CAMDEN, S.C. — The Kershaw County Farmers Market in Camden returns this Saturday, April 9, 2022, with approximately 60 vendors set to offer shoppers locally-grown produce, plants, honey, soaps and other locally-made items.
Kershaw County Farmers Market manager Dorothy Davis is excited for opening day and a great selection of vendors and artisans offering "almost anything you can think of, and they are all local."
One change shoppers will notice this year is a new walking surface, thanks to Rob Brown. "Meeting some people on the board and meeting people locally, they said it was a big issue that it was just gravel," Brown said. "It was hard to traverse, push strollers, and it was hard to get across it. My wife and I thought about it, and we wanted to get involved in the community, and the Farmer's Market is so important and we can help."
Phil Truesdale, a vendor at the market, is excited to see the change.
"I think that it will bring out a lot of customers who are unable to navigate the uncertainty of the gravel and the dirt that we had here before," Truesdale said. "We lost some customers who were elderly and some customers who were disabled on walkers, who were not able to get around out here before. I'm hoping this surface will help bring a lot of those back."
Truesdale hopes the change will lead to a boost in people supporting local businesses like his and his wife's business, Truesdale Bakery.
"These people hand-make all of these items out here," Truedale said. "For some of them, it's a supplemental source of income. For some of them, it's a sole source of income. Either way, it's very important."
"I think it's important because it's vital to the surrounding community," Truesdale said. "A lot of folks leave this market and go and walk downtown, patronize the local business down there, so I think it's a win-win for everyone in the community."
Davis said the market is looking for additional vendors and volunteers. The Kershaw County Farmers Market runs from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. at 906 Broad Street in Camden. The first one kicks off Saturday, April 9th.
For more information on how to get involved or upcoming events, click here.