The Keystone Farmers Market is most loved for two things: the boiled peanuts and the cows.

If you’ve been here, you know. For years, feeding the cows has been the highlight of the visit. You can walk right up, hold out some produce, and feel that big, gentle nose nuzzle your hand.

Kids light up. Parents snap photos. Friends laugh. It’s more than an attraction - it’s a tradition.

And we’ll admit it, our cows are spoiled. We treat them to what we like to call “gourmet bovine charcuterie buckets” - fresh fruits and veggies lovingly offered by our visitors.

“What happened to the cows?”

Every single day, multiple times a day, without fail, we get asked when they’ll be back.

Last year’s hurricanes brought flooding that swept through the property. Then a tornado and a lightning strike caused even more destruction, taking out our greenhouses and the fencing that safely housed our cows.

Since then, they’ve been staying at a friend’s farm while we’ve fought a long, frustrating battle with our insurance company. Many months later, they’re trying to close the claim without paying the full amount owed.

We’ve poured our hearts and every resource we could muster into restoring the market so we could reopen. But one beloved part is still missing: the cows.

Why $16,000?

Bringing them home is not as simple as throwing up a fence. We need a strong, safe enclosure that meets agricultural safety standards. Barbed wire isn’t an option - too dangerous when children reach toward the animals. The land they’re on is partly swampy, so building requires special posts and reinforcements. We also need a covered shelter where the cows can escape the sun and storms. And of course, there’s the cost of transporting them back.

Right now is the slowest time of year for small farms and markets. Every dollar we earn is going toward keeping the lights on. Please know we aren’t sitting on a pile of cash; we’re asking for help to get through a critical stage.

Many customers grew up visiting the market and now bring their children to share the experience. Others come weekly or monthly to feed the cows. It’s a tradition that makes this market more than just a place to shop.

We also know we’re not the only ones recovering from these storms. Many of you have faced similar damage and the same uphill fight with insurance. If you’re not in a position to contribute financially, we completely understand - simply sharing this fundraiser with friends, family, or on social media would mean the world to us.

After many folks suggested we start a GoFundMe, we gave it a lot of thought and decided to move forward. We believe that once people understand why the cows aren’t back yet, and exactly what it will take to bring them home, they’ll want to be part of making it happen.

That’s why we’re launching this fundraiser: to bring the cows back safely, and to bring back a little piece of what makes this market so special.

In the meantime, we’re continuing to push for what we’re owed through insurance. But we’re not going to let that stall out the good things that are ahead.

If you’d like to help bring the cows home, we’d be so grateful for your support. You can donate or share the fundraiser link. Every little bit helps.

Thank you for your support!

Sincerely,

Jeffrey Bakshis

Owner, Keystone Farmers Market