TOLEDO, OH (WTOL) - Just before dawn, when the air is crisp and the dew is fresh on the grass, a farmer is getting ready for hundreds of costumers they'll face at the Toledo Farmer's Market.
It happens every Saturday, but for Heather Bond, it's been every Saturday since she was a little girl.
"My family has been coming longer than I've been alive, so I grew up at the market. A lot of the regulars and the vendors watched me grow up," said Bond.
Her family owns Witt Orchards located in Oak Harbor that produces more than 100 types of apples throughout the year. Bond is the third generation to be a part of it.
The market began in 1832 and has been downtown ever since. It changed locations in the mid-1900s to 525 Market Street and operates like most farmer's markets do - set up outdoors where the fresh produce and the people who shop them can walk in the sunshine and enjoy being outside during the months of May through November.
Come December though, the market moves inside.
Dan Madigan who has been the director for 14 years said the market is inviting to many different walks of life and serves not only as a place that offers locally grown healthy food, but a place to socialize.
"The farmers get to know the customers and that's a great experience for the customers as well as the farmers," Madigan said.
That's why Bond thinks the market is special too.
"It's so fun to listen to their stories and hear what they did with the produce and what's going on in their life and get updates every week," Bond said.
Her 16-month-old son will be the fourth generation to be a part of Witt Ochards and has been coming to the market every Saturday himself since he was four months old.
"Hopefully we'll keep continuing on. Luckily, I found myself a farm boy, so my husband's kind of going to take it on too," she said. "Now they're watching my son grow up as well."
The farmer's market runs from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Saturday May through November and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. December through April.
