Athens Land Trust is hosting their West Broad Farmers Market Drive Through-Pick Up on March 5 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. This event brings the community together through local small businesses and works towards producing affordable housing in the Athens community.
The West Broad Farmers Market will be hosting a Drive-Through Pick-Up on Saturday, March 5 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at 300 S. Rocksprings St. in Athens. Due to Covid-19 and the colder weather, orders for the farmers market are currently placed online at https://wbfm.locallygrown.net/, and picked up on Saturdays at the Drive-Through Pick-Up.
The West Broad Farmers Market is put on by Athens Land Trust to support local economic development and community wellness. The market benefits all members of the community. It allows local small businesses to grow by selling to community members who buy these easily obtainable goods at a lower price. The goods offered include fruits, vegetables, coffee, flowers, soaps, and lotions. They must be organic and created personally by the seller.
Market Manager Missy Wilson says the market “brings that community aspect back to these neighborhoods.” She explains how the market allows the residents nearby to buy their goods sustainably within their community, to have a walkable option for those without private transportation methods, and to bring necessary business back to the neighborhoods, how it was before big corporate food sources came into Athens.
Wilson describes the work of the West Broad Farmers Market and Athens Land Trust as “remembering the communities that sometimes get forgotten.” She says that Covid-19 has brought about demographic changes and the real estate has gone crazy in Athens, so they want to ensure that the people who have been in these communities for their entire lives can continue to enjoy them.
With all of these great farmers and vendors in Athens, Wilson wants more of the community to experience them. The market only sees one or two students per Saturday.
The large student population can start shopping locally and sustainably, and pick up their goods on Saturday, March 5 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., and every following Saturday.
The market plans to open back up in person with the warmer weather so vendors can interact with their customers and keep that sense of community growing stronger.