Becky Taylor/The Tifton Gazette Gavin's Garden, operated by Gavin Carlson, sold flowers at the Student Farmer's Market, which operated in June and July at Eighth Street Middle.

TIFTON —The trial run of the Tift County Schools’ Student Farmer’s Market ended Monday, but it’s been so much of a success that officials hope to have more markets later this year.

“We decided we would try a little farmer’s market,” said Tift agriculture teacher Beth Golden. The farmer’s markets began in June, after school ended for the year and continued into mid-July. The Mondays they were at Eighth Street Middle were a test run, she said. “We are hoping to have a couple of specialty markets during the school year, maybe a fall market, a spring market and a holiday market.” They are looking ahead to next summer as well.

Golden said both students and customers have enjoyed the market.

“We wanted an opportunity for our students to be able to show off some of their products,” Golden said.

And they have quite a variety of products to show off.

Tift County students are talented in many fields. The farmer’s market has featured baked goods, salsa, eggs, plants and flowers, and handcrafted items, including homemade jewelry, bug bombs and even dog toys.

Golden referred to “SAEs,” short for supervised agriculture experience projects: “Projects they have in their ag classes, outside of the ag class, that they do on their own at home.”

These are not just side projects, said Eve Rogers, also an agriculture teacher. Teachers keep records of project details, which could lead to scholarships. Plus, students get to keep earnings from the farmer’s market.

It also helps, said Rogers, “figuring out what they want to do in life.”

That applies to Gavin Carlson, one of the students operating a stand. He said he’s thought about a career involving plants, a flower farm or nursery.

Carlson’s specialties are zinnias, sunflowers, dahlias and spider plants. “I’ve grown cucumbers and squash,” he said. Carlson said he had sold out of squash that day.

Laurel Rogers sold “Laurel’s Berry Bug Off” — a natural bug repellent with ingredients of lavender oil, lemongrass oil, avocado oil, rosemary, and “lots of love” — in addition to boiled peanuts.

Dog biscuits and blueberry pound cake were specialities of Josie Golden, while Tatum McCrary had a variety of handcrafted items.

“Bracelets, beaded bouquets, keychains, necklaces, Bible tassels,” McCrary said filled her table in every color imaginable.

McCrary said she enjoyed “staying busy” with her crafts.

Produce was the focus of Kinsley Tawzer’s stand. Watermelons, bell peppers, jalapenos, onions, potatoes, jars of pickles as well as buckets of “The Mighty Mealer” (slogan: It’ll Meal Anythang!).

Like the Mighty Mealer buckets, Tawzer’s produce was hearty. “A lot of love” was responsible, she said, for its size.

While summer is the time for vacations and sleeping in, Golden said most of the students had been there every Monday.

The customer support has been excellent as well, she said. Eighth Street’s location no doubt helps, being one of the major thoroughfares in Tifton.

“We’ve had good support from the community,” Golden said.