No, there won't be any vampires squeezing the peaches at today's farmers market. And while some may disagree with my use of the word twilight here, it doesn't detract from the fact that the Elmwood-Bidwell Farmers Market's decision to open for an evening run tonight is an interesting one. No doubt the market will be busy this morning since we are in the height of growing season and the neighborhood will be crawling with gardening fans taking in our lush and highly-maintained yards. I know I'll be there with a few friends.
Traditionally, Elmwood's popular urban market operates from 8a.m. until 1p.m. on Saturdays. But today, in honor of GardenWalk, the market will keep those hours, but also add an additional set of evening hours, operating again from 4p.m. - 8p.m.
I do wonder what our farmers (who often rise at 4a.m. or so in order to make it to the market in time) will do to occupy themselves in the three hours between. Catch up on their reading across the street at Talking Leaves? Have a snack at one of the local restaurants? Take a snooze in the pickup? I don't know that many of them will make the hour long drive home only to turn around and come back an hour later.
Either way, it will be very interesting to see how busy the market will be. Could this be a trial run of sorts? It will certainly add flavor to the neighborhood for GardenWalk attendees, and may be an excellent sales opportunity for vendors who can haul in enough product to stay fully-stocked all day.
I often have discussions with people about the success of our various city farmers markets, and one of the suggestions that comes up most often is the concept of the Downtown Country Market changing its hours in order to be open when most people are leaving work, rather than the lunch hours, as it is now. The argument goes that folks who work in cubicles don't have the space or the refrigeration to store fresh produce, sausages, etc. from lunchtime until it is time to go home. If the market were open later, perhaps more people would buy fresh, healthy ingredients with which to make dinner, rather than kettle corn and cookies which travel better, or are eaten immediately as part of the noonday meal. Others feel that this is a terrible idea and that people want to leave work as soon as possible, stopping to peruse fresh peas and corn is just not a priority.
So, it will be interesting to see if people will use the special hours at the market tonight as an opportunity to shop for dinner, or if they will instead cruise though it like tourists, grabbing a piece of fresh fruit or a cookie as a snack. Let's hope for all of the vendors that it is a huge success, and that the vibrancy it provides this Elmwood neighborhood with every Saturday morning is evident even as the sun goes down.
What do you think?
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Traditionally, Elmwood's popular urban market operates from 8a.m. until 1p.m. on Saturdays. But today, in honor of GardenWalk, the market will keep those hours, but also add an additional set of evening hours, operating again from 4p.m. - 8p.m.
I do wonder what our farmers (who often rise at 4a.m. or so in order to make it to the market in time) will do to occupy themselves in the three hours between. Catch up on their reading across the street at Talking Leaves? Have a snack at one of the local restaurants? Take a snooze in the pickup? I don't know that many of them will make the hour long drive home only to turn around and come back an hour later.
Either way, it will be very interesting to see how busy the market will be. Could this be a trial run of sorts? It will certainly add flavor to the neighborhood for GardenWalk attendees, and may be an excellent sales opportunity for vendors who can haul in enough product to stay fully-stocked all day.
I often have discussions with people about the success of our various city farmers markets, and one of the suggestions that comes up most often is the concept of the Downtown Country Market changing its hours in order to be open when most people are leaving work, rather than the lunch hours, as it is now. The argument goes that folks who work in cubicles don't have the space or the refrigeration to store fresh produce, sausages, etc. from lunchtime until it is time to go home. If the market were open later, perhaps more people would buy fresh, healthy ingredients with which to make dinner, rather than kettle corn and cookies which travel better, or are eaten immediately as part of the noonday meal. Others feel that this is a terrible idea and that people want to leave work as soon as possible, stopping to peruse fresh peas and corn is just not a priority.
So, it will be interesting to see if people will use the special hours at the market tonight as an opportunity to shop for dinner, or if they will instead cruise though it like tourists, grabbing a piece of fresh fruit or a cookie as a snack. Let's hope for all of the vendors that it is a huge success, and that the vibrancy it provides this Elmwood neighborhood with every Saturday morning is evident even as the sun goes down.
What do you think?
Glad you covered this so we can spread the word. The produce may be worse for wear, and the weather may not cooperate, but providing early evening activities should round out the tourists' experience here.
As a downtown worker I agree with your assessment that purchases are limited due to cold storage constraints. It has factored into my buying, especially as I beome aware of more neighborhood farmers' markets. Downtown might take a cue from Elmwood and experiment a little.