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I love stopping at farmers markets whenever I see them, which is usually on the side of a hot asphalt road during the sweltering summer months. Recently, I stopped by Loy's Farmers Market and bought some delicious, juicy plums while learning about Mr. Loy's deep knowledge of produce and the important life lessons he learned from his life in Middle Georgia.
Mr. Loy has been selling produce for the last 8 years, but his personal history with farming and selling produce goes back much further.
"I grew up in Monticello selling purple hull peas off the back of a truck." Mr. Loy said.
Further back in time, Mr. Loy's family worked as sharecroppers in rural Georgia. During his childhood, he and his family would harvest whatever the crop was for that year and go sell the produce in communities for lower prices than could be found in grocery stores.
Mr. Loy started Loy's Farmers Market in 2014. In the 11 years since then, his business has built a reputation for consistency and treating people right.
Mr. Loy learned much more about life than just starting a successful business during his young adulthood in Middle Georgia.
After his childhood in Middle Georgia, Mr. Loy went to college for criminal justice on a football scholarship. Unfortunately, Mr. Loy's future career plans were interrupted after he fell in with the wrong crowd and spent some time behind bars starting at the age of 26.
Mr. Loy credits that period of his life for giving him a long enough time to think long and hard about figuring out how to get his life straightened out.
"I am just thankful for having a second chance," Mr. Loy said.
Once Mr. Loy was released from prison, he was unable to find a job to help take care of his family. After some time of searching, he took some advice from his uncle that changed his life for the better.
"I got out of prison in 2013 [and] moved to Macon. My uncle said, "Why don't you go back into the produce business?", and so that was how it started," Mr. Loy said.
Mr. Loy leaned into taking care of the community after the difficult life lessons he learned while incarcerated.
Mr. Loy now regularly delivers fresh produce to senior citizens in Macon. Loy's Farmers Market also hosts a Community Giveback event that first took place in 2020. This past December, the annual event fed 700 families. Mr. Loy says next year's goal is to feed 800 families.
Mr. Loy also enjoys educating people about the produce they are buying when they stop by. His knowledge of the produce he is selling is impressive.
When I asked Mr. Loy what his most popular products are right now, he told me that peaches and watermelons are running neck and neck, with plums also being a crowd favorite.
Loy's Farmers Market sells watermelons from $8 to $10. Depending on the season, they sell red, yellow, and orange watermelons. Throughout the year, Loy's Farmers Market sells a large variety of watermelons like premium, heirloom, sangria, Charleston grays, black diamond, sugar baby, and jubilee.
Mr. Loy can be found educating people and selling produce at a fair price at Loy's Farmers Market on the corner of Third and Hazel Streets (1217 Third Street in Greenwood Bottom) as well as off of Pio Nono (2384 Pio No No) in Macon.