Change Is Coming to the Haymaker Farmer's Market

Imagine swiping your debit card to buy a bushel of apples, a few cartons of strawberries and some fresh lettuce — all locally grown.

Now imagine doing that at the Haymaker Farmers Market in Kent. By 2012, you won't have to imagine. It will be a reality for patrons of the downtown Kent market.

That's just one of the improvements new market manager Kelly Ferry is looking to make as she takes over as market manager this year.

Ferry isn't looking to totally revamp the market's operation. To the contrary, she knows it works well. Her involvement started as a produce vendor in 2005. But she does want to improve the market so vendors realize more sales through increased access and awareness of the market.

"I’m hearing people are worried about change," Ferry said. "I’m afraid of change too. I can relate."

By 2012, Ferry plans to implement a system that will allow shoppers at the market to swipe their debit cards and Ohio EBT cards to buy produce. The system would use one central location, and shoppers would swipe their cards to get tokens that are exchanged with vendors for food.

The hitch that may worry some vendors is that the system would likely delay payments to the vendors by one week.

"I think after a few weeks and they see their actual percentage go up … I think they’ll be excited," Ferry said. "There’s no reason why the bigger vendors shouldn’t be earning a great living at our little market."

Ferry is stepping in for , who opted to retire this year after founding the market almost 20 years ago. Ferry will be the market's first paid manager and will work part-time organizing the market.

She sold produce during the 2005 season when she lived in Palmyra Township and had enough land for a garden. Since moving to Kent, the upper New York native didn't have enough land — or free time — to continue selling, so she started volunteering to help Seefeldt.

“I just love the market," Ferry said. "I love Kent, and the market has actually made me love Kent because I’m not a Midwesterner by any stretch of the imagination. It’s been a real challenge living here for me, and it’s given me a sense of family and place that I didn’t have before I got involved with it.

"The food movement has been a place for me to find a common ground," she said. "The people are just amazing. They all come from very different backgrounds, and they’re all there for the same reason. To enhance the community, to make some money and sell their products."

She does have more changes planned, but they're all geared toward increasing the customer base and sales for vendors.

Her first steps are towards marketing and more partnerships — like with Kent State University. Ferry also wants to see education increase with displays showing people how to can produce or create recipes — like jams or preserves — with market products.

And she wants to expand on a program she started last year for children. Last year, they designated a vendor spot to the children's program, which was open for sponsorship by area organizations. Groups like the child development center at Kent State used the program for outreach to youth.

"And we need more customers," Ferry said. "We definitely need more customers. I feel like my job now is education and outreach."

Most of all, Ferry looks forward to continuing what the market has already done — strengthen the Kent community. The market opens this year May 28.

"I think it gives (Kent) a real sense of place," she said. "I think it’s like a Saturday thing. There’s a Saturday party going on for 23 weeks, come on down and join us."