Local Bowling Green vendors set up shop at Centennial Plaza on Wednesday, March 29 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for WKU students to visit this year’s “Market on the Avenue.”

The vendors were selling items ranging from food to clothes and children’s toys. Students could taste test organic bread or homemade cheese, create their own flower bouquet and visit a variety of other “farmer’s market” style booths. 

The mother daughter duo of Lisa and Petra Fulkerson had a booth set up for their business P and M Farm. They were selling peg dolls, floating candles and homemade stress dough, and they provided free chocolate chip cookies for students. 

“They’re just these little wooden people [peg dolls] and we dye their skin with coffee, tea, and spices,” Lisa Fulkerson said. “We try to have a diversity and keep to the global majority […] we paint their clothing and some of their hats with watercolor. The acorn hats that don’t fit on the dolls we put beeswax in to make a candle that’ll float in water.”

The Fulkersons also had stress dough for sale, which is home-made playdough with lavender oil, purple sweet potato powder and loose-leaf lavender. 

“It can bounce too!” five-year-old Petra Fulkerson said.

Riverbend Blooms also had a booth set up. Students could create their own flower bouquet or purchase the premade ones available. 

“We’re down on the square or around town a lot,” Michelle Wheeler, owner of the farm, said. “In a big blue 1947 Chevy truck.”

Riverbend Blooms is a family owned business and a 27 acre farm located between Smith Grove and Scottsville. They have two Airbnbs on property and open up their flower fields to visitors. 

“We do open up in the fall, and we’ll have ‘you pick’ events, specifically with dahlias,” Wheeler said. 

As well as local vendors, WKU sponsored vendors also hosted booths, including Hilltopper Nutrition and Hilltopper Creamery and Farm Market. 

Hilltopper Creamery and Farm Market had a booth where they were selling an assortment of cheeses and jams. 

“Out at the farm we were milking 50 to 55 Ladies,” Nikki Roof, who is associated with WKU’s Department of Agriculture, said. “Our milk is sold to purity, but one to two times a month students and I will take 1000 to 1500 pounds of milk and we’ll make a variety of cheese.” 

One of the more popular booths was Happy Herd Farm, who were selling wool hats and brought alpacas for students to pet and feed. 

Students could use their meal swipes or dollars to get food at one of the food trucks available. 

Their options included Cassady’s Real Smoke BBQ, A Taste of Europe, The Pie Queen of BG and Rita’s Italian Ice.

News reporter Izzy Lanuza can be reached at [email protected].