Written by Elena Morrison, Alaina Hardman, and Katelyn Binge
NOCATEE, FL- Almost forty vendors, three food trucks and a bouncy house filled the Nocatee station field for the first ever Nocatee Kids Farmers Market on Saturday Sep. 23.
The first ever Nocatee Kid’s Farmers Market played host to amazing handmade creations and showcased the wonderful talents of the young vendors to the community. It also helped the kids develop skills as entrepreneurs and teach them about business. There were a variety of different items at the market including sewn creations, crochet items, pastries, sweets, and more.
“I’m selling 3-D printed products, fidget toys, charms and other stuff.” Said PIA eighth grader Preston Prine. When asked about his favorite part of the market so far, Prine replied “Selling stuff and seeing how happy people are when they get their items.”
Through the market kids like Prine can share their creations with the world and let others enjoy their products. Seventh graders Lainie Caduie-George and Brynn Hersel also show a want to share with others through their stall. “We wanted people to have beautiful Christmas presents.” Hersel said about their registration to the market “We’re selling Christmas ornaments made out of shells from the beach, we lay patterns on them and put mod podge, and it makes a really pretty ornament.” Caduie-George said earlier.
While all of the vendors sold handmade creations some took a different approach. “Rice-Krispies, dipped chocolate marshmallows and cookies.” Said seventh grader Reese Fulk when asked what she was selling. Fulk and her sister Emerson said they joined the market to make tasty treats and share them with others.
Like Reese and Emerson’s wish, PIA eighth graders Rachel Manucy and Cayden Pietrick joined the market to show their creations to the community. “We’re very glad we signed up and I would definitely do this again.” Manucy said.
Nocatee event manager Hannah Davis said that the kids’ farmers market would act as a trial run, if it was a success Nocatee would host more. But where did the idea of a kid’s market even come from? “We receive a lot of applications for our monthly market from kids and with the monthly market they must have a business license in order to participate. A lot of kids don’t have that so we thought this would be a great opportunity for the young entrepreneurs to come out showcase their items and not have a business license.” Davis stated.
