This is the story of how our Farm Swaps and Farmer’s Markets came to be. We were a collective group of people who met through various associations, organizations, and mutual friends. Some of us had previously met at other swap meets around the state, poultry shows, and online communities. We originally explored the idea of hosting a more local swap meet. Each of us offered to host the event on our respective properties. That was the inception. We alternated hosting the events among ourselves, taking turns organizing these events for a few years. Following a couple of minor incidents involving a vendor, we became concerned about public safety. We were worried about potential lawsuits since event insurance was unobtainable due to the fact that we were hosting these events on our own properties. We initiated a search for a more suitable location to hold our Swaps. Fortunately, the Dunnellon Tractor Supply Company agreed to let us utilize part of their parking lot, which was situated on the side of the main lot.We promoted our first event well in advance. It turned out to be a great success. The event brought an increase in customers to the store on event days. At first, we held the events once a month. As time passed, we increased the frequency to twice a month. We eventually started a second swap at the Crystal River Rural King. We obtained permission from the mall manager and the Rural King manager. This happened on the alternate Saturdays of the Dunnellon Tractor Supply Company Swap. The Rural King Swap was originally in an area of the Crystal River Mall parking lot. It was across from Rural King and next to OfficeMax. The mall manager eventually decided they wanted to charge us for using their space. Our goal has been to keep the events free for the vendors and we did not want to charge any fees. Rural King then offered to let us use part of their parking lot area. After awhile the store came under new management. The new management decided the parking lot swap area would be for their customers. Thus, the Rural King swap ended. Meanwhile we still had the swap at the Dunnellon Tractor supply Company for a few more years.The Dunnellon Rainbow Square Shopping Center underwent renovations when Publix came in. Although we continued there for awhile, the leasing agent ultimately decided to cancel our events. We were given one last event to inform all vendors that there would be no future gatherings. We later moved to another location for a couple of years, but that venue was also shut down by new ownership. Overall, it was a good experience that fostered many lasting friendships over the years.
We are searching for a venue in Dunnellon, Florida. We are looking for a place for a weekly Farm Swap and Farmer’s Market on Saturdays. We need a location that offers ample space for vendors and customer parking. Being that we held our event at the Dunnellon Tractor Supply Company for several years. Now, we are seeking a similar venue. We can be contacted through our Contact page.