Helping others has always been a passion for Donica Krebs.
The attitude just comes natural. So when the opportunity to spearhead the upcoming Downtown Elizabethton Farmer’s Market (DEFM) as the manager presented itself, it was an obvious no-brainer.
“My passions are to educate and empower people to be more self-sufficient, to shop locally, to make healthier choices for themselves and for Planet Earth, and to connect people,” Krebs told the Elizabethton Star Tuesday evening.
The newest manager of the DEFM came to the area initially as a volunteer at Doe River Gorge Ministries in Hampton. To coincide with her time with the ministry,  Krebs added that working at the Coffee Company, located in Historic Downtown Elizabethton, has allowed her to make friends with some of the busiest people in the area.
“Throughout my employment at the Coffee Company, I have had the opportunity to brush elbows with some of the most selfless and hardworking people in the Elizabethton and Carter County area,” she said. “It has been so inspiring to see how many people care for their community and do as much as they can to pour their resources and time into the better of Carter County and its inhabitants. It just made sense to me that I take this opportunity to join hands with the network of people who are already serving our community and serve alongside them in the role of market manager. I hope the Downtown Elizabethton Farmer’s Market will be beneficial to everyone in the community and have a long lasting, positive impact on the health of the citizens and the local economy.”
It’s all come full-circle for Krebs, who added she made Elizabethton her permanent home. Along with wanting to help others, the manager and her husband Caleb, a United States Marine who she met through Doe River Gorge, also enjoys what Carter County has to offer.
“We love the outdoors,” she said. “We married in 2015 and recently bought a home in the county. It is a blessing to live so close to Watauga Lake and the Appalachian Trail.”
The love of the area is what Krebs will inject into the market, Cheri Tinney said during last week’s Downtown Business Association meeting. Tinney serves as the chairperson of the Downtown Elizabethton Farmers Market Association and thanked Krebs for efforts serving as the manager.
The farmer’s market gets underway Tuesday, May 2, from 5 to 8 p.m. in the parking lot of East F Street beside First Christian Church and the Elizabethton City Police Department. The market will occur every Tuesday of each month until October 31.
“The DEFM will ultimately give the public an opportunity to have access to the freshest produce possible,” Krebs said. “One hundred percent of the produce offered will be grown and sourced from within one hundred miles of Elizabethton. In addition to produce, we encourage vendors to supplement their booths with hand-crafted items such as baked goods, honey, canned jams, soaps and the like. Our vision is to help educate the community about the benefits of supporting local business, and to encourage the public to shop locally every day of the week, not just at the market on Tuesdays.”
Krebs added that market has drawn a lot of excitement from the public due the ability of offering EBT/SNAP benefits.
“This is a wonderful resource for many people to shop local and fresh,” she said. “We also look forward to including local musicians, storytellers, craftsmen and artists in the market events.”
Applications are now live to be a vendor at the DEFM. Visit www.uwayecc.org/defm to fill out an application to be included during the market’s inaugural year.
Krebs added that anybody with questions can contact her via email at defarmersmarket@gmail.com. The market will also have a Facebook online, expected to be live by Thursday. The public can view the page by searching “Downtown Elizabethton Farmer’s Market”.