Oxford’s Farmers Market flourishes, even in winter
Frigid temperatures and snow on the ground aren't enough to deter vendors from selling their wares at the Oxford Farmers Market, every Saturday of the year.
Oxford’s Farmers Market is held every Saturday throughout the year. It is one of the few farmers markets in the Midwest that operates 52 weeks per year, and the only one I know that meets outdoors even in the winter.
Like most farmers markets in this part of the country, Oxford’s originally operated only between May and November. This timetable matched the growing season for most crops around here. A few years ago, though, several regulars at Oxford’s Farmers Market decided to meet throughout the year.
Sasha and Mike Symon’s Birch Creek Bakery first appeared at Oxford’s Farmers Market on a dark cold morning in January 2023, when only the most intrepid of shoppers and vendors were there. The Symons, a “Miami merger” three decades ago, live in Loveland, where they both hold full-time jobs in business. They hadn’t been back to Oxford since graduation, but after Sasha took up baking artisan bread and pastries, they started coming every week to Oxford’s Farmers Market.
In addition to loaves of bread, including organic whole wheat sourdough and organic spelt sourdough, they’ve been experimenting with other products including bagels and the most awesome organic English muffins I’ve ever eaten. Last week, they brought a thermometer to the market. The air temperature was in the 20s, but when they took the temperature of one of their loaves of bread, it was 95 degrees — still warm from the oven despite the cold ambient air.
Craig and Sharon Harkrider’s Stoney Hedgerow Farm grows a wide variety of winter squash with exotic names and colorful appearances. Recent choices include Red Kuri, Sunshine Kabocha and Thelma Sanders. They also offer colorful eggs year-round. Their hens, they reported this week, are — like many of us — uninterested in venturing outside, and instead are enjoying “inside recess in the Eggmobile.” Their different hens lay different colored eggs, so the dozen in the carton will not appear uniform.
Skyp and Jana Harmon of Caraway Farm have raised grass-fed American Galloway cattle since 2015. They have become my go-to source for locally raised beef. The filet mignons melt in your mouth, and the ground beef has a very “beefy” flavor. I made beef bourguignon for Christmas week from a 3-pound roast that I cut into cubes. It was better the next day and even better two days after cooking it.
Another weekly fixture at the winter farmers market are Keenan and Tessa Thomas, who started T.A.K.E. Mushrooms a few years ago, originally by foraging and now by nursing a wide variety of exotic types at their home between Monroe and Lebanon. Last week, they served a great sampling of teriyaki mushrooms on top of pieces of Birch Creek bread.
Oxford recently got a pet store on College Ave. between High and Church streets called Pet Wants that specializes in small batch, slow cooked dog food. They can be found all year round at the farmers market.
Finally, 7 Wonders Farm, in Somerville, started in 2017 by Jennifer Bayne, with the help of her seven children (hence the name of the farm), brings a wide variety of produce usually associated with warmer weather, including lettuce, kale and radishes, as well as chicken and pork products. To survive the harsh winter, the produce is grown under cover.
Why are these growers braving the winter every Saturday morning? From Jana Harmon, whose Caraway Farm has beef year-round: “Saturday morning at the Farmers Market is a social event for us. Even if only a few shoppers are here, it’s a chance to talk with the other vendors.”
From Sasha Symon, a baker of awesome bread, who started to come to Oxford’s Farmers Market only a year ago: “It’s cool being here. I work from home and see no other humans all week (unless you count my husband).”
From Jennifer Bayne: “You’re a writer, make up anything you want me to have said.” Sorry, Jennifer, I can’t do that. But I can write that Oxford is grateful to you for moving here, growing wonderful produce for us, and becoming the leader in providing Oxford with a year-round Farmers Market.
James Rubenstein is president of the Board of Directors for the Oxford Free Press and professor emeritus of geography at Miami University.
