By Cindy Schroeder
Enquirer staff writer

IF YOU GO

What: The Dixie Farmers Market When: 3-6 p.m. Thursdays through Oct. 28 Where: Erlanger Depot on Crescent Avenue near Dixie Highway Features: Northern Kentucky farmers selling a variety of fresh produce and other homegrown products Information: Bob Yoder, Erlanger-Elsmere renaissance coordinator, at (859) 342-7912, or e-mail him at bob@thedixie.com.

ERLANGER - Growing pains are forcing the Dixie Farmers Market to move a few blocks next spring.

When the market opened three months ago, it had nine regular sellers.

Since then, 10 more farmers have signed up and another four are on a waiting list for next year, said Bob Yoder, Erlanger-Elsmere renaissance coordinator.

"It grew beyond what we had projected,'' Yoder said.

While the market's current location on a paved parking lot at the historic Erlanger Depot is just off busy Dixie Highway, it offers limited room for growers and buyers. .

Starting next May, the market will move to the Erlanger Baptist Church parking lot off Commonwealth Avenue.

"We'll have more parking, more room for growers and better visibility,'' Yoder said.

"We looked around at the large areas close to (the market), and the church was at the top of our list.''

Jeff Barbour, Erlanger Baptist's minister of facilities and recreation, said church leadership is happy to provide the space and said the parking lot has room for about 300 cars.

"Given what the market does for our community and what our goals are, it's a win-win situation for everyone," Barbour said.

The Dixie Farmers Market has sold everything from soap to jams and jellies to prepackaged frozen longhorn beef, Yoder said. It also offers fresh and organically grown produce from Northern Kentucky farms, including eggs, watermelons, tomatoes and apples.

So far, Northern Kentucky's newest farmers market has drawn customers mostly from northern Kenton County cities, Yoder said.

Besides meeting the needs of sellers and consumers, Dixie Highway retailers hope to capitalize on the farmers market. Erlanger and Elsmere have a combined population of more than 24,000.