WINFIELD, W.Va. -- Later this summer, Putnam County farmers and gardeners might have a place to sell those extra vegetables and flowers.

The Putnam County Extension Service is in the preliminary stages of starting up a small farmers market for residents interested in selling their produce.

"First, we need to know how many people are willing to take part," said Chuck Talbott, director of the county's West Virginia University Extension Service.

So far, about four local farmers have shown interest, Talbott said.

"We're just really fact finding right now," he said. "I'm kind of sitting around here waiting for the fish to bite."

Talbott would like to see the market open within the first two weeks of June. He hopes to have farmers come out every Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon.

The location for the market is still up in the air, Talbott said. Possible places are the county parks in Eleanor, Hurricane or Teays Valley.

The extension service is still working with county Parks and Recreation to decide on a location, he said.

"If we can get two or three [people] started at one place, it may take hold," he said.

"It's real bare bones," said Jim Caruthers, a Putnam farmer and former county commissioner.

That's what county residents and farmers need to get this started, though, Caruthers said.

"We need to crawl before we walk. Start small and see where it goes," he said. "There has been talk for years about setting one up. There's just a lot of potential."

The closest farmers markets to Putnam County are in Huntington and Charleston.

"You see several people around the county that sell from the back of their pickup truck on the side of the road with a lawn chair and a cooler," Caruthers said.

What is needed is some consistency, a place for farmers to go and where residents know where to find them, he said.

"I really think there is a real potential out there for this," he said. "There are a lot of people like me that raise a big garden and just give it away."

The market is an opportunity for people to find an outlet to sell some of those extra vegetables from the garden, and make a little extra money, he said.

Over the past year, he's noticed small gardens and vegetable patches popping up all over the county.

WINFIELD, W.Va. -- Later this summer, Putnam County farmers and gardeners might have a place to sell those extra vegetables and flowers.

The Putnam County Extension Service is in the preliminary stages of starting up a small farmers market for residents interested in selling their produce.

"First, we need to know how many people are willing to take part," said Chuck Talbott, director of the county's West Virginia University Extension Service.

So far, about four local farmers have shown interest, Talbott said.

"We're just really fact finding right now," he said. "I'm kind of sitting around here waiting for the fish to bite."

Talbott would like to see the market open within the first two weeks of June. He hopes to have farmers come out every Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon.

The location for the market is still up in the air, Talbott said. Possible places are the county parks in Eleanor, Hurricane or Teays Valley.

The extension service is still working with county Parks and Recreation to decide on a location, he said.

"If we can get two or three [people] started at one place, it may take hold," he said.

"It's real bare bones," said Jim Caruthers, a Putnam farmer and former county commissioner.

That's what county residents and farmers need to get this started, though, Caruthers said.

"We need to crawl before we walk. Start small and see where it goes," he said. "There has been talk for years about setting one up. There's just a lot of potential."

The closest farmers markets to Putnam County are in Huntington and Charleston.

"You see several people around the county that sell from the back of their pickup truck on the side of the road with a lawn chair and a cooler," Caruthers said.

What is needed is some consistency, a place for farmers to go and where residents know where to find them, he said.

"I really think there is a real potential out there for this," he said. "There are a lot of people like me that raise a big garden and just give it away."

The market is an opportunity for people to find an outlet to sell some of those extra vegetables from the garden, and make a little extra money, he said.

Over the past year, he's noticed small gardens and vegetable patches popping up all over the county.

"A lot of people that gardened years ago are starting to get back into. It's a victory garden type thing," he said. "With the economy, it's almost practical to do a garden."

Like many local residents who farm or garden, Caruthers doesn't consider himself a farmer.

"I'm more a weekend farmer," he said.

Even for a weekend farmer, he produces enough to give away by the bucket load, but not enough to travel to Huntington or Charleston for the area's farmers market.

"I took them here, there and everywhere and gave them out to co-workers and friends," he said, "but I never had enough of a volume to make that kind of drive."

He predicts there are many county residents in the same boat.

Neither Talbott nor Caruthers expects a large volume of farmers selling their produce this summer because of the short notice.

"The market will support the supply, and I think the supply is out there," Caruthers said, "but I don't know how many [farmers] will want to load it up and come in."

With salmonella scares and other diseases that have been linked to food, people have become more aware of where their food is coming from, he said.

"We need to simplify a little bit, and not get everything out of the box when you walk in the door at Wal-Mart," Caruthers said.

Talbott sees the market expanding to include, canned goods, fresh eggs, cut flowers, homemade jam and jelly, potted plants and handmade crafts.

"There's all these little old ladies and gentlemen that, if they had an outlet, would sell this stuff," Talbott said.

Talbott also is considering a $5-a-week fee for participants of the market.

"That is something the farmers need to collaborate together on, and decide what they want," he said.

"How far this goes, I don't know, but we can start right now," he said. "We've got the picnic areas in the parks, and that would certainly suffice."

For more information about the farmers market or to sign up to take part, contact Chuck Talbott at 304-586-0217 or visit http://putnam.ext.wvu.edu.

Reach Veronica Nett at veroni...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-5113.