For the first time, we have recruited sponsors to help us promote and grow the market.
Drum roll, please.............
Baesler's Market (a great place to buy fresh, local, natural,and gourmet foods all weeklong)
Terre Foods Cooperative Market (to-open-at 7th&Poplar-if-enough people-join)
ButtonWood Restaurant at Sycamore Farm (a gourmet menu,and the best local-food menu in the area)
And Clabber Girl - our host and provider of so much help, making the market possible.
Watch for a whole wave of marketing to hit soon:
Professional posters
New T-Shirts
Yard Signs
More refrigerator magnets
TV Commercials
A Vendor-brochure
Light-pole banners
Please be sure to thank these generous sponsors, and support them with your business - because they support local food and our Downtown Farmers Market!
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Music, yoga,and garden help
Fun stuff for the market this Saturday, June 27:
Traveling singer-songwriter Sabrina will be performing at the market. And the Shanti Center will be leading a yoga demonstration/class,starting around 8:30 am.
The Purdue Extension service will be providing on-site identification of weeds, and pests. Bring a sample or a photo from your garden for expert analysis and advice on how to deal with unwanted plant or insect, or other invaders.
We will be open on July 4, so bring your friends and family downtown to watch the Fast Track Mile race, on Wabash Avenue, then come to the market.
Traveling singer-songwriter Sabrina will be performing at the market. And the Shanti Center will be leading a yoga demonstration/class,starting around 8:30 am.
The Purdue Extension service will be providing on-site identification of weeds, and pests. Bring a sample or a photo from your garden for expert analysis and advice on how to deal with unwanted plant or insect, or other invaders.
We will be open on July 4, so bring your friends and family downtown to watch the Fast Track Mile race, on Wabash Avenue, then come to the market.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
What a great start!
Opening day was terrific! We had 24 vendors, two musical performances, and steady crowds all day long. This is what we had in mind for a downtown farmers market!
Stephanie Salter wrote a great piece in Sunday's Tribune-Star about the opening, and her enthusiasm was shared throughout the crowd on Saturday.
And the growth in vendors (about double) was matched by the number of customers. I saw lots of news faces, and several of our vendors sold out of everything they brought. A few told me that they had their best sales day ever!
We have a new bakery - Marta Skelton's Harvest Bakery. She specializes in sourdough bread - and has captured her own wild yeast strain. So her bread is the essence of Terre Haute - as much as San Francisco's famous bread is unique to that place.
Nathan Paul-Bonham played guitar for nearly three hours! With a break to buy a battery-powered Fender amp, he came back to fill the market air with music.
During his break, the Women of Erin assembled, and graced the market with their ever-popular Celtic music.
I served about 100 cones of free homemade strawberry and blueberry ice cream, then some Edy's after the good-stuff was gone. It was pretty hard to keep the ice-cream from turning to soup in the heat, so this will have to be an occasional venture.
Next week - the Altrusa Buck-book-booth opens with their first monthly appearance. They will have books that you can buy for just one dollar, or you can bring a book to trade. (Donations of books or cash are always welcome, and the funds support local literacy efforts.) Children can pick up a free book too.
One of our new advertising tools/give-aways is a business-card-sized magnet with the familiar red-gold-and-black DFM banner. It is a great reminder to keep on your refrigerator - and apparently, very popular. I started with 1,000 on Thursday, and have given away all but about 75! I think we'll need to order some more.
Look for yard signs to begin popping up around town, too. We will distribute them to our vendors, who will install them along roadsides early on Saturday mornings on their way to market, then pick them up on the way home. Distributed around the community, the signs will be a timely reminder to drivers that Saturday morning is the time to get to the Farmers Market.
Stephanie Salter wrote a great piece in Sunday's Tribune-Star about the opening, and her enthusiasm was shared throughout the crowd on Saturday.
And the growth in vendors (about double) was matched by the number of customers. I saw lots of news faces, and several of our vendors sold out of everything they brought. A few told me that they had their best sales day ever!
We have a new bakery - Marta Skelton's Harvest Bakery. She specializes in sourdough bread - and has captured her own wild yeast strain. So her bread is the essence of Terre Haute - as much as San Francisco's famous bread is unique to that place.
Nathan Paul-Bonham played guitar for nearly three hours! With a break to buy a battery-powered Fender amp, he came back to fill the market air with music.
During his break, the Women of Erin assembled, and graced the market with their ever-popular Celtic music.
I served about 100 cones of free homemade strawberry and blueberry ice cream, then some Edy's after the good-stuff was gone. It was pretty hard to keep the ice-cream from turning to soup in the heat, so this will have to be an occasional venture.
Next week - the Altrusa Buck-book-booth opens with their first monthly appearance. They will have books that you can buy for just one dollar, or you can bring a book to trade. (Donations of books or cash are always welcome, and the funds support local literacy efforts.) Children can pick up a free book too.
One of our new advertising tools/give-aways is a business-card-sized magnet with the familiar red-gold-and-black DFM banner. It is a great reminder to keep on your refrigerator - and apparently, very popular. I started with 1,000 on Thursday, and have given away all but about 75! I think we'll need to order some more.
Look for yard signs to begin popping up around town, too. We will distribute them to our vendors, who will install them along roadsides early on Saturday mornings on their way to market, then pick them up on the way home. Distributed around the community, the signs will be a timely reminder to drivers that Saturday morning is the time to get to the Farmers Market.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Opening Day - Saturday, June 6.
Here we go - opening day is this Saturday - June 6.
I apologize to anyone who showed up last week as a result of the front-page announcement in the TribStar. I'm not sure how that happened, but I think that the White Violet Center's Wednesday Market opened on May 27; perhaps someone figured that the Downtown Market had started as well.
Anyway - the market is going to be significantly bigger this year. I am expecting at least 20 vendors each week, and probably 25 or 30 through the peak part of the season.
We have a lot more music planned this year, and other fun activities to add to the atmosphere of the market. Look for an announcement about the Zucchini 500 race in July.
The opening day may be the only time that Aaron Warner has honey for sale - it goes so fast!
Look for Strawberries this week - to get you in the mood for the Strawberry Festival on Thursday June 11 at the First Congregational Church - 630 Ohio Street.
The Senior Nutriton Program, which last year provided $18 in vouchers for income-eligible seniors, is expanding this year. Starting in mid-June, vouchers for $24 will be distributed in a six(?) county areaby WCIEDD- Area 7 (238-1561). This was a great way to bring some new customers to the market, and gave them access to a variety of produce that they might not buy at the grocery.
See you on Saturday!
I apologize to anyone who showed up last week as a result of the front-page announcement in the TribStar. I'm not sure how that happened, but I think that the White Violet Center's Wednesday Market opened on May 27; perhaps someone figured that the Downtown Market had started as well.
Anyway - the market is going to be significantly bigger this year. I am expecting at least 20 vendors each week, and probably 25 or 30 through the peak part of the season.
We have a lot more music planned this year, and other fun activities to add to the atmosphere of the market. Look for an announcement about the Zucchini 500 race in July.
The opening day may be the only time that Aaron Warner has honey for sale - it goes so fast!
Look for Strawberries this week - to get you in the mood for the Strawberry Festival on Thursday June 11 at the First Congregational Church - 630 Ohio Street.
- In a new tradition, Rev. Lant Davis will bless the season-opening of the Market this week.
- Hallie Hound Barkery will celebrate their second annivversary with a Chamber of Commerce ribbon-cutting at 10 am. We expect Mayor Bennett and the media to be there.
- The Women of Erin open the season with their celtic music this Saturday.
The Senior Nutriton Program, which last year provided $18 in vouchers for income-eligible seniors, is expanding this year. Starting in mid-June, vouchers for $24 will be distributed in a six(?) county areaby WCIEDD- Area 7 (238-1561). This was a great way to bring some new customers to the market, and gave them access to a variety of produce that they might not buy at the grocery.
See you on Saturday!
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Your comments are welcome here!
I'm still learning my way around this blogging thing. I wondered why there had been no comments - and then found the setting to make it easier for readers to comment.
Now you can comment without registering with blogspot. I hope that folks will feel comfortable identifying themselves, but it isn't really necessary.
More importantly, I want this to be a forum for our vendors and shoppers to discuss the market, ways to improve it, and exchange ideas and requests for certain items.
So - bring on the comments!
Andrew
Now you can comment without registering with blogspot. I hope that folks will feel comfortable identifying themselves, but it isn't really necessary.
More importantly, I want this to be a forum for our vendors and shoppers to discuss the market, ways to improve it, and exchange ideas and requests for certain items.
So - bring on the comments!
Andrew
Friday, May 8, 2009
New Vendors for 2009
We have several new vendors who have already registered for the 2009 season:
- Harvest Bakery - Marta Skelton (sourdough and other breads)
- Purdue Extension Service - information on planting, growing, and cooking foods for and from the market.
- The First Congregational Church - booth headed by Eric Dockendorf
- Colin Pizarek - Baked goods and produce
- Kimberly Hoppes - selling homemade goat milk soap
- The La Leche League of Terre Haute - will be there monthly, and every week in August
- Edward McDonald - selling strawberries at the beginning of the season, then Red Clover Tea and snap beans later on.
- For Love of Dogs - a new business in town
The Women of Erin will play at our opening day on June 6, and Rev. Lant Davis of Central Presbyterian Church will preside over a "Blessing of the Market" that day too.
There are plenty of veteran vendors who will be back again this year, too. Some include:
- Weber's Maple Syrup
- Heron Bay - Chris aand Bionca Gambill
- Appleseed Farm/Pour-a-Pie
- Lookout Farm
- Johnson Branch Produce
- Royer Family Farms (Meats)
- Anderson Farms
- Hallie Hound Barkery
- Joe and Becky Bush
- Momma Sue - (apple butter and more)
- Terre Foods Co-op
- Bev and Perry Riley ("Life of Riley" farm...the garlic people)
- Yellow House Honey - Aaron Warner
- Sue Ann Isham (Eggs and produce)
- White Violet Center for Eco-Justice (occasionally, as a strained staffing budget will allow)
- Linda Snider - The Soap and Lotion Lady
Others whom I expect to be involved include:
- Lau Family Farms
- Phil Cox
- Vigo County Humane Society
- The Altrusa Club: Buck-a-book-booth
- Tidd & Maher - Wood Working
- Pam Krieger: Gifts of God Garden - Perennials and Annuals
- American Red Cross
- more to come...
Some whom I hope will participate:
- My own wild flowers and garden plants, berries, and produce
- Old Time Kettle Corn
- The Pepper People
- The Audubon Society
- TREES, Inc.
- The Holly Arboretum
- Artisan's Art Glass
- Wabash Valley Art Guild
- Ditzler Orchard
- Swanee Orchard
- Bridgeton Mill
- Jay and Megan Rogers
- Bill Milner
- St. George Ladies Society - selling kibby
- send me your "wish list" or suggestions
Friday, April 17, 2009
The Steering Committee has met twice to work on plans for the season.
Andrew Conner (DTH), Charlotte Smith(Appleseed Farm/Pour-a-Pie), Luke Anderson,Cathy Cloud (Johnson Branch), Candace Hack (White Violet Center), and Jim Luzar (Purdue Extension) and Andrea Lau (L&A Family Farm) make up the committee.
We will have a paid Market Master this year, and expect to have that person identified and hired in the next few weeks.
We'll have THREE meetings for call-out, recruitment, and vendor info:
The first is on Saturday, April 25 at 8 am, at Clabber Girl in the Bake Shop.
Then at the Vigo County Public Library at noon on Monday, April 27 and at 7:30 pm on Thursday, April 30 at 7:30 pm.
New (or veteran) vendors need attend only one meeting.
I've begun booking musical entertainment/performances for the market. Those have been popular in the past, but infrequent. Our goal is to have music every week. If you have a name to suggest, or want tovolunteer - give me call or drop an e-mail.
Our market will move another step toward being "producer only" this year. Our focus has been on providing produce grown by our own vendors - so that customers can keep a close connection to their food source - but we have allowed limited re-sale. The intention was to satisfy customer expectations for in-season produce that our own growers didn't happen to have.
This year - we will further restrict resale, by requiring that every item have a standard 8 1/2 x 11 inch laminated sign (provided by the market) to prominently identify the produce as resale - along with the name and location of the grower. Vendors will have ask the Market Master a week in advance, and any self-grown produce offered by a vendor will be given first priority before we allow the re-sale item to be brought to the market.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Recruiting new vendors for 2009
INFORMATION MEETINGS - For both new and veteran vendors
Saturday, April 25th: 8am-9am. At the Clabber Girl Bake Shop (9th & Wabash)
Monday, April 27th: Noon -1pm Vigo County Public Library - lower level
Thursday April 30th: 7:30-8:30 pm Vigo County Public Library - lower level
(You only need to attend one meeting. )
New vendors are welcome - I have inquiry/applications from about 10 new folks so far- and I would like to see our weekly numbers above 20 vendors per week. We'll be making the publicity push over the next couple of weeks - newspaper, TV, radio, newsletters, etc.
We're moving more toward a "growers only" market - meaning less resale. We haven't had a lot in the past, but we want to be clear about the goal of the market - and that will help encourage local growers to take the risk on some new crops - knowing that they will be protected against re-sellers. This is fundamental to the character of our market - and something that is important to our customers/supporters.
I've had several suggestions that we could grow the size of the market if we added some "rummage and crafts" to the mix - but that is a quick slide toward becoming a flea market - which would not fir with our vision of a high-quality, local produce market.
But we do want to draw more customers. And more vendors. I think it is a circular dynamic - and growing either one will increase the other. So we are working on both: Recruiting more vendors - telling what we need, and explaining how it can be profitable, fun, and fulfilling. Amnd also drawing more customers through better and increased marketing, and giving them more reasons to come to the market. (More on attracting customers in another post.)
Vendors:
Here's what we want and need: Fruit of all sorts, lettuces, breads, nuts, beans (dry), any unusual or exotic vegetables, heirloom varieties of anything, plants, honey, potatoes, lima beans, egg plant, okra, cabbage, mushrooms, garlic, onions, kohlrabi, gooseberries, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, peas, brussel sprouts, asparagus, parsnips, horseradish, collard greens, chard, bok choi, parsnips, asparagus, rhubarb, gooseberries, blackberries, cherries, peaches, raspberries, elderberries, persimmons, pawpaws, perennials, cut flowers, okra, lima beans, face painting and henna, fiber artists/crafts, jewelry, art, teas, melons-melons-melons, kale, leeks, sweet potatoes, beets, spinach, daikon, herbs, live flowers, grapes, strawberries, watermelon, cantaloupe, cheese.
We usually have cookies, tomatoes, corn, green beans, zucchini, squash, lettuce, eggs, chicken, beef, lamb, pork, peppers, and pumpkins - but that doesn't mean that the market wouldn't support more - especially some unusual varieties!
Saturday, April 25th: 8am-9am. At the Clabber Girl Bake Shop (9th & Wabash)
Monday, April 27th: Noon -1pm Vigo County Public Library - lower level
Thursday April 30th: 7:30-8:30 pm Vigo County Public Library - lower level
(You only need to attend one meeting. )
New vendors are welcome - I have inquiry/applications from about 10 new folks so far- and I would like to see our weekly numbers above 20 vendors per week. We'll be making the publicity push over the next couple of weeks - newspaper, TV, radio, newsletters, etc.
We're moving more toward a "growers only" market - meaning less resale. We haven't had a lot in the past, but we want to be clear about the goal of the market - and that will help encourage local growers to take the risk on some new crops - knowing that they will be protected against re-sellers. This is fundamental to the character of our market - and something that is important to our customers/supporters.
I've had several suggestions that we could grow the size of the market if we added some "rummage and crafts" to the mix - but that is a quick slide toward becoming a flea market - which would not fir with our vision of a high-quality, local produce market.
But we do want to draw more customers. And more vendors. I think it is a circular dynamic - and growing either one will increase the other. So we are working on both: Recruiting more vendors - telling what we need, and explaining how it can be profitable, fun, and fulfilling. Amnd also drawing more customers through better and increased marketing, and giving them more reasons to come to the market. (More on attracting customers in another post.)
Vendors:
Here's what we want and need: Fruit of all sorts, lettuces, breads, nuts, beans (dry), any unusual or exotic vegetables, heirloom varieties of anything, plants, honey, potatoes, lima beans, egg plant, okra, cabbage, mushrooms, garlic, onions, kohlrabi, gooseberries, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, peas, brussel sprouts, asparagus, parsnips, horseradish, collard greens, chard, bok choi, parsnips, asparagus, rhubarb, gooseberries, blackberries, cherries, peaches, raspberries, elderberries, persimmons, pawpaws, perennials, cut flowers, okra, lima beans, face painting and henna, fiber artists/crafts, jewelry, art, teas, melons-melons-melons, kale, leeks, sweet potatoes, beets, spinach, daikon, herbs, live flowers, grapes, strawberries, watermelon, cantaloupe, cheese.
We usually have cookies, tomatoes, corn, green beans, zucchini, squash, lettuce, eggs, chicken, beef, lamb, pork, peppers, and pumpkins - but that doesn't mean that the market wouldn't support more - especially some unusual varieties!
First post
Getting ready for the 2009 season.
Attended a Market Master Boot Camp in Indy last week - lots of great ideas and resources. I think an IN Farmers Market Association will be formed this year.
While there, I found out about an IN grant through the Dept. of Ag that should give us $500 matching funds toward marketing expenses. We plan to add yard signs, TV and radio ads, a brochure/flyer and refrigerator magnets this year, as well as street banners, t-shirts, and re-usable shopping bags.
There is another grant that may help us buy the equipment to accept "Food Stamps" electronically at the Market. We might end up sharing a machine with the White Violet Center.
Attended a Market Master Boot Camp in Indy last week - lots of great ideas and resources. I think an IN Farmers Market Association will be formed this year.
While there, I found out about an IN grant through the Dept. of Ag that should give us $500 matching funds toward marketing expenses. We plan to add yard signs, TV and radio ads, a brochure/flyer and refrigerator magnets this year, as well as street banners, t-shirts, and re-usable shopping bags.
There is another grant that may help us buy the equipment to accept "Food Stamps" electronically at the Market. We might end up sharing a machine with the White Violet Center.
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