As winter approaches, the local farmers market has relocated to accommodate the changing seasons and allow it to operate year-round. 

The indoor Powell Farmers Market is held on Monday evenings from 4:30-6:30 p.m. at the Elks Lodge, 581 North Clark Street. The market rented the facility and, with the help and support of the community, got it up and running. 

On Nov. 18, due to the incoming snow, the market was short a few vendors but managed to fill the lodge with products ranging from fabric to homemade goat butter. 

The decision to go indoors was made when the vendors joined forces and decided to make the market go year-round.

“You know, [the vendors] just were sitting around talking at the farmers market in the summertime one day,” the market’s unofficial leader Jaelynn Stoker said. “We were just like, ‘a couple of us do Cody’s market in the winter, so we go year-round.’ They were like, ‘do we think Powell is ready for this, right?’ So we sat and we talked about it, and we were just like, ‘I think they’re ready. Let’s do this.’”

There are a variety of local vendors including Stoker, who provides produce, and Barbara Seliga, who sells numerous items, including homemade goat cheese. Molly Ayers sells fabric pieces and Maggie Clark sells T-shirts. Other vendors include Larry and Karen Parker, who sell homemade goods, and Frank Smith and Heather Farnsworth produce handmade woodwork pieces. 

When the market first went indoors, Stoker said there was some confusion from customers as to where to go for the popular market, but the vendors have been working to get the word out.

“The community has actually been doing really well,” she said. “We were all very surprised … considering it’s new.”

The Elks Lodge has also been accommodating to the local vendors. They offered their space to the vendors, and in return, all vendor fees are forwarded to the Elks Lodge Scholarship fund.

“The Elks was amazing … And they were just awesome. Like, it all fell into place so quickly … and then we all realized that that’s a lot of work,” Stoker said.

Thanks to the support from the Elks Lodge providing a space, and the community support, the market has successfully put together a winter season for the Powell Farmers Market. 

“There are a number of vendors dedicated to providing home-baked, handmade, farm-raised, and home-created items to Powell during the winter,” Karen Zaninovich Parker said. “We are delighted to partner with the Elks Lodge to provide an indoor farmers market to Powell.”