Schuyler, Nebraska, has hosted a farmers market for many years, but a change in location this season led to an uptick in attendance and a vast assortment of new vendors.
Previously found outside of CHI Health Schuyler, the Schuyler Farmers Market’s new home is in the Oak Ballroom parking lot at 175 Higgins Drive. This location offers more shade, better parking, and plentiful room for entertainment.
The Schuyler Area Chamber of Commerce had been collaborating with CHI Health to promote the farmers market, but CHI Health did not have the capacity to run the market this year so the chamber stepped up to help.
“We’ve always been supportive and excited about the market, and the community was definitely supportive of a new location,” said Audra Jedlicka, director of the local chamber. “We made the move because there’s a lot of activity happening around the Oak Ballroom parking lot. There’s a golf course and frequently visited parks, so we knew the visibility would be better.”
Staff from the Center for Rural Affairs helped the chamber with the transition and with hiring someone to communicate and work with the vendors throughout the summer season.
Nina Lanuza, senior community organizing associate with the Center, works directly with the farmers market. She also lives in Schuyler and is a member of the chamber board.
"The Center has been a great collaborator with the chamber,” said Nina. “They have provided inclusive markets training and translation services. Staff have also facilitated connections to nearby communities with thriving markets, so they can share successful stories and ideas.”
In addition, the Center provided financial support through a mini-grant to help with operation expenses.
Without the Center’s assistance, Audra feels the chamber probably would not have taken on the responsibility of running the market.
“Since we didn’t have the knowledge on how to do this, it has been very important for the Center to be a part of the market and to lead us this summer,” she said.
Along with the change in location came an increased number of vendors. Within two weeks in the new spot, the market went from four or five to more than a dozen.
“The vendors have been sharing with their other vendor friends that we have great participation from our community and that their sales have been very good,” said Audra.
Market vendors sell a variety of wares each week, including bakery items, fresh produce, juices, honey, herbs, eggs, and canned goods.
Vendors also bring craft items, jewelry, flowers, wood decor, and candles, among other items. All vendors are required to sell handmade or homemade items, and they accept mostly cash and checks. A few take credit cards as well.
“We started off with a bang,” said Audra. “We’ve added entertainment this year, and that helps get the community to participate and attend each week. It’s been a very significant change, and the entertainment has been very diverse, which has helped to draw a lot of numbers to attend as well.”
Nina adds that having a diverse, inclusive farmers market in Schuyler is not just about having a place for buying and selling.
“It's about building a community where diversity thrives and local economies flourish, ensuring that every member of our small town can contribute to and benefit from its success,” Nina said.
The chamber hopes the market will continue to attract more Schuyler residents, as well as folks from out of town. They’ve collaborated with local churches and other organizations, as well as different high school groups, to make sure there are additional attractions each week.
“I think it’s imperative that we have diverse vendors and entertainment because we are a diverse community,” Audra said. “Vendors are always excited about what entertainment will be there; they love the music and they love the extra activity.”
In the coming seasons, the chamber hopes to get local businesses involved, as well as continue to grow the market.
“We want to get more information out to the community so they know where we are and what we're doing,” Audra said. “We’ve thoroughly enjoyed this experience and know that the community finds it very rewarding.”
To learn more about our work with farmers markets, visit cfra.org/farmersmarkets.
