By Chad Ingram
The Haliburton County Farmers'Association plans to return to Minden next season.
2015 was the first year theassociation which runs successful markets in Carnarvon andHaliburton Village set up shop in Minden.
The market ran in themunicipal parking lot each Saturday for 11 weeks beginning in lateJune.
“We are pleased with how the marketwent” said president Angel Taylor indicating the board wished tocontinue with the hosting of a Minden location next season.
The Minden market brought in a total ofnearly $77000 during the summer less than its counterparts butthey ran for more weeks.
The Tuesday market in HaliburtonVillage for example ran for 22 weeks and generated nearly$200000.
The Minden market had an average ofbetween 15 and 18 vendors per week. Its lowest vendor count was 12and occurred on Aug. 22 the same day the Haliburton County GarlicGrowers' Association's Garlicfest was held in Stanhope.
“Garlicfest did draw away a number ofour vendors and customers” Taylor said.
She said merchant feedback wasgenerally positive. There were a few suggestions including clearersignage as the township held an artisans' marketplace at the culturalcentre on the same Saturdays.
Taylor also suggested the times for thefarmers' market and artisans' market be synced up as this year theartisans' market ran from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and the famers' market 10a.m. to 2 p.m.
She also suggested the possibility ofcombining the two markets but noted for the farmers' market tomaintain its status it must be comprised of at least 50 per centagricultural features.
While operators of a farmers' market inKinmount had expressed concern earlier in the year that a market inMinden may steal some of there business board member Fay Martinsaid surveys were taken and that customers were largely local notdrawing from Kinmount's clientele.
“I can assure Kinmount that we didnot steal their patrons” Martin said.
Reeve Brent Devolin said the townshipis supportive of the market running in Minden again.