From the field: Connections at the market
Hannah Alden, Reporter, The Record-Review Last week was the first time I attended a farmers market in this area as a vendor. For only being in its second year, I have to say the Marathon City Farmers Market is pretty impressive.
There were a variety of vendors at the market, selling products like bakery, maple syrup and vegetables. But there were also a number of vendors with drinks and food to delight in while you were walking through the aisles. I noticed many people spending time lingering at the market, chatting with friends they bumped into and grabbing a drink or dinner before heading home.
Some markets lack the ability to keep people coming back regularly. There are a lot of factors that go into a successful farmers market — the location, timing and vendor variety can impact if people make it a weekly trip or not. In my mind, there are things that seem to boost interest, such as adding food trucks, music or other events like activities for kids that can make a farmers market blossom.
It can take years for a market to become a destination spot during the growing season. As I spent time working several markets in Madison, I saw a few of them develop into more than what they started out as.
It often takes leadership from a small group to get a farmers market up and running smoothly. At last week’s Marathon market, I was surprised to find a group of volunteers walking around as vendors arrived asking if they needed help with anything, like setting up their tents. This was a welcomed offer, especially as I will usually be attending markets on my own.
There were a lot of people who seemed genuinely interested in my farm and what I’ll be offering this year. It’s a great feeling to have support like that coming from people I’d never met. I’m hopeful that means there are more people out there who want to buy fresh, local food and goods from small business owners who truly care about their customers and the bigger picture.
According to an article published by the United States Department of Agriculture, the original farmers market in the country may have been one started in 1730 in Lancaster, Penn. At that time, city planners there designed a 120-square-foot lot in the center of town as an area for a public market. There’s evidence the market may have had 400 vendors at one point, according to USDA.
A 2019 National Farmers Market Managers survey showed there were more than 8,000 farmers markets across the country. As market numbers continue to rise, I hope more people come to experience the connections that can be made at market with your neighbors, your farmers and your food.
