Gearing up to host its biggest event of the year, Chesterhill Produce Auction, 8380 Wagoner Road, is having its Spring Consignment Auction on Sat., April 10, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
The auction will be full of different types of handcrafted wood furniture, antiques, farm machinery, vegetable starter plants and more. There will also be a small animal livestock auction.
The event will be hosted outdoors, but COVID-19 guidelines are still to be followed. There will also be a country cooking cart where food will be served, so people will be able to buy breakfast and lunch.
“It is outside, so people can practice social distancing – masks are still required,” Jessica Dotson, manager of Chesterhill Produce Auction, said. “We try to do our best through safety precautions. There are hand sanitizers and handwashing stations throughout the property for people to be able to use. It's just a good time – the weather is supposed to be nice – be a good chance for people to get outdoors and go to something and not feel too crowded or unsafe.”
A walk-through of everything being auctioned off will start at 8:00 a.m. The auction will begin at 10:00 a.m., and the second auctioneer will begin around 11:00 a.m. outside. The livestock auction will start around 1:30 p.m.
“In April and November, we do what we call the ‘Consignment Auction,’ which basically means that community members can bring valuable things that they have to auction off,” Tom Redfern, director of Sustainable Agriculture and Forestry at Rural Action, said. “It serves as an opportunity for the community to make some money and for us to offer a bigger option that features a variety of household goods, tools and farming equipment. So it's a big event that we do.”
An array of customers and businesses come to these auctions including, but not limited to, Ohio University, Ohio State University, various restaurants and some other schools.
Farmers local to Chesterhill participate in the auctions, and even people from around the Ohio River will join to include their goods in the auction.
Chesterhill will also be hosting additional produce auctions. Auctions will start April 26, and they will run Mondays and Thursdays at 4:00 p.m throughout the year until October.
Throughout those months, the second Saturday of every month will be called “Saturday at the CPA.” On those Saturdays, Chesterhill will auction off wood furniture and livestock. Those Saturdays go from March through December.
“There's no pressure to buy anything the first time if you're not sure what's being bid on right now or ‘How much did I just pay for that thing?’” Molly Sowash, Sustainable Agriculture AmeriCorps member in Rural Action, said. “But if you get the swing of things, you can get a number and start bidding if you're feeling courageous, and if not you can just come and hang out.”
Sowash added that there is a country store full of goods with a set price, including local syrup, noodles, cookies, t-shirts, candy and more.
The auction is an opportunity to safely enjoy the presence of others while enjoying different types of food and more. Attendees are welcome to bring chairs and enjoy the weather.
“This year, we are partnering with Triple Nickel Diner, which is a local farm to fork restaurant in Chesterhill, featuring local food,” Redfern said. “And when you come to the produce auction and purchase something, you can take your receipt to the diner, and they will honor that for 10% off your meal.”
Dotson, Redfern and Sowash are looking forward to a successful auction and encourage people to experience the event firsthand.
“We're excited to have it this year because we weren't able to have it last year, and our customers really look forward to it,” Dotson said.
