The Press-Dispatch
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/1277609
The Press-Dispatch Wednesday, August 12, 2020 A-3 LOCAL Call: 812-354-8500 Email: news@pressdispatch.net or bring in a hard copy: 820 E. Poplar Street, Petersburg Floyd Knight stands on the front porch of the Knight Tree Farm and Fresh Produce Market. He milled the boards and nailed them up this past winter and spring. Monday, August 17 8 AM - 3:30 PM Dr. David Purdom'UQHƂEG )KDUQP)GPGTCN*QURKVCN5WKVG For an appointment, call 812-385-9392. Appointments required. Skin Cancer Screening free www.gibsongeneral.com www.UebelhorGM.com • Jasper • 1-800-937-8721 By Andy Heuring Winslow native Floyd Knight saw a need in his hometown and went to work to fill it. Knight had retired from IPL two years ago. When the Trading Post closed, he said Winslow lost a place to go and drink cof- fee, and a place to buy fresh produce. He had started a tree farm, but Knight and several of his buddies didn't have anywhere to drink coffee and pontifi- cate. His wife and sister-in- law have a daycare and a pre- school on their property, just north of Winslow, that he pur- chased from Marvin Nelson. About five years ago, Knight decided to start sell- ing produce from his prop- erty. The produce idea came to him when fellow Winslow Class of 1974 member Larry Meyer closed shop on a pro- duce market that was in the Trading Post. Knight said he had helped Meyer pickup produce from his suppliers, so he was reasonably famil- iar with it. Initially, Knight used an iron-wheeled wagon to put his produce on. He said the demand for produce outgrew the wagon. So he got a tent and used that for a couple of years. When he purchased the property at the south edge of Campbelltown, it came with an old two-sided 20 x 24 foot pole building. Last year, Knight had trad- ed for a "saw mill." He had the idea to cut boards from trees on his property and line his pole building with them. He turned the pole building into a rough cut lumber cabin. "I cut the boards during the win- ter, then in the Spring, when COVID hit, everything was shutdown. So I started nail- ing up the boards on the pole barn. I got it put up in Feb- ruary or March." The rough cut boards created a rustic getaway. Knight and several of his buddies added kitchy antiques, like an old Roy- al Crown Cola bottled soft drink vending machine, that still works. An indication of the machine's age is that is only charges a dime. "I can't change it," said Knight. He al- so has an old-fashioned wood- fired stove. Knight said it is his favorite antique in the building. Various signs and a picture of a 1950's Winslow High School basketball team are just a few of the knick- knacks that line the walls. In the cabin, he houses his fresh produce market and coffee-drinking hangout. Each morning, four to 10 seasoned individuals gath- er from about 7 to 9 a.m. and discuss the important top- ics of the day. "We don't talk politics, except for a couple of guys, and you just kind of have to overlook them," said Knight. He doesn't grow the pro- duce he sells. He just dis- tributes items he gets from all over southern Indiana. "I get my watermelons and can- taloupe from Posey County, sweet corn from Knox Coun- ty, tomatoes, cucumbers, squash and zucchini from the Amish." He also sells baked goods and fruit. Late this summer and ear- ly fall, he will make the tran- sition from fresh produce to pumpkins and mums. "I planted pine trees eight years ago. When they get big enough, I will have Christmas trees for sale." He said he has people from Huntingburg, Oakland City and groups who are staying in Prides Creek Park as cus- tomers who added to his reg- ulars. "I have been blessed. I have sold a lot of produce and bread. It has almost become a job. But I have met a lot of wonderful people." An old-fashioned wood burning kitchen stove, that is Knight's favorite antique, is used to display bread and other baked goods. Floyd Knight sits at the head of a table just for cof- fee drinkers and leads the conversation. He said a group of coffee drinkers gathers each morning from about 7 to 9 a.m. Knight builds rustic meeting place, produce market