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BUCHANAN — Another successful season is in the books for the Buchanan Farmers’ Market.

The annual self-funded market, organized by market master Ashley Hanson and Beth Chubb, hosted its last event of the year Saturday, Oct. 14 at 122 Days Ave., Buchanan after kicking off its market season in May. The Buchanan Farmers’ Market featured a variety of vendors, new and old, selling a multitude of items including produce, meat, dairy, baked goods, health and beauty care, crafts and more.

“We really like to involve our community,” Hanson said. “We like to dedicate a booth every week just for any organization to have a bake sale so they can make money for their organization. Any group in our community that wants to come and promote what they do… we’re all about having our community involved. I think that the farmers’ market – as much as it is about obviously shopping local and helping out our vendors – is about community involvement too and that really is something that (Chubb) and I like to pride the market on.”

Hanson and Chubb were able to give back to the community in the form of donations to local food pantries.

“We made our market a drop off zone every week that you could bring stuff to either Redbud Area Ministries or the Little Free Pantry. I like to think of the farmers’ market as community outreach.”

Before becoming an organizer four years ago, Hanson was a regular vendor at the Buchanan Farmers’ Market. According to Hanson, the market has grown year over year since 2020. “When I first started, we had maybe 25 vendors weekly and now we’ve got up to about 50 vendors this week,” she said. “We’ve literally doubled in the past four years, so that’s pretty awesome.”

“We hear that we’re a laid-back market and that we’re easy to work with,” Hanson said. “We’re also one of the cheapest markets around. It’s only $5 for a booth. If you don’t have a good day selling it, our vendors are still able to get their name out there and feel out the process.”

A highlight of the farmers’ market season is its Youth Entrepreneur Week, where local youth get to experience what it is like to be a market vendor. 

“It’s always our favorite week of the market,” Hanson said. “This year was our third year. That’s our busiest week because this year I want to say we had sixty five vendors that we hosted.”

The Buchanan Farmers’ Market was voted Michiana’s Best Market in 2023 Best of The Best voting. For Hanson, it is the weekly fellowship with vendors and customers alike that make being a co-organizer worthwhile.

“Seeing all of the people that come to the market, all the vendors, all the customers, I really enjoy that aspect of it.”