Tomatoes, pickles, pies and music bring people to first 'Market on the Square'

Agustin Tinoco awaits customers Saturday, Aug. 2, during the first "Market on the Square" farmers market. Tinoco sold tomatoes, peaches, peppers, melons and other produce he helps Raymond Treon grow in the Miami bottoms. (Eric Crump/Democrat-News) [Click to enlarge] [Order this photo]

"It has been beyond even what I had hoped for," said Amy Crump, one of the event's organizers. "I'm just so excited, it's been incredible."

"People say they have never seen the square this busy in a long time," she said. "It's been steady, steady, steady all morning."

Kathy Fairchild, Dorothy Arvizu and several downtown merchants were also involved in putting together the event.

Arvizu spoke about why she got involved in the project.

"It promotes local businesses. It promotes agri-tourism, which is a dynamite opportunity," she said. "It supports small enterprises --garden growers, artists, musicians. They all get together in one place, and we're having fun."

Vendors seemed equally pleased with market's popularity.

"This is pretty fun," said Deanna Hall. "A lot of people stopped by, they just keep coming."

"I was tickled to death to hear they were having this here," said Barbara Taylor.

Music was provided throughout the four-hour event by The Gemstones, a duo who play a variety of musical styles, specializing in traditional music.

Dustin Conrad, the group's fiddler, is from Marshall Junction and graduated from Marshall High School.

He said one reason they were interested in playing at the Marshall event was to give a little back to Marshall. The two played at the grand opening of the Shirley Martin Community Center in January, and the exposure there has helped get them more jobs in the area.

The two played on the boardwalk in Arrow Rock recently and are slated to return for the fall Heritage Festival.

Ryan Stone of Smithton, who plays guitar and banjo, said most of the duo's repertoire comes from his grandfather, who gave him his first guitar when he was 11 years old.

But they've added to the collection.

Conrad said they learned "Missouri Waltz," for example, after receiving several requests for it when they played at the Marshall community center.

One Marshall couple who stopped to listen to The Gemstones for a while remarked how much they appreciated seeing young musicians playing old-time music, keeping traditional tunes alive.

Due to Saturday's positive response, additional "Market on the Square" events have been scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 6, and Saturday, Oct. 4.