The Oxford community gathered Uptown on Nov. 23 to explore what local artists and businesses had to offer at the Farm & Flea event. The event ran until 2 p.m., two hours longer than the weekly farmers market.
In addition to the local artists, vendors set up food trucks Uptown and organizations promoted their work and upcoming events. The event also featured live music from Denny Cottle.
Laurel Logemann, a sophomore primary education major at Miami University with a co-major in entrepreneurship, had a booth set up at Farm & Flea to represent the organization Paws for a Cause. By being at the event, Logemann said she hoped to spread awareness for the organization and the work that they do.
“It’s so important to raise service dogs because they impact so many people’s lives,” Logemann said. “... I love the community aspect of getting more members, and just spreading that community to the outer Oxford area, and just sharing what we love to do with other people.”
Logemann said that through the event, they received a significant number of donations and got to educate others. The dogs also got good practice socializing at the well-attended event.
Makayla Chaney was at the event representing Butterfields Farm Market. They decided to set up at Farm & Flea because they were offered the opportunity from the City of Oxford and wanted the chance to put their brand out there.
Chaney said that a lot of their products come from Amish Country, which is about three hours away, and are not always available in the Oxford area, making what they have to offer unique.
“Our market is kind of out of the way, so it can be hard to find sometimes,” Chaney said. “So this helps us let people know that we are there.”
Joe Prescher and Masha Stepanova spent their afternoon representing the business Stella’s Yen. The name comes from a character Stepanova created while in college. Prescher and Stepanova set up at a few festivals and events each year.
Prescher said that the Farm & Flea event had a good turnout, especially considering the weather, and that he was hoping to share their art with the community.
“A lot of community networking [is] going on, a lot of connections here locally,” Prescher said. “[We are] trying to get them out in the public, more art and stuff happening in the public.”
Stepanova said that the work she has to offer is unique because it isn’t something you can find just anywhere, and it is entirely handmade.
“It’s all one of a kind, unique, handmade,” Stepanova said. “I don’t know anybody else who makes boxes out of books.”
Each vendor had their own unique display and items to offer at the event. Photos by Stella Powers
Emma Shrader has had a passion for crochet since she was nine years old, and now sells her creations to the community. She first learned crochet from her mom, but later picked it up herself.
For Shrader, the best part of events like this is getting to interact with the community and share with them who she is and what she does. She said that the turnout had been great and everyone she interacted with had been very sweet to her.
“My favorite part of today was I gave this little kid a ghost dog,” Shrader said. “So he bought a ghost dog, and then he was so scared that he reached through his dad’s legs and grabbed the bag out from under him because he was a little scared. But it was so sweet because of how much he wanted it.”
Olivia Gallo, a junior organizational and social justice major at Miami came across the event by mistake. She was Uptown having lunch, and decided to stop by and check the event out. For Gallo, a highlight was the festive decor and items for the holiday season.
Gallo described the event as similar to the weekly farmers market, but expanded. While at Farm & Flea, she was able to get her mom an apron for Christmas.
“It shows that we’re [Miami students] not just the only people here, like it’s a community, and there are businesses that are thriving here,” Gallo said.
Grace Dykens came to town from Michigan to visit her boyfriend. Earlier in the day, Dykens bought some bread at the event that they planned to use to make grilled cheese that evening.
Dykens said her school in Michigan doesn’t have many similar events. She liked that Oxford held a farmers market every weekend and other events like the Farm & Flea throughout the year.
“[It’s] definitely like a community feel, I love how the tents are pretty close together, so lots to see, but also a big variety as well,” Dykens said. “Kind of festive. There’s a lot of Christmassy stuff going on.”
