Slippery Rock Farmers Market is a community affair
Slippery Rock Farmers Market is a cheery market full of friendly local farmers selling fresh fruit, produce, wildflowers, bread, preserves, soaps and unique handmade gifts.
The market, which opened in May and runs from 9 a.m. to noon Saturdays can be found in downtown Slippery Rock’s Gateway Park along New Castle Street, between Main and Elm streets.
In addition to the items for sale at the market, each Saturday also features live musical performances.
Between 15 and 20 vendors gather on a typical Saturday, including Normand Homestead, which is run by Nick and Tamila Normand. Their small family farm in Slippery Rock consists of a menagerie of sheep, ducks, alpaca, guinea hens and rabbits — as well as seven goats that provide fresh milk.
The Normands sell artisan breads, scones, goat milk fudge, soaps, lotions, eggs and seasonal produce at the market.
When they got their goats, Tamila was surprised by the amount of milk they produced.
“So much milk,” she recalled exclaiming.
Tamilia, who works as a special education teacher at Connoquenessing Elementary School during the school year, began to experiment with ways of using it. She started out making cheese and fudge and eventually taught herself to make body care products.
“We have two children and I remember looking at the list of ingredients on a bottle of their lotion, and I didn’t recognize anything,” she said. “I knew then that I wanted to use products on my children that are natural and safe, so I started making them.”
Tamila now sells bars of goat milk soap in various scents, as well as creams and lotions.
Jeff and Lindsey Stirland of Spur Hollow Farm in Grove City usually bring along their daughter, Ruth, who has become the market’s unofficial mascot. Jeff is an engineer by training and education, but gave it up to farm — with no regrets.
“In truth, I’m a better farmer than I was an engineer,“ he said.
The farm was a way to support his family “with all natural foods,” he said.
“I enjoy providing for my own family and our community,” Jeff said.
The Stirlands are a first-generation farm family. Lindsey says they use no-till regenerative practices and grow more than 40 varieties of vegetables on just under an acre of land.
Other vendors at the Slippery Rock Farmers Market include Awesome Acres (jams and jellies); Belle Fleur Gardens (wildflowers and bouquets); Breezy Ridge Acres (raw honey and beeswax); Dinnerbell Farms (baked goods); Glacial Till Farm (organic produce); Goodnights Bison (locally raised bison sausage); and Yoder Lane Bakery (Amish doughnuts).
The Slippery Rock Farmers Market runs through mid-October.
“This is a very supportive group ... It’s all about community,” Tamila Normand said.
