A lot of times when new folks come to the market, especially this early in the season, they wonder, “Where are the tomatoes?” “Why aren’t there oranges here?” “Why are the farmers sold out before the market ends?”

Answer: Our market is producer-only. This means that what you see on a farmer’s table is only what they have grown or produced themselves. This gives you, the customer, complete transparency as to where your food comes from and allows you to literally shake the hand that grows your food. At some markets, farmers are allowed to buy produce and other items from outside sources to provide a greater variety to customers, but the downside is that you no longer know where that food is coming from, how it’s grown, how far it’s traveled, etc. Your supermarket already has that kind of food covered. The downside to a producer-only market is that our selection is limited to what can grow in our local climate at the specific time of year. But isn’t that what eating locally and sustainably is all about?

This year, having had a long winter and a dry late Spring, we went from winter almost right into summer. The volume of produce you see is getting a slow start, but be patient. It will soon be abundant! We challenge you to take the seasonal eating challenge… and learn to shape a few meals per week around what is currently available. Also, talk to our farmers. They’ll be able to tell you what’s growing and what’s coming soon.