Farmer's market in Malta?

Malta resident Alesha Ereaux is teaming with the Malta Chamber of Commerce and the PhillCo Economic Growth Council to bring a farmer's market back to Phillips County, and is holding a meeting on Monday, March 12 to get public input and help spread the word.

The meeting will be held in the Phillips County Library next Monday and will start at 6 p.m. Potential vendors, as well as the public, are encouraged to attend and learn more about the market, and share their thoughts on what could be done.

Ereaux, the proprietor of A.E. Catering, moved here three years ago after marrying her husband, Chad Ereaux. She said she decided to pursue a farmer’s market in Malta after seeing the number of people selling goods on online yard sale sites.

“It seems like everybody makes something and there are also a lot of independent consultants selling goods,” Ereaux said. “I talked to some of my relatives and people who have lived here longer than me, and they said, ‘yeah, we used to have one, but it just kind of fizzled out’.”

Ereaux said she put out a feeler to locals who sell goods about the possibility of bringing a farmer’s market back to the area and the response was large and positive.

“We then decided to move forward with it and see what would need to be done to have one,” she said.

Malta Chamber Executive Ann Sautter said she has talked with members of the Havre Chamber of commerce and in that city, they hold a large farmer’s market 11 times each summer starting in July and ending in September. On average, each the Havre farmer’s market draws up to 20 different vendors. Sautter said she wasn’t sure how many vendors would set up at a Malta market but did say she has heard nothing but positive comments from local people when the market is discussed.

“And I think everybody is going to be receptive,” Sautter said.

At this point in planning, Ereaux said the group putting the market together is hoping to piggyback on the success of the Malta Parks and Rec Adult Softball league at Trafton Park and to hold the farmer's market on the same night as the sporting events.

“Everybody is already down in Trafton on those nights and Trafton is a great location,” Ereaux said. “It would be a great place for students doing fundraisers to set up, bake sales, fruit and produce vendors or any sellers.”

Ereaux said that the details for upcoming markets are still being worked out and she hopes the Monday meeting will bring more ideas to the table. She said the farmer's market events are tentatively going to be held six times starting in June and running through August.

“But again, that is all tentative,” Ereaux said. “But we want everyone’s opinions and concerns. We will also be handing out vending forms that night if anyone would like to pick them up. The feedback we have gotten about the market has been great, but now we need people to commit to the idea.”

For more information, Sautter can be reached at the Malta Chamber of Commerce by calling 654-1776 or by email at [email protected].