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Officials say, for whatever reason, participation has increased this year

Traveler video/Ark City Farm & Art Market

By FOSS FARRAR
Traveler Staff Writer

Yolly Cranford's customers at the Farm & Art Market call her the flower lady. But some don't come to her booth to buy flowers.

Some come for a glass of watermelon punch -- she doesn't charge for a drink. Others come for her eggrolls.

She also sells beads made into bracelets.

Everything she sells is hand-made. She keeps the vegetable or chicken eggrolls in a portable freezer.

"Her eggrolls are to die for," said T.J. Falls, manager of Stage, sipping punch. She had walked just a few steps out of her store to Cranford's booth on the sidewalk facing Summit Street.

Cranford was one of 13 vendors who were visited by more than 100 people at the market Thursday afternoon. It is held on the sidewalk in downtown Arkansas City every Thursday during the summer, from 4 to 6:30 p.m.

More and more, the farmers market in Ark City is the place to be, vendors and customers say.

Attendance this year at the market has been increasing weekly, said Marietta Brammer, administrative assistant of the Arkansas City Area Chamber of Commerce.

"It typically does this time of year as more vendors join in," she said.

Last summer a total of 30 vendors participated, Brammer said, and participation this year has increased.

"I have three new vendors from last year and the previous year," she said.

County Commission Chairman Dick Bonfy and his wife Dolly are among the vendors. They sell produce raised on their farm in rural Winfield, including squash, cucumbers, tomatoes and okra.

"We're going to have watermelons and cantaloupes later this summer," he said.

Bonfy said he believes the farmers market has continued to get bigger and attract larger crowds ever since it started three years ago. This year's event is certainly an improvement over last year.

"Last year there was the sound of jackhammers," Bonfy said, referring to work on the streetscape project last summer.

But the downtown renovation is finished and more people are coming downtown to enjoy it, he said.

"I think people like to come downtown and walk around and visit," Bonfy said. "It gives you a good feeling."

Just south of the Bonfy booth, a father and his three young sons were selling multicolored corn out of a pickup.

"We brought 75 dozen ears of corn and probably have sold about 60 dozen," said Brett Butler, of Geuda Springs.

Home-baked goods also were on sale nearby. Tara Robison and her mother, Jo Anne Robison, had made granola, sweet bread rolled in sugar, and apple cookies. The two Ponca City women are of Potawatomie Indian Tribe descent and they call their business is the Two Feather Baking Company.

"Today was just sensational," Tara Robison said. "I couldn't believe all the people here. It's nice."

Meanwhile, a young girl named Brianna Farley approached Yolly Cranford's booth and asked for a flower. She was accompanied by her cousin, Tyler Norris.

Brianna said she only had $2 to spend and that the flowers looked pretty.

"Sorry, I don't just sell one flower," Cranford told the girl.

Cranford ended up selling out of all eight of the floral arrangements she brought to the market Thursday. They were made up of dahlias, gladiolus, zinnias and sunflowers.

She also sold out of eggrolls.

Above: Brittany Dunlap, left, makes a purchase from Yolly Cranford, who raises flowers and makes eggrolls, at the Farm & Art Market on Thursday. In the center, background, is Virginia Magnabe, Yolly's mother who is visiting from the Philippines.