OSU-OKC Vendors Upset Over Farmers Market Closing

Some vendors are upset at how the upcoming closure of the farmers market on the campus of OSU-OKC was handled.

They said they were not properly informed of the February 29 closing date for the year-round market open every Saturday.

OSU-OKC is partnering with Scissortail Park for another farmers market opening on Saturdays in the spring.

That market will be open for 7 months of the year.

“You can’t tell someone on a Friday and six weeks later say you can work 7 months of a 12-month year,” OSU-OKC Vendor Carolyn Herr said.

Herr has been at the OSU-OKC Farmers Market for nearly 16 years.

She said setting up her store at Scissortail Park will be too much of a hassle and too unpredictable with the weather. Instead she’ll open an Amazon store online.

“I think there is anger, but there is also sadness and disbelief,” Letitia Pierce said.

Pierce and her husband have been at the OSU-OKC Famers Market for 5 years selling Garden Anywhere Boxes.

The gardening boxes will now be for sale at the Public Market off Kline. The Public Market is open year-round on Saturdays.

“Most of the vendors that came from OSU-OKC are some of the big players over there,” Scissortail Park Horticulture Director Lance Swearengin said.

So far, 15 of the 30 vendors for OSU-OKC will be coming to Scissortail Park. The Parks said it has at least 45 vendors signed up so far and hopes to attract 60 by April.

“We are looking to have a destination market,” said Swearengin, who added that the parks pavilions could provide protections from the weather if needed.