Wow, this is great. This city needs more farmer's markets.

Just review the time. Did you realize there are 2 other farmer's markets at exactly those times? I'd recommend a Tuesday or Thursday. Why the same day as the others?

I will second what mevdev is saying. It would be nice if those farmers markets were available on days that the others were not. Especially for those that cannot make it on Wednesday.

I wonder what the Wednesday/Saturday deal does for the farmers. Do any set up shop at different farmer's markets each week? Are any just 'owned' by longstanding vendors? 

How many farmer's markets until the supply of willing farmers and artisans reaches a critical mass?


Personally I love the notion of alternative things at a farmer's market. The guy doing bike repair at UMD looked like he only got a few people, but what luck they ran into! I think recession-wise it is a great time to strike out on your own.


What surprising thing have you seen at a market?

I made what I thought was a pretty good plan for a hybrid farmers/artisan market somewhere near downtown and NOT on a Saturday. This was a plan that had multiple beneifits based on nutrition, supporting small business/farms and the arts.  Plus it was supposed to be fun and help make some start-up vendors (like me) some money.  I was all set to go, but I have to be honest in saying that there was enormous resistance to the idea from the "original" Duluth Farmers market people, some of them even took it personal and kind of attacked me personally. I guess I offended people with my pro-business, for-profit approach.  Anyway, I decided to move on to other things and the rest is history.  That was 6 years ago. However, the plan still exists, and with a few modifications (such as doing it as a non-profit or a coop type model) I would like to try and implement it if I could get several other people to support the plan at least for a pilot/initial run.  I'm way too busy to do it by myself so someone (or some ones) with time, a knowledge of both arts and agriculture, and a lot of people wrangling skills would have to take the lead.  

Let me know because I'm very serious about this, that plan was too good to die.

Wildgoose, I've heard a lot of bad things about the original farmer's market in regards to new people trying to sell there and them being jealous about other markets. They are established haters.

Not a generalization in my case.  It was not everyone who had a problem with my proposal, but some did and were very biting in their criticism and positioning.

One of the market regulars played a huge role in getting me started in business and I will be forever indebted to them.  Green Pastures Dairy.

'Tis true, there are some Really Good People at the 14th avenue farmer's market.  I don't mean to bite my thumb at them, but I do know a number of local growers who have tried to collaborate with them or table there and they have received some very rude, dissuasive, near combative responses from the organizers there.  I love my farmers.  I love locally grown food. I'm a huge advocate of a strong community food network, but this kind of exclusivity only breeds divisions and, quite frankly, stops me from shopping at a couple of booths owned by the instigators down there. I work hard for my dollars and I vote with my money. I choose to spend it on folks who are truly interested in a collaborative effort.  So...to more farmers markets, and to supporting those who support each other!  It should NOT be a competition.