Earlier in the year, I got involved with helping to promote the small Farmers Market in our city. From its beginning, I have made it a point to go there whenever I am in town. I also bought something, at least from the farmers, even though I have plenty in my own garden.
But if we don't support our local farmers and our local market - they are going to be gone very quickly.
I came up with all kinds of ideas how we can grow the market. When I started out, there was one very small farmer, a community garden the organizer was running and people sent some produce, an Avon distributor, a lady crocheting little animals, a lady selling essential oils, and the ever-cheerful Tortilla and burrito lady.
The tortillas were probably the best selling item there. She was mixing the dough right at the market, cooked it on a griddle, made quesadillas and burritos, and sold tamales. So good!
But as you can see, that is not a big market. Also, not many people were coming shopping. Between thirty and forty.
It is this chicken and egg thing. If not enough people come to shop, the vendors won't come back.
If there aren't enough vendors, the customers don't come back.
While promoting the market, I of course used all kinds of social media sites - one of them was Next Door.
There, I came across a post by a person advertising produce sales from his garden. I messaged him and asked him to come to the market and sell there.
After some back and forth, he actually came and brought some beautiful produce. The next week, he brought bread!!
It turned out that he is a chef and is teaching at a local College culinary arts. For many years, he lived and worked in Europe. No wonder he was baking bread that made my mouth water. He had the bread in a couple of big bins and served up whatever I pointed to.
All rolls and breads were made with a natural sourdough and so delicious. Just looking at the pictures, my mouth waters and I can almost smell the beautiful scent of freshly baked bread!
I grew up eating bread and used to bake my own all the time. Lately, I stopped eating bread on a regular basis. But faced with this, I had to buy some!!
It has been a while since we have had a market. The decision was made to close it before the stay at home orders came through. I don't know if it will ever open again. The permits are over $1000 a year and people might be suspicious of being in close encounters for a long time.
I sure hope that we will see a Farmers market in town again.
Do you have a Farmers Market in your town?
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