Farmers Market of Medina County celebrates simplicity and community

It’s a farmers market, and people go there to buy food.

That’s how Cody Grey, president of the Farmers Market of Medina County (FMMC), summed up Medina’s “other” farmers market. It couldn’t get any simpler than that — and it doesn’t need to. Where other markets might feature more, the FMMC keeps things straightforward.

“Ours is a producer-only market, and it’s a lot smaller,” said Grey, who also serves as a vendor. “People come here for the food.”

They can find a few other items too, but the focus is on locally produced foods. “It’s a producer-only market,” Grey said. “We don’t allow any reselling of any kind.”

Vendors include Front 9 Farm of Lodi, known for its produce and meat; Shady Oak Farm of Seville, which features festive fall fare; Sycamore Valley Farms of Ashland, which produces a wide variety of meats; and Tompot Family Farm and Bakery, which grows organic Medina produce, makes local honey, cans organic fruit jams and jellies, and crafts beeswax candles.

At the most recent market Oct. 18, more than 20 vendors greeted a steady flow of customers.

If you missed it, there’s still time to visit. The FMMC runs every Saturday through Nov. 15 from 9 a.m. to noon, rain or shine. The market is held at Cornerstone Chapel, about a quarter-mile east of Weymouth Road (state Route 3), with entrances accessible from either road.

Not as large or as well known as the market on Medina Square, which runs at the same time on Saturday mornings, FMMC starts earlier in May and continues later into the fall. Grey, who sells locally grown produce, said it makes sense to extend the season into November so people can stock up before Thanksgiving.

“Half of the draw would be that people think we can’t farm until the fall or during the colder months,” he said, noting that he produces vegetables indoors year-round. “This is actually a great time of year for produce. Some vendors drop out at this time of year because of the weather.”

Shoppers come to the FMMC from across Medina County and nearby Akron suburbs. Grey said the market sees a steady flow of regulars and newcomers each week.

“We know a lot of them by name,” said Rick Tompot of Tompot Family Farm and Bakery, a regular vendor for the past two years. “It takes a lot of work to bring your own produce to market. I grow 25 to 30 different things a year. It feels fulfilling to be able to provide those things to my friends and neighbors.”

Tompot, who also owns Tommy’s Pizza, Chicken & Catering in Strongsville, said the producer-only focus and smaller scale make the FMMC special.

“There’s a lot of people in our market who don’t like those big crowds,” he said. “We have a lot of regulars who come out to buy produce. I’ve thought about going up to the square, but there’s like 70 vendors there. We wouldn’t have the same relationships.”

Grey said there’s no rivalry between the two markets — just a difference in atmosphere. “One has more of a mom-and-pop feel, while the other is like the mall,” he said. “It’s kind of a smaller market with a homey, family kind of feel. Some people just like that better.”