Highland Heights Farmer’s Market, a stone’s throw from NKU

Marvin Barbian of Barbian Farms is one of many that comes out each week to sell his products at Highland Heights Market–part of the Campbell County Farmer’s Association–which range from tomatoes, green beans, apples and squash. Barbian Farms is located toward Camp Springs in Melbourne, Kentucky.

“I grew fruits and vegetables. I’ve done it all my life and I make a living at it,” Barbian said. “I’m selling my produce that grows and when the season is over with I do other things.”

Barbian and the other farmers want to encourage people to come out and join not only their produce but the healthy lifestyle that comes with it.  

Kendyl Ferola is in her last semester at NKU, and her friend Shelby Pennycuff bought a few plants and other products sold at this farmers market.

“Usually we buy our groceries and everything at the normal Kroger,” Pennycuff said.”But when we run out we go to the farmers market because it’s convenient.”

As you walk through this space you will see young and old customers. The culmination of both students and locals coming together at the market brings a sense of community.

“It helps sustain local businesses and farmers. It’s usually like a lot cheaper than Kroger sometimes,” Ferola said.

It’s placed in a parking lot to the right of Callahan Hall but not a large amount of NKU students attend this event. The products are grown within these local farms while using natural pesticides and fertilizers to keep products continuously fresh.    

Bert Neltner, of The Other Neltner (TON) Produce, has a deeper, more personal reason coming out each week, but said he also just truly enjoys farming and sharing in his free time.

“I’ve been coming six or seven years,” Neltner said. “My father did this first and then he got sick, he needed a heart valve and he asked if we would keep doing it and I like farming and stuff so we kept it going for him.”

TON Produce is located in Highland Heights. Each year Neltner sells a wide selection of vegetables and plants. He uses his spare time to come out to the marker alongside other farmers. Peering down at his table, an array of colors sprawl out; this time, some were even made into decor. They used lettuce as the head, tomatoes for the eyes, and eggplants as the ears.

With the farming season coming to an end as October comes to a close, some may want to take advantage of the time they have left to buy up fresh foods. It’s healthy foods and great people surrounding each other.

Around six or seven farms in total gather outside of Northern Kentucky University’s Callahan Hall every Tuesday from 3-6 p.m. to sell their produce. Tables line the area and vendors bring their trucks representative of their farms.

So next time you’re heading to Kroger and it happens to be a Tuesday consider stopping by the farmers market next to Callahan Hall to check out all of their products. You will be welcomed with open arms.