SLADE, Ky. (LEX 18) — The Red River Gorge is visited by people from around the country, and it's known for its natural beauty and seasonal adventures. Jann Knappage and her partner Kevin started the Red River Gorge Farmers Market a few years ago to bring this region together.
Their goal was to create a space to bring together community partners and small businesses from around the state.
Knappage says, "We really want it to be a place that not only farmers, artisans, bakers come and make a living, but also a place for the community to come and connect for the weeks that we're open."
The market is open each year from May to October. Things really start picking up in the fall.
Emily Foster is the market’s manager. She says, "We're at natural bridge state park. We can have 700-800 visitors every week and it just gets busier in the fall, slower in the summer. But lots of people just coming through the area, we also have a great population of like local customers that come out and support the market too."
The market was founded in 2021. Its founder says that when it first started, it had only about a dozen vendors, but now it has grown to four times that size. Knappage says there's a big focus on small businesses here but an even bigger focus on creating a sense of community.
She says, "This space has opened up people that maybe I would have never even met. But they live so close to me or they're a friend of a friend and somehow, we've never you know connected and that's been pretty fun."
The Red River Gorge Farmers Market has pottery, custom jewelry, crafts, honey, syrups, and plenty of produce.
One farmer, Robert Doyle, explains all he has laid out. "We've got lots of winter squash, butternuts, spaghetti, and acorn squash. And we still have tomatoes because we have a high tunnel that we grow them in. We've got potatoes, as well as these are probably the last of the peppers that we have."
The market is also partnering with state programs to offer nutrition assistance. They say they can double those dollars most weeks.
Foster explains, "Meaning you can get -- in addition to what's on your cards -- we can double that for you to spend on fresh produce for senior and WIC and SNAP. And then for SNAP as well we can double your dollars on the eggs and dairy. So, please come use those programs and your money goes right back into the hands of hardworking farm families and it's extra money for you."
As this market continues, Knappage hopes it'll keep growing. For people interested in coming out at its start next spring, she says there's something for everyone.
She says, "I think we've got you covered. I don't think you're gonna walk out of here without a little baggie -- if not a big baggie. So yeah, we would love to have folks join us at least once but hopefully wanting to come back after that first time."
This Saturday is the last weekend of the year for the Red River Gorge Farmers Market. They encourage people to come check them out at least once on Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. If you can't make it this year, they'll be back out there starting next May.
