ONEIDA — On Tuesday summer afternoons on Oneida’s Main Street, just on the outskirts of the city’s downtown, one can find a collection of unique artisans hoping to connect with consumers through their trade. Many of these vendors — farmers, crafters, educators, and advocates — are driven to participate in the Madison County Historical Society’s Annual Cottage Lawn Farmer’s Market so they can share their passions with others.

For Amy Jakacki — owner of Ma’s Soaps, offering natural soaps, tinctures, and other products — “I try to promote people to steer away from chemicals and go more into mother Earth.” She’s practiced her trade for 11 years and wants to continue teaching people how “they don’t have to leave the woods, or their gardens, or their kitchens” to find some of the most versatile and valuable natural ingredients, she explained.

For Joan Kimball — also known as “The Palm Reading Lady” — it’s simple: “I can help other people.” After 45 years, there’s been many times someone has thanked Kimball for her services, she shared, and it’s what keeps her going.

Freedom Farm, based in Verona, has been an agricultural producer since 1983, explained co-owner Carolyn Peters, who runs the farm with her husband, Roy. That time has been focused on providing natural, quality animal products to consumers; meat from grass-fed Scottish Highland Cattle is their specialty.

For Peters, believing in her product and wanting others to benefit from it, too, is what brings her to Cottage Lawn for the first time this year, she said. And as a former school teacher, she loves speaking with the public, she added.

For many of the Cottage Lawn vendors, their hobby leads the way.

Thomas “Bob” Faduski is a Stockbridge Valley girls varsity basketball coach who loves cutting patterns into beautiful slabs of wood — the more natural color variations in the grain, the better, the wood-worker of nearly 25 years said. “I love doing patterns ... quite a few books that I’ve used are Mandala coloring books. It just amazes me the different patterns you can get. I’ll see something new and cut it out. I cut out two pieces this morning before I came,” he shared. His favorite pieces are created from the wood of the mango and koa trees, which he stocks up on when visiting his daughter in Hawaii.

Brandi Gall looks to the trees for her art as well. Provoking a sort of fairy-like woodland vibe, Wooden Moon Studio offers flower crowns, ceiling mobiles, and other whimsical items. Sola flowers adorn the mobiles, crafted from the bark shavings of the balsa tree, Gall explained.

Madison County Historical Society (MCHS) Executive Director Sydney Loftus said her organization is happy to bring local talents like these to the Oneida community and beyond as visitors from surrounding areas join in.

“I think farmers markets are important in communities, and I think the interest of the community and coming out and supporting our local farmers and understanding where your food comes from and getting to know who the person is that’s growing your food and building that relationship — I think that’s kind of the heart of farmers markets,” Loftus remarked.

She continued, “If this is the vehicle, so to speak, that the historical society can do that with our beautiful park-like grounds, then we’re behind that and can offer that to the area.”

The Cottage Lawn Farmer’s Market takes place from 2 to 6 p.m. every Tuesday through Aug. 30 at 435 Main St. Storytime for children, provided by retired teachers, is offered weekly. Entertainment by The Pomeranians is scheduled for July 19 from 4 to 6 p.m.

Go online to the MCHS website, www.mchs1900.org, to learn more about the summer market and about the upcoming initial fall and winter markets hosted by the MCHS. The MCHS can also be reached at 315-363-4136.