GROVE CITY — Olde Town Grove City's Go Fresh! Farmers' Market has a little bit of everything, and the different offerings excite even the vendors setting up each Thursday through October.

"We like it. It draws more people," Doug Updyke said Thursday afternoon, the second week of this year's sixth annual market.

He and his wife Janet sell produce and flowers they grow on their Mercer farm at the booth they've set up since up the market started, Janet's Produce.

The Updykes said the market is in a good, central spot: the Joseph D. Monteleone Youth Festival Park between 118 and 138 S. Broad St.

"And it's growing," market manager Mary Jo Palmer said of participating vendors, this week's count was 13 and included jewelry, tea, beef and maple syrup products.

She and her husband Ed have been managing the market for the past few years and word-of-mouth and some advertising have helped attract more local vendors, Palmer said.

"A lot of them are regulars. We're busy now," she said of how well things are going so far, adding new vendors can still register for a $50 annual fee.

The market is set up on Thursdays from 3 to 6 p.m., rain or shine, and other products include hot dogs, baked goods, Amish doughnuts, homemade pasta and sauces and handmade soaps.

Free samples are offered, live entertainment is expected every other week and some children's activities are being planned

She hopes visitors will also check out the locally owned shops and restaurants in Olde Town Grove City, which had a lot of foot traffic Thursday.

"Our goal isn't to take business away from anybody downtown. If you haven't experienced Olde Town in a while, you'll be pleasantly surprised," said Palmer, who runs b'gifted, a shop in Olde Town she co-owns with Lisa Pritchard.

You can't beat buying your produce straight from the person who grows it, said Pat Nelson of JP Farm, Slippery Rock, which sells organic and pesticide-free items including greens, tomatoes, onions and peppers.

"We're very fortunate. We have quite a following," Nelson said, adding she also shares recipes for kale soup and kale cakes.

Amy Philson wandered over from manning the neighboring booth, telling Nelson her seven kids love the kale cake recipe.

Philson and her husband Eric own Philson's Bushel and a Peck Farm in the Jackson Center area, selling organic whole-grain breads, produce, eggs and lamb.

"We have five left," Philson said of the 30 loaves of bread she and daughter Emma, 8, brought Thursday.

Customer Sally Archibald of Grove City headed home on her bicycle with one of the loaves, saying the prices at the market are comparable to the grocery store, but the quality and atmosphere are better.

"I like the local produce and I like the community feel," she said, adding she even had a rocking chair re-caned at last year's market.

This is Pasture Perfect Beef's first year at the market and Russ and Crystal Carlson of Stoneboro, who own the business with John and Judy Ligo of Grove City, were busy giving out samples of all-beef hot dogs. "The customers have been very receptive," said Crystal Carlson, who was wearing an apron that said "I love beef."

They also had their refrigerated truck so they can sell individual packages of the beef, which is all-natural with no hormones, steroids or antibiotics. The Carlsons even invite customers to check out the Pasture Perfect Beef farms, Crystal Carlson said as she gave samples to Marjukka Miinala and her husband Frank Curl of Mercer.

Miinala and Curl said they're getting ready for Mercer's first farmers' market, which starts July 7; they raise Icelandic horses through their business, Mercer Icelandics.

Competing with the smell of the hot dogs a few booths away was Brown's Pure Maple Products, run by Jim Brown, Kim Shaffer and Doug Brown of Polk. "We make everything except the tea and coffee," said Jim Brown, standing with his wife Darlene behind a table of syrup, sauces, dressings, mustards and candy.

This is also their first year at the market and they said they couldn't be more pleased with the turnout and how the Palmers run everything.

For more info, call 724-458-4456, email the Palmers at emjpalmer@zoominternet.net or visit oldetowngrovecity.com

Published June 16, 2012, in Allied News. Pick up a copy at 201 A Erie St., Grove City.