Owen County Farmers' Market

Owen County Farmers' Market ties its local-food mission to people already active in Owen County civic life, including market manager Lori Fender, who serves on the Purdue Extension – Owen County Advisory Board. The market began in 2008 as the Community Farmers’ Market of Owen County and took its current name in 2012. It is held on Saturdays from May through September at 459 W. Morgan St. in Spencer. The market describes itself as producer-only, with an emphasis on locally grown and produced foods and on meeting the farmers and artisans behind them.

Why it matters locally

The producer-only model is the clearest local distinction here: the market is committed to locally grown and produced foods, and it frames the visit around direct contact with the farmers who grow food and the artisans who make goods. That keeps the market rooted in Owen County exchange rather than anonymous resale.

Its leadership is also visibly local. Lori Fender is listed as market manager, and the 2024 board includes Chris Pashley as president, Paul Starks as vice president, Shaneal Leach as treasurer, and Rachel Bailey as secretary, alongside additional board members Shirley Kinney, Angela Paris, and Amy Rednour. The market’s own history adds continuity: it started in 2008 and was renamed in 2012 rather than launched as a short-term seasonal project.

What you'll find there

The market emphasizes direct-from-maker goods rather than a long catalog of named vendors. Its own description centers locally grown food, products made by artisans, and programs that put produce and young sellers in front of shoppers.

• -Find locally grown and produced foods from the market’s producer-only sellers.
• -Meet farmers who grow the food sold at the market.
• -Browse goods made by artisans selling their own work.

The events calendar adds a practical local angle. The Kids Harvest Dollars Program helps youth ages 17 and under buy produce and edible plants from approved vendors. The weekly Youth Lemonade Stand Program allows one youth lemonade stand each Saturday for children 12 and under during market hours. The Turnip the Beet Campaign supports music at the market.

Know before you go

No dogs are allowed at Owen County Farmers' Market, a rule that may affect how you plan a Saturday stop. Vehicle setup is also tightly managed: vendors must park away from the market site, and vending from trucks, vans, or cars is not allowed in the market. Restrooms are not available on site.

The market location is 459 W. Morgan St. in Spencer, with Saturday trading concentrated into a morning window from 8:30am to noon during the May-to-September season. If you want a feel for the surrounding area, Lori Fender is noted as a volunteer at the nearby Historic Tivoli Theatre, a recognizable Spencer landmark connected to the market’s current leadership. One visitor described it as “a small, but growing summer market with local produce, food, flowers and crafts”.

Payments & SNAP

SNAP/EBT is accepted at Owen County Farmers' Market, an important option for shoppers using nutrition benefits. The market also runs the Kids Harvest Dollars Program, which lets youth 17 and younger purchase produce and edible plants from approved vendors. Together, those programs point to a market that builds produce access into its regular Saturday setup.