Steeped in tradition and community oriented, this establishment opened in 2002. Wendy Crager, one of the first vendors, explains, “The farmer’s market was the result of a bunch of citizens of the county coming together and realizing that if the whole county was paved over with suburbia that it would no longer have the character and the farming.” This group felt the best way to connect people with food and to educate them about the importance of farmers and what they actually do was to open a market that would allow non-farmers to see inside the lives of those who toil on the land and raise food for consumption. The market would also allow non-farmers to explore products that would please even the most persnickety.
Wendy continues, “It came together pretty quickly. The Cotton Mill Farmers Market has always been located in a parking lot, but at times it was expedient to move as the market grew larger and our customer base and vendors outgrew the original location five years after we opened.” Now in its 23rd year of serving the community, the market has been at its present location at 609 Dixie Street, Carrollton, Georgia, for several years.
What makes The Cotton Mill Farmers Market different from other markets is a few perks they offer that others may not. The market is open on Saturday, year-round, unless there is dangerous weather. The vendors are all from a fifty-mile radius of downtown Carrollton. The market promotes sustainable agricultural practices, empowers local farm families by giving them an outlet to sell directly to the public, and builds community by reconnecting local farmers to consumers. Looking for a way to connect to the goodness of home-grown products? Look no further. The market also fosters land stewardship, good health, and community interaction by creating an outlet which allows local farmers and vendors to sell directly to consumers.
Someone who has never been to The Cotton Mill Farmers…
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