To market, to market

The Farmer's Market will kick off its summer season the first weekend in May, but not before some changes take place. New Market Master Donald Jennings and Orange Downtown Alliance Director Jeff Curtis met two weeks ago with vendors to work out a plan for revitalizing and reenergizing the market.
Jennings and Curtis met with 12 vendors at the meeting and talked about ways to make the market friendlier for both buyers and sellers.
"The guidelines needed reviving to allow for more temporary vendors," Jennings said. "Previously, it was set up for only permanent vendors and farmers. We want to get home gardeners involved so that they are able to share their goods with us."
With the new changes, growers and gardeners who only wish to attend the market for a week or two can do so without paying for the entire season. While permanent vendors will still need to pay the $50 registration fee, temporary vendors will be able to pay $5 per week they participate. According to Jennings, this lessens the fee that regular vendors have to pay while also allowing for temporary vendors.
"In the past permanent vendors had to pay both a weekly and a season fee so this fee structure is better," he said. "It reduces the fees the permanent vendors pay and it removes a barrier from temporary vendors."
Jennings hopes that local churches will also become involved with the market. He plans to make a personal invitation to the churches in the area to get them involved.
"We will be inviting them to encourage their members to join us and bring home made crafts and vegetables to sell and or exchange with other citizens of Orange County and visitors from around and about," he said.
Regular vendors will receive space preference and in order to qualify for the Orange Street Festival, vendors will have to attend the market for at least 10 weeks.
As always, vendors do not need a business license to participate in the market. However, state and local licenses are necessary for anyone wishing to sell baked or prepared foods. Plus, all goods must be locally Virginia grown and produced food products, flowers, herbs, baked goods, preserves or handcrafts.
Jennings and Curtis also hope to make the market into a mega-market, creating a draw for out-of-towners to plan day trips revolving around the market. According to Jennings, there is plenty of room for expansion at Taylor Park and if more customers attend the market, they will be able to do so.
"We want more vendors and more excitement," Jennings said. "The atmosphere we want to create is a good time in the country with local customers still able to run in and run out picking up their usual purchases of eggs, fresh baked bread and veggies picked that very morning."
He hopes to make the market appealing as a day trip by inviting local bands to set up and play sets in one area of the park as well as advertising in the Washington D.C. area to help promote Orange on Saturday as an interesting and low cost day trip. He also hopes to bring in customers from Route 15 by using some sort of display advertising the market.
"It could better signage," he said. "Maybe a tent… balloons. We are working on that one."
The vendors will also be placed in a new arrangement within the park to give customers a complete circular path around to each vendor.
Jennings, who has been involved with the market for years, is taking over the position of Market Master from former master Jeannie Altman.
The Summer Farmer's Market is in operation from May 2 until Oct. 24 at Taylor Park on West Main Street. The market is open Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Wednesdays from noon until 5 p.m. Any vendors interested in participating in the market can contact the Orange Downtown Alliance at 672-2540 or Donald Jennings at 661-1242.