By MICHELE F. MIHALJEVICH
Indiana Correspondent

ELKHART, Ind. — Officials with Amish country’s newest tourist attraction aren’t worried that the high price of gas will keep visitors away.

American Countryside Farmers Market opens May 24. The three-story, 51,452-square-foot building will house 100 vendors, with space outside for 300 additional vendors.

“This is a tremendous opportunity for a day trip,” said Dan Wyant, a member of the market’s executive team and former director of the Michigan Department of Agriculture. “There’s a greater opportunity for people in Chicago to come, not less.”

LeRoy Troyer, the project’s architect, agreed. “This adds to the Amish tourism already in the area,” he said. “This is not viewed as a stand-alone destination. We’ve been cooperating with the other tourist attractions already in the area.”

About 22 million people live within a three hour drive of the market site, according to market officials.

The market will feature locally grown fruits, vegetables and meat. Crafts and furniture will also be sold.

“We’re about locally grown, locally made and locally produced,” Troyer said. He is founder and president of The Troyer Group, of Mishawaka, Ind.

“This is a unique opportunity for us to connect with our rural heritage,” Wyant said. “We can connect consumers with locally grown fresh wholesome food. We know there is a demand for it.”

The building is believed to be the largest peg-beamed wooden barn in the world, Troyer said.

“We want to celebrate the heritage of our ancestors,” he said. “I trust it will be a fun down-home place. We expect people to hear about us through word of mouth. This is the first of several family attractions planned here.”

The market, at Indiana 19 and Elkhart County Road 26, is just south of the U.S. 20 bypass. The market complex, including space for outdoor vendors and parking, is 15 acres.

Development of the rest of the 400 acre site will be phased in over several years, said Norman Bridges, CEO and chairman of American Countryside.

“This will be aimed at families. It’s for grandparents and children, for young families,” he said.

“The entertainment will be low level, such as a petting zoo, pony rides and festival style entertainment. We won’t be putting up big rides or amusement park rides.

“We expect we’ll start off with a bang,” he said. “We think we’ll have a very good start.”

The market is expected to employ about 200 in the vendor areas, Bridges said.

American Countryside Farmers Market will be open 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday yearround. Outdoor vendors will be open April through October.

This farm news was published in the May 16, 2007 issue of Farm World, serving Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan and Tennessee.