Growing Goodness
As the weather warms and the fields of Vernon parish fill with ripe produce, shoppers at Leesville’s Main Street Farmer’s Market reap the benefits
For fresh, local produce delivered with a side of community spirit, Vernon Parish visitors won’t want to miss the Leesville Main Street Farmer’s Market. Every Saturday in the Historic Downtown District, a dozen or more friendly, dedicated growers and makers gather into the pavilion to sell the bounty of their gardens, kitchens, and workshops. The market has seen visitors from Texas, Colorado, and Arkansas, who might come for the fresh produce, but more often than not, leave with unique Leesville treasures, too.
Sheila and Freddie Fair have kept a garden for years, and at the Farmer’s Market, spring produce including just-picked mustard greens, turnip greens, and green onions fills their table alongside a dizzying array of jellies, pickles, and baked goods. Sheila also sews aprons and sack-style shopping bags, which she sells at the market, too.
“We love it down there,” they said of the market. “We all get along like a family.”
A self-taught baker, Sheila also crafts breads and cakes. Along with jellies in flavors like watermelon, cherry pepper, and pineapple pepper, Sheila makes a cotton candy jelly whose blue hue kids can spot a mile away. Jelly-hunters seeking unique flavors, take note: Sheila and Freddie will try their best to make a bespoke recipe, and have it ready by the next market.
On the second Saturday of every month, the market goes mainstream when the monthly Crafts Market and food truck round-up join the Farmer’s Market, extending the action far out into the street. In the summer, a local ranch sets up a petting zoo with miniature horses for kids to ride, and the Fairs’ produce booth fills up with fresh-picked tomatoes, okra, cucumber, and zucchini.
Local children’s book author Jessica Ashworth is another weekly Farmer’s Market fixture, selling copies of her books like A Line of Ants, and handmade kitchen accessories that she sews herself. There’s a real “camaraderie” between the farmers and makers, Ashworth said. Whether it's helping each other set up or exchanging bills for change, the vendors look out for each other.
“I’m really thankful to have the market,” she said. “I love being a part of the market. I’ve just met some fantastic people. The other vendors are marvelous.”