A year-round farmers’ market located on Petit Jean Mountain sponsored the first annual Arkansas Apple Butter Festival Saturday and organizers called it a great success with an estimated attendance of over 3,000 people. With live music and 52 vendors, apple butter was only one attraction but it proved worthy with the total supply sold out by 11:30 am.
The Petit Jean Farmers’ Market (PJFM), owned and operated since 1990 by Ed and Jenni Martsolf, is located at 1039 Winrock Drive, the site of the festival. Locals affectionately refer to it as “the barn” because of the prominent barn-like structure located near the road whose large doors always seem to be open. Ed Martsolf drives his “sheep truck” pickup on regular routes throughout the multi-county region every Friday to gather fruits and vegetables, meats and dairy products, and homemade pies, jellies and cakes for sale the next day in the PJFM barn.
“Mu secret, if there was one, is relationship-building. Our farmers and growers are long-standing. There’s a lot of mutual trust and understanding.” A large collection of high-end outdoor rocking chairs just between the barn and the road signal: stop, shop, sit and share…