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Spotlight on new, returning vendors at summer season SFM

from Snellville Spirit Spring 2023

from Snellville Spirit Spring 2023, page 37

Economic Development

By Gretchen Schulz Councilmember Market organizer

The Snellville Farmers’ Market has some terrific new and returning vendors in the lineup for the summer season! We would like to introduce you to just a few.

Perhaps one of our most exciting additions will be Pride Road Farms. To be clear, Pride Road has been a vendor with us for several years, selling their hibiscus soda that is a huge hit with market customers, as well as other hibiscus products such as their hibiscus chutney that was the winner of the 2022 Flavor of Georgia Food Product Contest sponsored by the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. But now they are becoming Pride Road Farms and will be offering chicken this summer in addition to their hibiscus products. Yasin Muhaimin and his son, Najeeb, are currently finishing up the construction of their chicken farm and processing facility on 77 acres, located between Monticello and Mansfield. Najeeb, who recently retired from the military, said their chickens will be pastured and moved from one pasture to another every day. Their target is to raise and process 3,000 chickens their first season, he said. The father-son team expects to sell whole frozen chickens and “we’ll shoot for halves and quarters,” Najeeb said. The Muhaimins have been working closely with the Georgia Department of Agriculture and will have all required permits. “They have been engaged with us all along,” Najeeb said.

Black Bean Coffee Company has been a vendor with us during our extended season markets and we’re thrilled to let customers know they plan to be with us throughout the summer season. Shelbey and Michael March, owners of the Buford-based company, will be bringing their coffee trailer to the market. They will offer just “plain old” regular coffee as well as iced coffee, lattes, frappes, teas, smoothies, and whole bean coffee. Shelbey, who serves as the barista, is a former human resources manager. Michael worked as a machine operator. Their coffee business grew out of

Shelbey’s love for coffee. “I started drinking it with my grandmother when I was 10 years old,” she said. The Marchs also take their coffee trailer to movie sets and other events.

Another vendor we would like to introduce you to is Cassandra Ragins, owner of Treat Your Temple, a bath and body care products company. Cassandra is a registered and certified radiation therapist who has treated cancer patients. As a result of her work, she learned that so many ingredients in traditional body care products had devastating effects on the skin of her patients. The name of her company comes from the verse in the Bible that refers to our bodies as the temple of God. By treating our body as a temple, “we take great care about the internal and external aspects of our bodies,” she says. Cassandra sells a variety of bath bombs, shower steamers, lotions, body butters, and lip balms.

Finally, many customers will be very happy to know that Petersen’s Bakery will continue selling their very popular breakfast sandwiches. Located right near the market entrance, the Petersens offer a sandwich on their homemade roll consisting of two eggs, cheese, and bacon or sausage. Their bacon, which comes from J. Martin & Sons of Lancaster, PA in the heart of the Pennsylvania Dutch area, is a customer favorite. It takes all three of the Petersens, including Mark, Deb and their daughter Catherine, as well as their regular assistant Katherine, to keep up with business at their booth. In addition to breakfast sandwiches, the Petersens sell a variety of breads, rolls, focaccia, pastries and cornettos.

The summer season of the market will begin June 3 and will be held on the Towne Green every Saturday through September, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.. From now until the summer market begins, visit our extended season market on the first and third Saturdays of each month through May, 9 am to noon, in the City Hall parking lot.

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