By Jim Newell
Managing Editor
OXFORD TWP. – Oxford Township resident Melisa Counelis has been named the new manager of the Davis Family Farmers Market and she’s already planning on bringing in more vendors and increasing activities for guests.

And for someone who loves food, agriculture and people the new role is a perfect fit.

“Farmers markets are near and dear to me,” says Counelis. “And it coincides in ways with my connections in the community because I have my other business.”

Counelis is already highly-involved and known by many in the community: besides owning a successful Farm Bureau Insurance business in Oxford, she helps with the DDA’s summer market in Washington Square, assisting with promotions, reaching out to vendors and increasing vendor engagement. She also volunteers with the Oxford DDA’s Promotions Committee and serves as an ambassador for the Oxford and Orion chambers of commerce. For her continued support of the community and mentoring women in business, Counelis earned the Orion chamber’s 2023 Business Person of the Year award.

This summer will be the second year of the Davis Family Farmers Market at Seymour Lake Township Park. The market is in a 4,000-square-foot pavilion at the park with space for 20 vendors and is open on Saturdays from May through October.

Phil Castonia, director of Oxford Twp. Parks and Recreation, expects Counelis to bring “a lot of passion and energy” to her new position.

“I know we struggled in both getting vendors to commit each week, and then in turn having a half-empty market you struggle to get foot traffic,” Castonia said. “We needed somebody who could dedicate the time and be in the community, helping.”

After interviewing five candidates, Castonia said Counelis was the team’s first choice.

“We’ve worked with her on many programs throughout the year,” Castonia said. “She is so well tied into the community. She had the passion to want to make the market what it could be. That was clear in the interview with all the ideas she had.”

Counelis plans to increase vendor participation while adding family-friendly activities to complement the market each week.

“I’m looking through last year’s vendors, I’m seeing how many people were there for how many events, how many days. And my goal is to reach out to them to see how many want to lock into a year spot, get those spots locked in,” Counelis said.

The first goal is to fill the market with vendors “so that there is a reason to go and then beyond that to create different events on a week-to-week basis to market it and have it better attended,” Counelis said. “Growth in every aspect is my goal.”

Some of those special events could include a petting zoo each week, different types of food trucks, possibly having a Tai chi day, bringing out fire trucks and other vehicles for kids to explore, and promotions for Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.

‘We’ve got some fun stuff happening to get people excited and bring people out,” Counelis said.
Counelis is also going to offer a sponsorship so that an area businesses or organizations can be sponsor of the week “to bring more money into the bottom line as well.”

Getting the word out to the public is key for Counelis, who wants to make sure Oxford residents know what it happening each week and which vendors to expect.

“A lot of people may not realize that the produce and other things might be seasonal, so I would like them to watch the Facebook page,” Counelis said.

Farmers Market updates will be posted on the Davis Family Farmers Market, Oxford Parks and Recreation and Oxford Township Facebook pages. Counelis invites existing and potential vendors to call her at 248-342-3514.