Gretna is growing and the sense of community is growing right along with it. Every Saturday from 8 to 12 p.m., a group of local farmers, bakers and small business owners come together, adding to that sense of community, on McKenna Avenue, in the heart of Downtown Gretna.
Located right in front of city hall, the Gretna Farmers Market brings together the people who have helped the city grow and treats them to a traditional, small-town experience. Shandy’s Bakery is one such local business that sets up a booth at the market each week. Senior Mason Loberg, who works at Shandy’s, has seen the impact the market has had on the community.
“The overall atmosphere is great,” Loberg said. “I mean, the people are amazing. They come back every weekend and they’re just never ending support. I couldn’t be more blessed and thankful for these amazing customers.”
In addition, the downtown experience has affected the relationships between vendors. Before the market even begins, vendors chat with each other and help in any way they can. Brent Ferryman, owner of Weasel’s Kettle Corn, feels this impact greatly because he and his wife make an appearance every Saturday.
“You tend to see quite a few of the vendors every week at the Gretna Market,” Ferryman said. “It is nice to see the same faces every week. People often help each other set up their tents or loan a cord or a generator or things like that.”
Although the farmer’s market conveys a traditional atmosphere, the market offers more than just the feeling; it provides a variety of products for the Gretna community to purchase such as produce, snacks, drinks and handmade items.
“Produce vendors are the highest priority,” Briana Bowdino, founder and president of the Gretna Farmers Market said. “Then, bakers and other food vendors like beef, pork and eggs. Also, anybody who is a maker. A maker is anyone who makes anything that is not necessarily food such as woodworking, pottery or yarn.”
Because the market spans five months of the year, the vendors are constantly changing the products they sell. It brings variety to the market and allows vendors to sell their products throughout the whole season.
“With the market closely following the rhythm of the seasons, customers are learning that you need to wait for local-grown crops like sweet corn and watermelon,” Bowdino said. “It builds anticipation and we all get excited when it’s finally ready and available.”
Besides food, drinks and the old-town experience, the market plans family-friendly activities such as hot dog eating contests in July and pumpkin carving in October, as well as hosting live music and food trucks, and for those who prefer a four-legged companion to shop with, the event is pet friendly, so Fido can come, too.
“I think the animals are what really makes it fun, especially,” Megan Josoff, owner of Megan Josoff Design, said.
While the farmer’s market season is coming to an end, it isn’t too late for those wishing to experience the market. There are seven Saturdays left until it wraps up for the season on Oct. 19.
“Look forward to more small-town fun in the future,” Bowdino said. “No matter how big Gretna grows, it will always have a small-town farmer’s market.”
