Logansport family ready for another year of the farmers market

The Logansport Farmers Market is a family affair for the Klabundes.

It began six years ago when Emily Klabunde's two oldest children, Joshua and Lydia, were ready for summer jobs. However, living out in the country there weren't a lot of opportunities.

"I started thinking this might be a wonderful way for the kids to start working and start making some money," she said. "We were already raising chickens and ducks and rabbits and you can butcher and process those yourself in Indiana and sell them at farmers markets. And we were growing produce and the kids all had other things they were interested in doing."

When the market opens for the first time this Saturday morning, the Klabundes will be there.

Over the course of their six years at the market, the Klabunde children began to see holes in the market that needed filling so they became bakers, gardeners, jam makers and learned to make jewelry.

She said Joshua and Lydia have carried on the skills they learned to college. Joshua attends Valparaiso University and Lydia will head there in the fall as a freshman. Both of their education plans include studying business.

"They have learned so many skills just by paying attention to where there are gaps, where there is a niche they can fill," Klabunde said. "They have also learned tremendous social skills, just by being able to talk with a tremendous amount of people—people they were selling to but also people they were just mingling and visiting with."

She also said working at the market has taught her children diligence, time management, how to be industrious and creative in solving sudden problems or issues that come up and they have learned the importance of self motivation.

Joshua is also very interested in music and will play his hammered dulcimer at the market when he is in town.

Klabunde, now a farmers market board member, called the Logansport Farmers Market flexible and friendly. Vendors don't need to make a weekly commitment and they can leave early if needed. It's also a good place to mix and mingle with the community, she said. And buying local is the market's biggest benefit.

"In the wintertime we all go grocery shopping and buy products from all over the world," she said. "A lot of groceries come from California or Arizona, places where they have to use irrigation, where their resources are low and they are providing produce for the whole country. It's wonderful we have that available but then we get into our own local season and you are using your own local rain, resources and land. You don't have all the shipping costs involved. You just have the good hard work of your neighbors. And that is a beautiful thing. And it's fun at the farmers market to learn who those people are who are working hard all week long in their gardens or on their crafts."

This year the market will be located at the intersection of Fourth and Market streets. It runs from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Saturdays through October. Wednesday hours will return from 2-5:30 p.m. in July, August and September.

Those attending the market can expect to find baked goods, produce, crafts, baby blankets, jewelry, fresh flower bouquets, salsa and jams. Produce is provided in season. Those hoping to find green beans will have to wait just a little longer, most likely.

Where: Intersection of Fourth and Market streets.

When: 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays through October. Wednesday hours will return from 2-5:30 p.m. in July, August and September.

Website: logansportfarmersmarket.org/

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