Farmers Market: A Non-profit Labor of Love
The Hancock County Farmers Market – located in Bay St. Louis – is one of those grassroots places that seems almost like a labor of love. From microgreens to eggrolls to handcrafted gourmet oils, vendors sell things that were made with heart, and David Kenny – who coordinates the weekly market – volunteers with heart, too. He doesn’t make money by organizing the market; in fact, using the space that had sat vacant for some time has cost him both time and his own money as he gives something back to his community.
“It was built by CDBG grants after the hurricane,” he said, of the three rows of paved pavilion area located at 3068 Longfellow Road in The Bay. The Community Development Block Grant Program is an initiative of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) that provides funds to “support community development activities.” The space was vacant for a while when Kenny approached the county in 2017 about getting a market going there again.
“I wanted to get the farmer’s market back because it just needed to be there,” he said, quite simply.
He sounds passionate when talking about the local, natural, small growers who are among the dozens of vendors who arrive on Saturday mornings to sell produce and homemade items. The market takes place every Saturday, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., but consider checking the Facebook page before heading out, to be sure things have not changed due to inclement weather or some other reason.
“We have bee honey vendors that actually do their own honey,” Kenny said. “We have vendors that come that actually still have dirt on the roots of the vegetables. That just tickles my heart!”
“Some of the tomatoes are green, and they’re not perfect,” he explained. “That makes me feel good, too, because you KNOW it’s a fresh vegetable.”
“If you support local vendors, you know they don’t have all those chemicals they squirt on it,” he added, explaining how grocery-bought produce requires preservatives to keep it fresh, whereas things that were picked the morning they are sold, or the day before, can be much more natural.
The current market got going six years or so ago after Kenny recruited some initial growers to come sell at his new market. Today, there’s a variety of offerings and sellers sometimes come from other parts of the state.
“We even have people that come from Jackson to set up,” he explained.
While he was advised by “experts in farmers markets” to restrict the vendors to homegrown food products only, that didn’t sit well with him; he decided to allow some local craft vendors to participate as well.
“We include crafts because it includes an array of everything,” he said. Alongside the food producers, on the Saturday in March that Parents & Kids visited the market, craft vendors offered items such as wooden birdhouses, handcrafted chopping blocks, handcrafted toys, plant arrangements, and yard decor made from ceramic plates. Kids were visibly enjoying themselves, munching on treats such as “freeze-dried candy” and showing off their new purchases. It’s a nice way to get out and about together with kids, especially when there are clear skies and the weather is as beautiful as it was on that weekend in March. Fairs, festivals and farmers markets are tried-and-true ways to do something together while satisfying every age group.
There’s no requirement that vendors be at the Hancock County Farmers Market every week, so some sellers are consistent and some come and go, but there is always something fresh and tasty to be had. Some customers will visit every weekend, or at least several times a month, to purchase whatever is in season. (Hint: Kenny said to not forget to visit when the blueberries are ripe in May and June, since there are always vendors with deals on fresh Mississippi-grown organic berries!)
Kenny fits this all in (somehow!) around his regular job. It’s a labor of love, and an effort to create something that he enjoys and that brings value to the community. It helps keep money in Hancock County, which aids families of growers and crafters who are struggling; it brings new people to Bay St. Louis; and it is a way Kenny can serve his community. It sounds as if he loves bringing good health, good memories, and a sense of connection to local coast families.
