By David Lazenby

davidl@cullmantimes.com



It’s last call for the Festhalle.

The first season of the Festhalle Market Platz comes to an end Saturday.

Manager Jimmy Simms said the new farmer’s market will go out on a high note with an event called Farm City Day.

Simms said the market is partnering with the Farm City Committee to put on the event.

“They (FCC) along with the Farmer’s Federation will have booths and displays related to Cullman County Agriculture,” Simms said.

This weekend’s grande finale will top off what Simms said has been an extremely successful rookie year.

“I don’t know how I could be more pleased about how the first year has gone,” Simms said about Festhalle’s growing season.

The seed for the Festhalle was planted in January with a community meeting on the matter and the formation of a market steering committee. It was cultivated during the construction of the largest timber-framed structure in the state that serves as the facility of the Festhalle that opened to the public on June 30.

“There has been so many compliments and comments about how good the market has been,” he said.

Nonetheless, Festhalle organizers are already planning ways to improve the Festhalle for next year.

For the past few weeks, Simms has conducted a survey of market customers to find out what they think about the market, its management, the produce, the events, and what they would like to see in the Festhalle’s future.

“You’d be amazed at how many comments we get from folks that say ‘Jim, I don’t know of anything you can do better — just more of it.’”

Also, Simms said, “The steering committee will meet next month to evaluate the kind of year we had.”

“People really like our concept of what we’ve done to make this more than just a farmers market but make it actually a community pavilion,” Simms said, adding that organizers will next year try to make the Festhalle more of a “destination place.”

“That’s what we want it to be,” Simms said. “We want it to be not just a place to come buy your farm-fresh produce — which it is — but also a place to meet friends and gather with folks and enjoy the company and atmosphere.”

Simms said another goal is to spread the word about the market’s hours of operation. He said, “I’m going to try to do my best in the off-season to advertise that in the communities.”

Simms said the market has been especially remarkable considering the natural woes plaguing produce growers this year.

“From the freeze in April to the drought we’ve been in, what a terrible year to begin a farmers market,” Simms mused.

Simms said he credits city officials, farmers, market supporters and community volunteers for making the market a success.

“Cullman is just a great community. They deserve a place like this,” he said.