On the Corner of North Williamson and West College
A couple in the Elon community stop by the Farmer's Market so check out the various wares. Photo by Caroline Lane.
Situated on the corner of North Williamson Avenue and West College Avenue, lies the Elon Community Church Farmer’s Market. It runs every Thursday afternoon during the months of April to November and under the hot blazing sun, various vendors sit under their shaded tents, bonding with their fellow vendors, interacting with customers and watching the world go by.
Ten years ago, Sandra Sarlinga of Piemonte Farms, saw how Alamance County had a desperate need for a local farmer’s market -- the closest market being over 20 miles away in Orange County. She approached the church asking for the space on the lawn and since then has worked hand in hand with the church to keep the market up and running.
Many of the vendors today have been at the market since the beginning. They have grown in tandem with the market in both size and scale, becoming a cornerstone of the Elon community.
The market is not only home to vegetable and food vendors but also vendors selling homemade crafts like Rolanda’s company “One Stitch at a Time”, selling a wide arrays of handknit items useful to everyday life like, hats, loofahs and scarfs.
Sourwood Honey, one of the many vendors at the market, has been a vendor since the very first year the market opened. Mike, the owner, comes to the market with the intention of selling his product but has stayed all these years for a reason much greater than the aspect of selling.
“The people who come and sell here are a good group of friendly people” he said.
On the surface level, the farmer’s market serves as a marketplace for produce and goods to the Elon community. However, it also lends a hand to forging connections between the Burlington community and students at Elon University. The market itself has become embedded into the culture of the Elon Community.
Katie Heim, a sophomore at Elon University, visited the market for the first time this past fall but wished she had went earlier.
“It’s a nice break from the fast pace of college where I got to be a part of the Elon community not just my classes and university activities,” Heim said.“Students and community members alike all were at the market intermingling and bonding.”
The market has become a special part of the community while also continuing to benefit those who live in Alamance County. Additionally, the market strives to fulfill a “green mission” in all aspects of the market. When Sandra Sarlinga began the market she had a vision to be more eco-friendly. Luckily, the church wanted to work with Sarlinga on making her dream a reality.
Both the market and the church work to reduce the carbon footprint of the Elon community through how the farmer’s market is run.
“All the produce needs to be produced by the vendors, everything comes from less than 20 miles away and you can’t resell anything,” Sarlinga said.
The market encourages community members to intertwine themselves with the university community as well as to live a healthier and greener lifestyle.
Throughout these past 10 years, the market has evolved into an integral part of the community.
Jill Nowack, owner of Jillie’s Jams, praises the place of the market in the Elon community.
“The market has become an institution for both the church and the community”, and this idea is echoed by all participants of the market,” she said.
Despite the conspicuous location, the Elon farmers market represents an aspect of community near and dear to the hearts of both locals and Elon students -- right on the corner of North Williamson Avenue and West College Avenue.
Jillie's Jams, one of many vendors at the Elon Farmer's Market. Photo by Caroline Lane.