A look inside Granville Farmer’s Market vendors

LIZ ANASTASIADIS, MANAGING EDITOR & SHANTI BASU, PHOTO EDITOR — In its 26th year, the Granville Farmers Market is an event that Denison students and surrounding communities alike look forward to every summer and fall season. 

With a range of vendors from local farmers, pop up coffee shops, plant vendors, honey alcoves and more, the market has something for everyone to enjoy. If you haven’t been to the Granville Farmer’s Market before, here’s a short video The Denisonian film editors made to celebrate the 25th Anniversary in fall 2018. 

Here’s The Denisonian’s look into some of the vendors:

Momma’s Secret Mixes

Two years ago and in-between jobs, Tammy Oliver’s friends told her that she should start a business from her passion for making spice-mixes and dips. With a wide array of dry mixes with flavors from “Savory Spinach,” “The Real Dill,” and “Reliable Ranch” to sweet dips “Peanut Butter Passion” and “CinnaYum,” there are flavors for every occasion. The business was officialized two years ago. Rightfully named “Momma’s Secret Mixes,” her daughter brought the name to life.

Crackers and vegetables are how people tend to enjoy Oliver’s dips; with a dry shelf life of two years, the mix can be used for gifts or saved for a special celebration.

“It’s good for college students because they might want something easy to whip up when they have friends over…” says Oliver. “All they need is sour cream or yogurt to mix it with!” 

The products are also available online at www.mkt.com/msmixes. 

Ogle Family Farms

Cynthia Ogle, the co-owner of “Ogle Family Farms” in Saint Louisville, Ohio, owns thirteen goats and is a mother of seven kids. In the small kitchen on their 10-acre farm is where Ogle prepares its products, all from goat milk.

From goat cheese truffles, fudge, buckeyes, and Caj eta (caramel sauce), most people purchase the goods as a gift or for personal snack time. The company also offers herd shares for goat cheese and raw goat milk. This is their second year at the Granville Farmers Market. 

“We’re just a small farm… we really like to make these products,” says Ogle. 

If you don’t catch them at the market, they’re also available at www.facebook.com/oglefamilyfarms/.

Latshaw Apiaries (Pure Local Honey) 

When Joe Latshaw, founder of “Latshaw Apiaries,” was in 3rd grade, his teacher brought in some beekeeping supplies and taught him about bees. This sparked a passion — when he was eight, he saved up money to buy his own hive of bees, and this passion has only grown since. Through many years of education in beekeeping and animal science at The Ohio State University, he eventually opened his beekeeping business.

Joe and Leah Latshaw are now the owners of the local company in Alexandria, Ohio, and have been vendors at the Granville Farmer’s Market for the past five years. From pure, raw, and creamed honey in flavors like lavender, gingerbread, and cinnamon, the company is local and doesn’t use additives or pasteurization. 

All the money from the baby bears funds a beekeeping scholarship for local youth. As young as nine years old for the program, it shows them how to keep bees, gives them a mentor, and classes/education on animal science and beekeeping. 

“Honey is pretty easy, it’s the only food that doesn’t go bad. It’s easy to keep in a cupboard or dorm room, and it’s nice to add to tea, coffee, bread, and sandwiches,” says Leah Latshaw. “Local honey is recommended for helping with local allergies: Denison students come from all over. We don’t pasteurize our honey or anything so it all contains a small amount of pollen. So, every time you eat it you get a small dose of pollen from the area and it helps with allergies: a lot of people look for local honey for that reason.”

Check them out at www.latshawapiaries.com. 

Find all of these vendors on Saturday mornings from 8:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. at the Granville Farmers Market!