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Collection Date Set For Hazardous Waste

The Johnson County Commission has set the annual household hazardous waste collection for Saturday, September 30 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Johnson County Fairgrounds. Begin now to set aside old paint, pesticides and cleaning products so everyone will be ready to take advantage of this once-a-year opportunity to safely dispose of household hazardous waste. The collection day is a joint effort of the Johnson County Commission and University of Missouri Extension. There will be NO CHARGE for households dropping off hazardous waste products.

Materials which will be accepted include: pest control products - pesticides, fungicides, herbicides, insecticides, roach and ant killers, rat and mice killers, arsenicals, botanicals, chlorinated hydrocarbons, carbonates, organic phosphates; household cleaning products - oven cleaners, toilet cleaners, drain cleaners, disinfectants, photographic chemicals, rug cleaners, floor cleaners, abrasive cleaners, ammonia-based cleaners, furniture polish, bleach cleaners, mothballs, pool cleaners; paints and hobby supplies - enamel or oil-based paints, rust-inhibiting paints, furniture strippers, wood preservatives, stains and finishes, thinners and turpentine; miscellaneous - fluorescent light tubes, tires.

Materials not accepted at the collection event include: unknown materials (no labels), infectious wastes (medical), radioactive wastes, explosives, ammunition, smoke alarms, asbestos, appliances, and compressed gas cylinders.

Only small quantities of items associated with residential homes will be accepted. No bulk or commercial waste will be accepted.

The household hazardous waste collection is made possible through funding provided by a grant from Region F Solid Waste District and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. For more information, contact Eastern Commissioner Scott Sader at (660) 747-2112 or Georgia Stuart-Simmons, Extension Community Development Specialist at (660) 747-3193. University of Missouri Extension programs are open to all.

Not only did the number of vendors taking part in this year’s Farmers Market nearly double from last year, the number of customers making weekly purchases did so as well.

Jo Ann Nolan, coordinator for the chamber of commerce who sponsors the weekly market, says she was very pleased with the increasing numbers and the response from the community.

“”There were very few Saturdays that we stayed open until noon since most of the farmers were sold out by 10:30 or 11 a.m. We saw many new faces this year and I’ve received calls and e-mails all summer wanting information about the market because they saw the ad in the PennySaver or read the column in the newspaper.”

And with the increased numbers came an increase in variety.

“The first year if we had five or six vendors, it was a great day. Last year, if we had seven or eight vendors, it was a great day but this year we averaged 10 or more vendors every weekend and we had a little bit of everything,” says Nolan.

Nolan says visitors were greeted this year by chickens, roosters, rabbits, baby pigs, vendors selling Avon, jewelry, handmade furniture, homemade soap, flowers, herbs, peaches, pears, berries, melons, baked goods, eggs and just about every vegetable known to man including swiss chard and eggplant.

“At the peak of the growing season, we had trucks lined up all along the front of the city park from the FFA shelter all the way to the gate of the park. We actually had some traffic jams and people hunting parking spaces.”

When asked about this year’s top selling items, Nolan was quick to say the group has learned there is no way to predict what will sell best.

“The most popular items change every week. One weekend everyone will want cantaloupe and the next weekend everybody wants tomatoes. The farmers have learned they need to have a variety of vegetables in order to be successful and they have adapted very well to that demand,” she added.

One thing, however, that has remained consistent is the camaraderie that has developed between the vendors and the group that gathers every Saturday at the market.

“It isn’t a competitive atmosphere at all. The farmers usually talk to find out how items are priced so they are not underselling anyone. If someone is looking for a particular item, they will point them to another farmer that may have what they are wanting. Each vendor will give another vendor a discount on any item they purchase or sometimes they trade. It is just a real friendly group of people,” says Nolan.

Nolan says through the experience, she has made many new friends.

“I have met some of the kindest people you would ever want to know. I truly believe they would give me anything they had brought to sell. Since I declared myself as the ‘official taste tester’ I wanted to try everything they had to sell. Sometimes I would have to make them take the money from me, they just wanted to give me everything. I always came home with a lot more than what I purchased.”

Even though there is no obligation for a vendor to come every week, Nolan says if one of the regulars doesn’t come or is running late, everyone is asking about them.

“They always made an effort to make a new vendor feel welcome - that is just the kind of people they are.”

Although Nolan was not required to be there every weekend, she always went, she says, because she had fun there.

“I truly enjoyed visiting with everyone and meeting the people. The great food was just an added benefit. I also admire them for their talents and the hard work that they do,” she added.

And speaking of food, Nolan says there was a wide variety this year due in part to a rule being lifted that required all baked goods to be prepared in an “approved” kitchen.

“Every Saturday morning, we all had fresh cinnamon rolls and coffee. There was also plenty of cookies, brownies, pies, cakes, pastries and fresh baked bread. The ladies who brought baked goods to the market did an outstanding job this year and it was surprising how popular these items were.”

Something new at the market this year was the “bounty basket”.

“Since the vendors aren’t asked to pay anything to participate, I asked all of them to contribute to the basket. The response was amazing. Every week, the basket was overflowing all over the table that I had set up for the drawing. At 11 a.m., we would draw a winner’s name and call to let them know they had won. We saw some really excited people since the basket would usually contain items that had sold out earlier in the day. It was a way for the vendors to show their appreciation to the customers and it also made the winners return every weekend. The first winner we had was there on his first visit to the market. After he won, he was one of the first customers there every weekend.”

Although the growing season has, for the most part, ended, Nolan says there are mixed emotions when they decide t close each year.

“We all know that the produce is what really drives the market and when that is gone, it is time to close. There were hugs and handshakes as everyone said their goodbyes. Because of that, I do believe that it is a gathering of friends. I consider all of them my friends and I hope they feel the same way.”

By Rusty Hartwell
Publisher