By GINA KINSLOW
GLASGOW — High gas prices have taken their toll on Jennifer Kinser’s produce business.
Kinser, who is a regular at the Cave City Farmers’ Market, usually sells produce there twice a week, but has recently had to cut back to one day due to travel expenses.
“I drive from Bowling Green and I’m only coming one day a week now — on Fridays. I used to come Fridays and Saturdays,” she said.
The price of gas has yet to affect the amount of produce she raises, she said, but her brother, who grows cantaloupes and cabbage, has been hit “big time.”
“I know his fertilizer bill has doubled,” Kinser said.
Pat Switzer, of Horse Cave, who also sells produce at the Cave City Market, said her produce business has not yet been affected by the price of gas.
“But it will,” she said.
Switzer drives a large gas-guzzling panel truck from Horse Cave to Cave City one day a week to sell her produce. She is only coming to the market one day a week right now, because it is early in the season and she doesn’t have a lot of produce to sell.
Later in the season, she will be at the market twice a week and anticipates spending more money to fill her truck with gas.
“It’s not just a few dollars,” she said. “A lot of people don’t understand just to get the stuff here it costs us too.”
Switzer has already raised the price of produce, jams, jellies and baked goods to compensate for the expense.
“We try not to, but yeah, we’ve had to raise them just a little bit,” she said.
It’s not the price of gas that is affecting her business.
“Sugar’s up when you make jellies and stuff,” she said. “You can’t hardly afford flour to make bread. It’s everything. Everything we use costs us extra just like it does everyone else.”
Switzer said she has always had to be frugal.
“I’ve always been careful, because I’ve always been broke,” she said. “It’s nothing new for me, but I’m sure it’s hard on a lot of people, though.”
Kari Hodges of Glasgow who also sells produce at the Cave City Farmers’ Market, said high gas prices have affected her business, too.
“It just adds to the cost of it, and plus, when you run your tiller and all your equipment ...,” she said. “Once it is planted you do have to get it here.”
