Local farmers market operators say they have been unaffected by any troubles similar to what is closing the Bloomington Farmers Market for the next two Saturdays.
The Bloomington market is fighting what officials there called escalating tensions because of a vendor’s alleged ties to white nationalist groups.
Some of the problems unfolded recently after a protestor near a booth was asked to leave the Bloomington market, and then was escorted out, according to the The Associated Press.
In June, the situation had been serious enough for Bloomington Mayor John Hamilton to release a lengthy statement addressing and confronting what he called “hateful ideologies” in the city. He was the one to decide to temporarily close the market after what city officials called “increasing threats to public safety.”
The Columbus Parks and Recreation Department operates the Columbus Farmers Market. Parks Director Mark Jones said organizers of the local market “haven’t ever had any issues with a protestor or anything like that.”
Jones said the department will review the summer season and its policies and procedures sometime after the last market on Sept. 21.
Sande Hummel operates the Columbus City Farmers Market from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturdays in the front parking lot of FairOaks Mall, 2380 25th St. in Columbus.
She said her market is strictly linked to farmers and smaller food growers and cannot imagine any link to anything else.
“Our only focus is food,” she said. “Nothing political.”
She added that her only concerns have focused on a number of farmers impacted by heavy spring rains that destroyed much of their crops, which impacts availability of market items.
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- Columbus Farmers Market gathers Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. through Sept. 21 on Brown Street, between Fifth and Eighth streets (across from Mill Race Park) in the Cummins Parking Lot in downtown Columbus.
- Columbus City Farmers Market gathers Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. through Sept. 21 in the front parking lot of FairOaks Mall, 2380 25th St. in Columbus.
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