The Amish Market
In the early 1980s, Dan Esh founded the Pennsylvania Dutch Farmer's Market in Queenstown, MD. Dan was approached by Frank Hardy at Dixon's Furniture Auction in Crumpton, MD and expressed his plans to develop the site at the intersection of Rt. 50 and 301, and offered the temporary use of an old seafood restaurant on Rt. 50 for a Farmers Market. Dan reluctantly accepted Mr. Hardy's offer and opened a market while a new building was being built. Nine months later, the market moved into their new location, after which the Queenstown Outlets were quickly added. Dan added several other markets on the Western Shore, in Burtonsville and Westminster. Sadly, Mr. Hardy passed away and the market lost its lease in Queenstown. They moved to a new location in Annapolis where they remain to this day.
Dan never lost his love for the Eastern Shore, and while he founded other markets in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland and New Jersey, he never lost the desire to procure one on the Eastern Shore. Upon finding a building in Easton, MD, Dan with the help of 2 nephews, Merv Lapp and Merv Fisher, negotiated a lease with the owner of the building. Individual vendors expressed interest in leasing spaces in the market and after some trial and error, lo and behold, the Amish Country Farmers Market became a reality. It opened its doors in May of 2007! The people and customers of the area have proven to be what the vendors have always known them to be; special, loyal people living in a special area! Our heartfelt thanks go out for the wonderful welcome we've received to the area!
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