Real Local Food 

Open every Saturday on the Cassville city square from 8 a.m. to noon.

The Cassville Garden Sass Farmer's Market located on the Cassville square every Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon. While there is always seasonal produce available people can also buy fresh baked goods. 

As a rural and farming community, a clear staple of tradition and familiarity is attending the farmer's market in your town. Rows of colorful vegetables and plants, the smell of baked goods and other homemade delights, the sound of recipes being shared and the taste of those home-grown goodies bringing a burst of flavor to every dish. 

The Cassville Garden Sass Farmer's Market has baked goods, vegetables, fruits and fresh honey, but seasonal plants are also offered to brighten up any home.

In Barry County, the longest-running farmer’s market can now be found on the Cassville city square. The Cassville Garden Sass Farmer’s Market is one of the oldest in Barry County, starting around 1978.

Bonita Smith, Cassville Garden Sass Farmer’s Market manager, said membership varies from year to year, but with COVID-19 things were even slower than usual.

A few years ago the group moved to its current location on the Cassville square.

“We used to be by the park, in a pavilion,” Smith said. “But, it kept flooding and we were dealing with quite a bit of vandalism.

“The managers at the time reached out to the City of Cassville who let us move to the square.”

The new location offered a better opportunity to be seen and visited by the foot traffic in town.

For nearly 50 years, the members and vendors of the farmer's market have seen many regulars each week, but with Roaring River State Park so close, many new faces come through the farmer's market as well.

“We see quite a few campers on their weekend stay at Roaring River,” she said. “In the summertime, we have more vendors too. It's nice to see it come to life for a while.”

The Cassville Garden Sass Farmer's Market is open from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. every Saturday.

Bonita says the farmer's market usually runs year-round, however attendance does tend to drop down in the winter months.

“The Cassville FFA brings their produce in also,” she said. “It is really great to see the younger generation get involved in the farmer's market.

“In order to keep it going we need both new vendors coming in, and people coming to purchase the product.”

Bonita has been a member of the Cassville Garden Sass Farmer's Market for many years and would love to see the decline in members reverse.

“I have already been talking to new people for this year,” she said. “One guy has been talking about his hydroponic garden, which will be an interesting addition to our vendors.”

The produce and vendors change each season as new items come in and others phase-out.

In the spring, people can expect to see fresh eggs, homemade baked goods including bread, and springtime plants.

After that, in-season vegetables get added into the mix.

“In the fall we see more of those late summer fruits and vegetables as well as the fall plants,” Bonita said. “We also have honey year-round, and eggs until the temperatures get to freezing.”

As long as there are vendors, almost all the items sell out.

“Having homegrown vegetables and other produce from right in our backyards is so amazing,” she said. “Our vendors are nice, and it is just a wonderful experience to come to the farmer's market.”

There are certain rules and regulations that the Cassville Garden Sass Farmer's Market has to follow from the Barry County Health Department.

“People interested in joining should just get ahold of me, and we can go over what they have to offer and what that means,” Bonita said. “We can accept almost everything and people love a variety.”

“We want to offer everything that is in season,” Bonita said.

For those interested in joining and becoming a vendor people may contact Bonita Smith at 417-847-5464.

For more information about upcoming farmers markets, produce to expect and other information, people may follow the Facebook page: Facebook.com/GardenSassFarmers

The Cassville Garden Sass Farmers Market is open every Saturday on the Cassville city square from 8 a.m. to noon.