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Lexington, Ky., Farmers Market Honors Growers at 30th Anniversary Celebration

Posted on: Tuesday, 5 July 2005, 15:00 CDT

Jul. 1--Joyce Smith has been a part of Lexington's Farmers Market since it began.

"It's been a long time, but it seems like a short time," she said.

Joyce and her husband, Jeff, will be recognized today at the 30th anniversary celebration of the Farmers Market, along with three other growers who have come to the market since the 1970s.

Joyce said she and Jeff were the first vendors at Lexington's market to sell miniature squash. The Smiths, like many Farmers Market growers, have grown and sold a variety of produce over the past 30 years.

"We've watched it progress to a really big market," she said. "It's one of the better markets."

Among the biggest changes Joyce has noticed in the past 30 years is a significant increase in the assistance provided to farmers by the government, namely advice about what crops to plant, as well as when and how much to plant.

"We used to have to do a lot of trial and error on our own," she said.

The Smiths, of Louisville, have cut back on their production and now primarily sell crops they buy from other farmers.

Like most growers at the Farmers Market, the Smiths mostly sell food. But Russ Madison, also being honored today, takes a different approach.

About 12 or 13 years ago, Madison decided to focus on hanging baskets and flower beds.

"We've become known a little bit for having some things that other areas or other growers don't have," he said.

Madison said he has about 55,000 square feet of greenhouses on his three acres of farmland in Fayette County. He maintains a variety of plants with help from his wife and a small staff of seasonal, part-time workers.

Also being recognized today are Bill Best, a farmer and professor at Berea College, and Katie Kriegel, the first grower on the market's books and a former president of the market.

FARMERS MARKET HONOREES

The Lexington Farmers Market celebrates its 30th anniversary today. A ceremony at noon on the steps of the Lexington Financial Center will honor vendors who have been with the market the longest. They are:

--Billy Best, of Berea, who has sold heirloom beans since 1972.

--Katie Kriegel, of Georgetown, who has sold fruits and vegetables since 1972.

--Russ Madison, of Lexington, owner of Proper Plants, who has sold plants since 1977.

--Jeff and Joyce Smith, of Louisville, who have sold a variety of crops purchased from other farmers since 1972.

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Copyright (c) 2005, Lexington Herald-Leader, Ky.

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

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Source: Lexington Herald-Leader (Lexington, Ky.)

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