Behind the scenes: Making Market Happen

Who? What? Where? Why?

In a recent Instagram post, I talked a bit about the importance of knowing your “why.” Our vendors’ “why” varies person to person, but at the end of the day there are a few things that are pretty consistent across the board. Having a good quality of life for themselves and their families. Creating community. Being their own boss. Having creative freedom. Bringing a product made with care, pride, and vigor to a broader community. As market managers, our “why” is because we love it, and we love our community of like-minded folks who agree about the what we think are the important things in life. Our “why” is setting the stage where vendors’ “whys” can turn into questions of “who,” and “how,” and “what.” This week, we’re tackling all of these questions; more specifically, who is behind the scenes of the Nolensville farmers market, how do they contribute to making all the magic happen, and what else do they get up to when they’re not filming STELLAR social media content and ushering vendors into the right spaces?

It’s us! Market managers Kaylee, Daniel, Kasi, and Juno (left to right)

Meet the Haire’s!

First, let’s meet the family that started it all. The Haire’s are a powerhouse family of six. Husband and wife pair Kasi and Daniel are doing a wonderful job raising four kids who are independent and self-motivated, and at the same time, collaborative and immersed in community. Their four kids, Kaylee, Kopelyn, Keegan, and Fin, enjoy exercising, crafting, and cooking meals together. All four youngsters have grown up at the market, and being surrounded by the entrepreneurial spirit has definitely left its mark. 

The Haire fam!

In addition to being a badass mom and market manager, Kasi started a new job at the end of last year at Torrid, a size-inclusive women’s retail store. She quickly moved up the ranks, landing at her current position as an assistant manager! Even though she misses being at the market every weekend (don’t worry, we’ll never keep her away entirely!), she feels that she’s found a space where she can feel rejuvenated in her purpose, connecting people to what they need to move through life with confidence. She’s been diligently training Juno and Kaylee to take over aspects of the inner-workings of the market, but for now she still handles big-picture items like tracking sales trends, approving applications for each market season, scouting for new vendors, and scheduling weekly sponsors and nonprofits to attend the market. She and her husband Daniel are mega foodies, and their favorite way to spend date night is at their ever-growing list of favorite spots in and around Nashville. Daniel spends his days as an engineer at Nissan, and the pair love playing and cuddling with their two love-filled dogs, Susie and Vega. 

Vega!

Suzie!

Second-oldest Keegan’s competitive spirit is best found on the volleyball court, and on the track, throwing shotput and discus. During the week, second-youngest Kopelyn plays softball, but on the weekends? She transforms into a custom-gift aficionado. You can find Kopelyn’s hat bar in the gymnasium at the Nolensville Farmers Market, where Kopelyn can work her magic to help you design a one-of-a-kind hat. Whether you want to make your mark or give it to someone whose style simply can’t be found at the mall, Kopelyn can even make custom decals and stickers, and offers a beautiful selection of hand-painted cards for any occasion. Fin, bringing up the rear of the pack, is a rising baseball pro, and can also be found in the gymnasium every once in a while selling adorable bird feeders made out of thrifted tea cups! He can also be spotted fishing frogs and turtles out of the pond at the Westhaven market.

Siblings Keegan, Fin, Kaylee, and Kopelyn (left to right)

Kaylee presenting her podcast

Last but certainly not least of the Haire family, manager Kaylee could fill a blog post of her own with her impressive resume! Kaylee makes tiktok and reels content for the market’s social media, and writes the weekly newsletter. Kaylee is a senior at Nolensville High School, and owns two businesses of her own. The Hustle Generation podcast shines a spotlight on young entrepreneurs, and seeks out interviews with established business owners who share advice with folks who are just getting started. Her clothing company Farmerch is perfect for anyone who knows that local vendors just do it better and needs everyone to know it! Unsurprisingly, Kaylee is a student ambassador at the Entrepreneurship & Innovation Center (EIC), an education center that serves schools in Williamson county. She also serves as Nolensville HS’s DECA chapter president, and their Turning Point USA chapter vice president. To top it all off, she also adores working as a host at local restaurant Merebulles!

Kaylee at a DECA conference

The Newest Addition!

Juno holding Halo, an ornate Hawk Eagle!

During the week, manager Juno solidifies the weekly market schedule and map, corresponds with vendors, writes blog posts, records weekly sales, and creates and schedules content for the market social media! She also works part-time as a flower farmer for one of our lovely vendors, Blooming Acres Farm, and delivers microgreens for another stellar vendor, Pinky’s Micros, on Sundays. They are also proud to be a Resident Director Assistant for Our Place Nashville, a housing nonprofit that provides support and community for folks with intellectual and developmental disabilities, helping to host weekly community dinners and having an all-around good ole time. When they’re not working, they do their best to stay active in their communities and show up for causes they care deeply about. Whether it’s volunteering with the Tennessee Native American Indian Asscociation, cleaning out cages and preparing mice and chicks for raptors with the Wing Blade Falconry in Joulton, showing up in the Capitol to fight for legislation that protects local farmers and critical natural resources, or cheering on their friends performing on Broadway, Juno is always up to something, and will talk to you about it all for days on end if you let them. 

Making bouquets for Blooming Acres Farm

I think the other managers will agree that the best part about getting to do this for a job is that it adds so much to my life instead of taking away from it. Even if, like anyone else, I’m tired or unmotivated one day, and some of the market tasks feel more like a chore than a treat, I know that I’m contributing to something bigger than me that provides a service to my community. For that I am incredibly grateful.

There is so much about living in this day and age that takes us away from the ingredients for a life that is grounded in something realistic and sensible. Buying seasonal produce might seem like a small, isolated action, but the more there is to know about why it matters the more small actions build to make something big. After all, little drops of water make the mighty ocean.