By FRED KRONER
fred@mahometnews.com
When the Mahomet Farmer’s Market opens next week (Friday, June 7), the time and location won’t be all that’s new.
Among the dozen or so vendors expected to set up on the west side of Sangamon on Main (the former elementary school building) is Champaign-based Phoenix Botanical.
The business, which includes the dispensing of medical marijuana, has been in operation for three years.
According to patient coordinator Bailey Knapp, what will be available in Mahomet is “an education booth.”
No product will be for sale on the premises.
“We will go over general knowledge about the program,” Knapp said. “We’re offering education on medical cannabis and opioid pilot programs as well as products available at the dispensary (1704 S. Neil, Champaign).”
It’s important Knapp added, to “go out in the community and educate and try to break the stigma on medical cannabis.
“Some people get (medical cannabis) cards and have never consumed cannabis or experienced it,” she continued, “but it was recommended for pain because opioids were not working.”
The marijuana is available at the shop in different forms.
“You don’t have to smoke it,” Knapp said. “There are tablets. It can be topical.
“We go over what would help them best and we make adjustments, if we need to.”
Knapp is looking forward to bringing the message to Mahomet.
“We’re excited to be out there,” she said.
Knapp acknowledged that in some communities “it’s a mixed reaction,” though she added, “most are happy to see it because they have seen benefits from family members.”
The Mahomet Chamber of Commerce has tweaked the hours of the weekly Farmer’s Market. It will both open and close an hour earlier this year, but will remain as a three-hour bloc.
This year’s hours of operation are scheduled from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
The final Farmer’s Market of the season will be on Friday, Sept. 6.
The setup location, on the west side of Sangamon on Main, is about a block east of last year’s venue, which was closer to the Village Administrative Offices.
