Marketplace supports local community, builds relationships

Vendors pack up after the Farmhouse Finds Barn Sale, in Glasgow, Ky., an antique and craft sale which drew an estimated 1500 people, on Saturday April 29, 2017. Jennifer Bailey, who organized the show, says “A few years ago I got some friends together, and we went to one in Tennesee…while I was there walking around, I thought, ‘I can do this’.”

Michelle Hanks

After driving miles down curvy, single lane roads, passing large fields of green with small houses and herds of cattle, one will arrive at a large wooden barn filled with shoppers holding bags with their new purchases.

FarmHouse Finds is a marketplace located at Brad Bailey’s Farm in Glasgow, Kentucky. The event has only been going on for two years now. Along with 50 to 60 vendors selling their items, the event also had live music and food.

Jennifer Bailey, co-owner of the farm with her husband, Brad Bailey, said she wanted to start a barn sale of her own after seeing how popular they are in Tennessee.

“I was at one, and I thought, ‘I can do this,’” Bailey said. “And that’s how it got started.”

Bailey has put in a lot of work to put the event together. She said she went about finding the vendors by going to various shows and picking up business cards, spreading the news by word of mouth, contacting people through email, looking at websites with vendors listed and advertising on Facebook.

One thing Bailey said she likes the most about barn sales is the opportunity small, local and regional vendors get to sell their work.

“I believe in supporting local people and not commercial people,” Bailey said.

Bailey has brought to her farm a wide variety of vendors ranging from people who have been making and selling their products for a living, to those who recently started as a way to stay busy.

Theresa Smith, owner of Time Worn Interiors, lives and Glendale and sells small, handmade items like signs and jewelry out of vintage materials. She has been selling and making for 16 years because she said it satisfies her creativity.

“It’s fulfilling,” Smith said. “It just kind of fills your heart with joy and it’s self-satisfying. When you’re punching a clock for somebody else, you’re not doing yourself any good, you know? You’re just working for the other man.”

Curtis Hayes, from Cave City, is another vendor who came out for Farmhouse Finds. He and his wife, Diane, own Sticks and Stone. Curtis makes a variety of small wooden products from bird feeders to dog bowl holders while his wife makes lightweight concrete pot holders for plants.

Hayes said he started their business three years ago as a way to transition to retirement after running a data fiber optic company.

“I do it more just for enjoyment for myself,” Hayes said. “I mean, I worked hard for 35 years, so now I’m now I’m working for fun instead of having to get up and scream and holler at bunch of men all the time.”

For the guest, some of them experienced their first barn sale. Bowling Green resident Alvin Farmer said he enjoyed getting an opportunity to be outside for the day.

“I just like the atmosphere and just being in the country is enjoyable,” Farmer said. “It’s peaceful.”

Trudy Boyd, another shopper from Glasgow said she liked Farmhouse finds for its setup.

“This is different,” Boyd said. “It’s unique being in the barn like this.”

Boyd, like many of the shoppers, likes to shop locally because she said it helps keep the mom and pop stores going.

“People need to go to buy and then give them a chance,” Boyd said. “ It’s kind of hard because when you have like the big Walmarts and stuff, it’s hard for them to compete.”

Though marketplaces like Farmhouse Finds are based on a common goal by vendors and consumers to support the local economy, vendors also get to build relationships with their customers and collaborate with other vendors.

“You’re with a lot of like-minded people,” Smith said. “You’re like with a lot of people that are really creative, and you enjoy bouncing things off of each other.”

Reporter Michelle Hanks can be reached at 270-745-6288 and [email protected].