HOPKINSVILLE, KY (CHRISTIAN COUNTY NOW) – The Downtown Hopkinsville Farmers Market announced last week that their season has coming to an abrupt end due to complications with product availability. With the season generally extending into October, it officially ended before the last week of August.

In a statement, it was shared that extreme weather conditions from this spring and summer dramatically impacted produce production in the region, leading to vendors simply running out of stock. Emalee Hudson with the farmers market shared additional insight with Christian County Now about the decision to close, and what they plan to do moving forward.

“Our vendors who sell produce and flowers have struggled throughout the season,” said Hudson. “Those vendors make up half of the entire market, so we cannot continue to have a thriving market without their presence.”

Despite a slow start to the season, she explained that that the market was at its best during the recent summer months. However, it was still a struggle to have products available every week since they only had one produce vendor participate this year.

“We had been actively recruiting before and during the season, but it was to no avail. Many farmers can merely sell from their farms, they do not have to transport their product, so that ends up being the most financially viable option,” Hudson said.

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Future for the market, supporting local vendors in Christian County

According to Hudson, for next year’s season they will continue outreach efforts to all possible vendors with a focus on produce. They also plan to collaborate with vendors from this year to best determine what can be done to make it better.

For example, this was the first year that the market expanded beyond Thursday evenings, branching out into select Saturday mornings. The market also collaborated with downtown events such as Taste of the Town to bring in more people.

“We are looking to bring new life to the market,” Hudson said. “We do not necessarily know what kind of changes that will entail.”

As always, moving forward the markets intention is to support local growers and makers, giving patrons the opportunity to purchase quality produce straight from the farm. In the future, the market will hope to maintain the same integrity and high standards, while welcoming in new and exciting vendors.

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