Every first and third Friday of each month, the Milly Farmers Market is hosted under the pavilion at 222 E. Hancock St. in Milledgeville.
The Milly Farmers Market Director Debbie Waugh worked with City Manager Hank Griffeth and Milledgeville Main Street to create the local market. According to Waugh, about 15 vendors sell at the market regularly. From summer veggies to goat milk soap, the vendors provide a variety of stock that is locally grown or produced.
“Each of our vendors is required to grow or produce what they sell. I visit every farm before someone joins the market to ensure the product is locally made and not being resold,” said Waugh.
The Milly Farmers Market began in January 2023 but has a history before COVID-19. According to Waugh, the Milly Farmers Market used to be an organic market named the Green Market. The Green Market existed from 2011 through 2020. However, a former manager of the Green Market, Luke Opperman, stated that COVID’s impact made it hard to keep the market going and ultimately its board decided to shut it down.
“Organizationally we were very small,” said Opperman. “We temporarily closed in March of 2020 and discussed the potential of reopening but ultimately decided it wouldn’t be fair to return when many of the farmers had moved on to other markets or ways of selling to combat COVID restrictions and support themselves.”
Though Waugh was not highly involved in The Green Market, she loved the community and the support it provided, which influenced her decision to start a new market.
“The Green Market couldn’t recover after COVID but I felt that our community should still have a local market,” said Waugh. “So, in January, I approached Carlos Tobar and he connected me with Milledgeville Main Street to plan what would become the Milly Farmers Market."
The goal of the market is to create a community space to gather where farmers can sell their local products and the community can connect with the farmers to support each of the vendors’ livelihood. Another benefit of the market is allowing local dollars to support local businesses.
“This is the livelihood of our vendors and it means a lot to each of them for the community to show its support. Its local dollars supporting local businesses that support our city and county,” said Waugh.
Opperman, who is now a vendor at the Milly Farmers Market for his business Our Big Oak Bakery, said that many of the Green Markets regular customers and vendors returned for the new market and the growth of the market is promising.
“As a vendor, I can see the market growing at a fast pace just from how much it’s changed over this summer,” said Opperman. “Farmers markets are the public face for my bakery and like many of the other vendors, we want to support our communities and these local values that farmers markets uphold.”
Opperman sells sourdough, croissants, pies, fruit bars, and other breads at his vendor table. Alongside being a vendor, he has also helped with promotion and preparation in the past.
“I am thankful for Debbie Waugh and her passion to coordinate and manage everything,” said Opperman. “The Milly Market champions values that local farmers markets have and that is one of the many reasons I love it.”
According to Waugh, another great benefit of the market beyond business connections is giving people a chance to see where their food comes from and to interact with each other in a cozy, welcoming environment. Typically, live music plays during the market and families will gather with vendors to socialize, watch their kids play, watch the music, and buy products.
“The Milly Farmers Market has been doing very well and people seem to really enjoy the environment it provides,” said Waugh. “It’s always great to see new people visiting during First Fridays as well.”
Georgia College & State University (GCSU), Central Georgia Technical College (CGTC), and Milledgeville Main Street have all been supporters of the market. Both colleges help to provide volunteers and promotions.
According to Waugh, GCSU helps a lot with preparation and work during the market alongside CGTC, which also provides a lot more help with labor in preparing ahead of time for the market. Milledgeville Main Street hosts the market each month as part of its First Friday events and helps in numerous ways, according to Waugh.
“The market runs thanks to the support of the community, the colleges, and our downtown authority,” said Waugh. “I cannot express how thankful I am for the numerous ways they offer support to both myself and the vendors.”
Wholesome Wave Georgia, a nonprofit organization that helps to provide food to food-insecure families, is also a supporter for the Milly Farmers Market and gave the market a grant to allow double value for EBT/SNAP spending.
“The grant they provided allows us to offer EBT/SNAP spending,” said Waugh. “This is an opportunity for our community and we are proud to provide it.”