Bigger is Better?

liz gaige — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 07:01:50 +0000

While many farmers markets are restricted to local products only, the Minneapolis Farmers Market allows resellers with non-local produce and wares to participate. While it may fly in the face of strict direct farm-to-consumer marketing, the larger overall size and greater number of options at the Minneapolis market draws out many more vendors and attendees than I’ve seen at other markets.

This approach may be behind their success in maintaining both a daily market and a downtown weekly market, with a season that is 26 weeks long. In offering consumers so much choice, the market is more mainstream and therefore more accessible to Joe Public. If I insist on buying oranges, I can also get my locally grown green onions, Brussels sprouts, mushrooms, and squash right there.

The biggest benefit may be that people who might not think much about eating local do, because it’s there. It’s a bit like hiding finely chopped vegatables in the spaghetti sauce so kids will eat them, unwittingly.

Increased sales, as a result of thoughtful consideration or simple convenience, can only have a positive benefit on the local agricultural economy.

Minneapolis Farmers Markets

liz gaige — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 07:01:43 +0000

Minneapolis Farmers Market Downtown

A business trip last autumn found me in Minneapolis where I took in both the weekly and daily farmers markets.

I love that the Minneapolis Farmers Market comes to town once a week, right in the midst of the business district. The weekly market stretches for several blocks along Nicollett Mall, a lengthy pedestrian/transit-only street, making it easy for workers from the surrounding office towers to access on breaks and lunch. Which they did, in droves. The stalls were full of fabulous produce, fresh flowers, and a variety of local food products including bison jerky, honey, and salsa.

There is also a daily farmers market, about a mile outside the Minneapolis downtown core. It is much larger and offers a huge selection of produce and food products as well as some crafts, clothing, and jewelry. The Saturday market is not as easily accessible by transit, but the multitude of stalls and sheer volume of goods make it well worth the trip.

Minneapolis Daily Farmers Market

Local Delicious » Minnesota

Bigger is Better?

Minneapolis Farmers Markets