Ann Tebbets and Ruth Hawkins have been long-time craft vendors at the Fort Scott Farmers’ Market. These ladies make beautiful bird feeders and wind chimes that are sure to dress up any front porch. Come out and visit with one of our favorite vendors this week!
Mrs. Yoder has been a long-time part of the Fort Scott Farmers’ Market. She is well known for her beautiful hand-made baskets and delicious baked goods. Mrs. Yoder can be found on Saturday mornings in her usual spot in the shade. Come find her this weekend!
A Farmers Market customer gets help from from left: Malachi, Asher, Maria and Judah Whitson.
This is part of a series featuring young entrepreneurs in our community.
To recommend a young entrepreneur, send contact information to [email protected]
The Whitson brothers, sons of Maria and Clayton Whitson, are entrepreneurs. The family lives on a farm in rural Garland.
Malachi, age 10, Asher, age 7 and Judah, age 5, all create items to sell, but each has a different product.
The boys, along with their parents, had a booth at the Fort Scott Farmers Market on June 3.
“The boys had… sold at my parents festival (Shead Family Festival, an annual event) the year before but they really enjoyed the opportunity to sell with other kids and actually learn a little more about how businesses work,” said Maria.
The Whitsons launched a family business called The Journey Home which is an umbrella for their whole family’s creations, including their three young sons, according to their mother, Maria. They have two younger daughters.
Book publishing, art, jewelry, cast iron accessories, homeschooling, foraging, homesteading, disaster prep, herbal remedies, are some of the interests of the family business.
Malachi and Asher went to the Acton Children’s Business Fair in April 2022 and developed a business plan and selected a name for their respective businesses.
Malachi Whitson sells his jewelry at the June 3 Fort Scott Farmers Market with his other brothers.
Malachi, owner of Made by Malachi, creates jewelry.
“I can sell personalized bacelets, keychains, but mostly make earrings,” he said. “I like creating. I think up ideas then try them out. If they don’t work out, it’s fine, I can use my mistakes to create something else. ”
Business has been good, he said. He has been selling his jewelry at markets, fairs, festivals and at Root Coffee Shop in Pittsburg.
“I started selling three years ago at the Shead Farm Festival, and now sell at different events, he said. ” Larry and Vickie Shead, who open their farm annually in May to visitors, are the brothers’ grandparents.
Asher Whitson shows his framed art for sale at the Fort Scott Farmers Market on June 3.
Asher is an artist.
“I started my business when I was five,” he said. “I get ideas on Facebook, and use an Apple Pencil I Pad (to create on).”
“Mom asked me if I wanted to do a business and I just started drawing,” Asher said.
He also has sold his artwork at the Shead Farm Festival, the Acton Business Fair, Fort Scott Farmers Market and Root Coffee Shop.
He likes what he’s doing.
“It’s easy and fun to draw and I get money,” he said.
Judah Whitson gets help with selling his mini-donut product at the Farmers Market from his mother, Maria Whitson.
Judah received a mini-donut maker for Christmas.
His first selling of his product was at his grandparents Shead Farm Festival last month
At the June 3, 2023 Fort Scott Farmers Market, he was manning his family’s booth at the cash register, with help, and was all smiles.
Judah Whitson mans the cash register at his family’s booth at the Fort Scott Farmers Market.
Second Children’s Business Workshop Coming In September
The boys attended the children’s business workshop in April 2022.
Dacia Clark, with the Small Business Development Center, taught the children about developing a business plan, and other marketing basics, Rachel Carpenter with the Healthy Bourbon County Action Team said. The SBDC is housed in the HBCAT office at 104 N. National Avenue.
“Acton Children’s Business Fair provided the curriculum, and HBCAT helped coordinate the efforts,” Carpenter said.
Acton Children’s Business Fair is a culmination of ideas and hard work from great young minds. Kids develop a brand, create a product or service, build a marketing strategy, and then open for customers at a one-day marketplace, according to its Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/childrensbusinessfairfortscottks?mibextid=LQQJ4d
The kids will have 3-4 meetings discussing the above ideas, culminating in a business fair. In 2022, the group of children totaled 13, and the hope is that will grown for the fall 2023 workshop, according to the Facebook page.
Cathy Ramirez has been hand crafting her knitted treasures nearly her entire life! She offers delicious baked goods and you can see her in action as she knits in all her spare time. Cathy has been part of the Fort Scott Farmers’ Market for many years and is always happy to share a smile!
Benjamin E. Cole, Undersheriff
Office of the BOURBON COUNTY SHERIFF
293 East 20th Street
Fort Scott, Kansas 66701
[620] 223-1440 (office) or [620] 223-0055 (fax)
Press Release
June 15, 2023
On Monday June 12th, 2023, the Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office along with other local law enforcement agencies assisted the Kansas Department of Agriculture in the seizing of approximately 200
dogs.
The Division of Animal Health have been at the D and M Kennel, a business located in the Uniontown Kansas area several times following up on violations that were committed from previous
inspections.
According to officials, the violations occur under the Kansas Pet Animal Act and the owner had failed to meet recommended standards from the violations that were observed during these inspections.
The state is looking at revoking the licenses through administrative action and could possibly take several weeks.
The sheriff’s office is talking with the Bourbon County Attorney’s Office on filing Cruelty to Animal charges against the owner.
The outside agencies that assisted in this operation was the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office and the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office animal control units. The cities of Pittsburg, Iola, and Fort Scott
animal control officers assisted. Representatives from the Kansas State Veterinary school/clinic also assisted in the operation.
The animal rescue units that were involved in taking the dogs were, The Humane Society of Greater Kansas City, National Mill Dog Rescue (Peyton, Co.); Caring Paws (Newton, Kansas); Perry Paws
(Ottawa, Kansas) and Golden Belts (Great Ben, Kansas).
Care to Share Cancer Support Group/The Sharing Bucket needs YOUR support!
We are having our 2nd Annual
FortFest on September 29th and 30th, 2023.
Friday night there will be a Street Dance featuring two local bands outside at Sharky’s, 16 North National, 7pm to 11pm.
Saturday in Riverfront Park, 400 North National, noon-10pm, we will offer a full day of fun:
o Blues bands from Kansas City, Springfield, Fayetteville, and beyond
o Local Fort Scott/Bourbon County Musicians
o Kids’ Fall Festival (12-6)
o Art In The Park and LOTS of Craft Vendors
o Kornhole Tournament
o Food Trucks & BBQ Contest, Beer Tent
Like the first FortFest, attendance will be free, so we are reaching out to our Care to Share community for sponsors. The bands are costly, and they are worth it, so we are offering sponsor levels of $ 100.00, $250.00, $400.00, $500.00 to help offset expenses. Of course, any amount is greatly appreciated. See next page for official details. The event is Rain of Shine thanks to the City and Memorial Hall.
If you want to be the exclusive sponsor of one of our bands, we can tailor a custom donation plan—tell us what you are thinking and I bet we can make it happen!
We will make posters and flyers and announcements indicating sponsors and you will be mentioned several times throughout our event. And, we will be glad to hang a banner if you have one.
Care To Share Cancer Support Group began in 2007.
Our mission statement is:
Caring and Sharing with our local cancer fighters and their families.
Last year we cared and shared financially 1274 times, totaling $97,137.89.55 ALL within Bourbon, Crawford, and Linn County!
If you Care to Share through FortFest23 with a donation to help make it happen, it would be greatly appreciated. We feel so blessed and grateful for our caring and sharing community.
Please mail your tax-deductible check to:
Care To Share Cancer Support Group, Inc., P.O. Box 133,
Emma Stone Is the owner of Cutecrochtecritters and one of our new vendors this year! She hand crochets all her cute and cuddly stuffies and toys and has made several special order commission pieces for very satisfied customers. Emma is booked for the next year at local craft fairs as well as having a full time spot at the Fort Scott Farmers’ Market. Find her here on FB as well as Instagram and TickTock. Don’t forget to visit her online store on Etsy. This girl has it going on!
This is part of a series on young entrepreneurs in this community.
To nominate a young entrepreneur, send contact information to [email protected]
Chloe Couchman sells homemade potholders and cookies at her booth at the June 3 Fort Scott Farmers Market.
Chloe Couchman, 9, from Bronson, started her business after her grandma, Diana Cooper, visited her some months back, she said.
“She gave me a pot holder kit and taught me how to do it,” Chloe said.
Since then Chloe has been selling her product by word of mouth.
“She has been at Bronson Ruritan,” said her mother Melanie Couchman. “She and her brother goes with her dad (Tony Couchman) and I to the Ruritan Club. She passed out some free ones and let them know she was selling them.”
“She also let her Grandpa Couchman and her bus driver know,” Melanie said.
Chloe said she likes the creative side of “making her own patterns” of potholders.
In addition, her business booth contains chocolate no-bake cookies to sell, made by Chloe.
“They are my favorite kind,” she said.
Chloe said she had a good day at the Fort Scott Farmers Market on June 3, selling 10 potholders and 11 bags of cookies. Her Mom is pondering a booth herself to sell her baked goods that she creates, and if that happens, Chloe will be selling more of her creations there as well.
It is $5 to set up a booth at Fort Scott Farmers Market, which meets every Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon and Tuesday from 4-6 p.m. at Skutbitz Plaza, in front of the Fort Scott National Historic Site.
The Regular Council Meeting on June 13, 2023 at Uniontown City Hall, was called to order at 7:00PM by Mayor Jurgensen. Council members present were Danea Esslinger and Josh Hartman. Also in attendance for all or part of the meeting were Mary Pemberton, Sherri Hartman, Jody Hoener (HBCAT), and City Clerk Sally Johnson.
SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS/PROJECTS
Community Conversation regarding placemaking project – While waiting to see if a quorum would be met, Jody Hoener, Healthy Bourbon County Action Team, informed those present of the findings of the community perception survey that was conducted in February. Also discussed were possible ways to get community engagement in the planning and implementation of the placemaking project to add a pickleball court to park facilities. An information booth will be manned at the Independence Day Bash to facilitate community engagement. No governing body action was required for this conversation.
No quorum, council meeting will be rescheduled. Meeting ended at 7:45PM.
We’re excited to introduce Alanna Scott and her family! You can find the Scott family on Tuesday afternoons and Saturday mornings. There are lots of little hands to help out, and their baked goods are becoming very popular. Since they sell out almost every time, you’d better come early!
