Apr 11, 2025
By Shop Kansas Farms
The Douglas County Market of Farms event was an incredible success as more than 600 people arrived at the Flory Building on the Douglas County Fairgrounds last month to buy directly from Kansas farmers and ranchers.
One vendor, Jeff Jones of Jones Premium Beef in Seneca, said he gained more than 100 new customers that day.
Meagan Cramer, Kansas Farm Bureau’s director of marketing and communication shares, “One of the qualities that makes our Market of Farms unique is we aggressively advertise for our vendors in advance, during and after the event to help their businesses grow more customers. When we hear people like Jeff Jones talk about gaining more than 100 new customers in just one day, that means that all of our work in advertising for them has been successful. We love helping our farmers, ranchers and growers prosper!”
This Market of Farms event was sponsored by Douglas County Farm Bureau and was the first time being held in Lawrence. Jacqui Folks, Douglas County Farm Bureau county coordinator, says, “This event exceeded our expectations! The Flory Building was a perfect venue, but we had to turn away vendors so we’re looking for a bigger location for the next one.”
The 20 vendors came from across the state and so did the customers.
Vendors included:
Country Road Farms from Eudora
Beef snack sticks, beef and pork cuts and farm fresh eggs
Dirt Road Cattle Company from Madison
Grass-fed beef products and grain-finished beef and pork
Hamm's Homestead from Minneapolis
Goat milk soap, lotion and shampoo
Heartland Regional Food Business Center
The Heartland Regional Food Business Center is dedicated to helping farm and food enterprises start up, grow, and connect with local and regional markets.
High Point Pharms from Nickerson
CBD products made with hemp grown at High Point Family Farms featuring tinctures, gummies, salves, body butter, roll-ons, lotions, etc.
Hildebrand Farms, Inc. from Junction City
Milk, butter, beef sticks and summer sausage
Hunsinger Farms from Lawrence
Black oil sunflower bird seed
JET Produce and Meats from Leavenworth
Popcorn, baking mixes, fresh-milled flours, dried beans, seasonings, jerky and house plants
Jones Cattle Premium Beef from Seneca
Steaks, roasts, ground beef, summer sausage, beef snack sticks and beef jerky from corn-fed beef
Lone Pine Farms from Lecompton
Pork bacon, sausage, brats, etc.
Martha Knudsen - Kansas Barns - Pen and Ink Drawings from Newton
Kansas barn books, Kansas note cards, and pen and ink drawings
Next to Nature Farm from Leavenworth
Honey, creamed honey, artisanal infused honey, beeswax skin care products, orchard fresh jams and jellies, preserved foods, handmade bar soap and foaming hand soap
Perry Farm to Fork from Perry
Beef, chicken, breads, handmade items, soaps, body butters and oils
Rosie Bosse from Onaga
Children's books
Stone & Sparrow Farm & Mill from Melvern
Heirloom turkey red flour, rye flour, spelt flour, millet flour, sorghum flour etc.
The Buffalo Seed Company from Shawnee
Locally grown seeds for flowers, herbs, grains and vegetables
Turkey Knob Farm from Berryton
Specialty jalapeño products and signature jams and jellies
USA Duck Team from Kansas City, Kan.
Breads, jams, native plants, duck and rabbit meat and duck eggs
Werner Creek Farm from Winfield
Canned items: salsa, pickles, jams and jellies, pasta sauce
Baked goods: sourdough bread, wheat bread, cinnamon rolls
Candied pecans and almonds
Local beeswax hand balm and lip balm
Vintage quilt crafts
Possibly early produce (carrots, spinach, lettuce)
Wild Ivy Herb Farm from Lawrence
Value-added farm products including herb-infused vinegars, teas, oils, salves, lip balms, soaps, elderberry products, dried herbs and a book, "Guide to Growing Herbs"
Sponsored by the Douglas County Farm Bureau, CoBank, Frontier Farm Credit and American AgCredit, this inaugural event will be followed up by another one at a date yet to be determined.
The next Market of Farms will be in Andover at The Heritage on Saturday, July 12 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. More information can be found here www.shopkansasfarms.com.