Impish Posted May 14, 2011 Share Posted May 14, 2011 What is with Farmers Markets in my area? There are six operating in my area, and only TWO that operate a day of the wknd! Seriously, whats with Tues/Wed/Thurs? And one day a week each? Wouldn't you figure that if you operated ONE day a week, you'd pick a Saturday? More ppl around? Bah. I haven't gone to a market in years. I sooooo miss being in Ontario...I used to go to St. Jacobs Market...the most awesome farmers market ever. Many of the vendors parked their buggies outside, the produce was so freakin good...And it wasn't limited to a single day a week! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twoforjoy Posted May 14, 2011 Share Posted May 14, 2011 What is with Farmers Markets in my area? There are six operating in my area, and only TWO that operate a day of the wknd! Seriously, whats with Tues/Wed/Thurs? And one day a week each? I think that's pretty common. In the town we lived in before, the farmers market was open Tuesdays and Thursdays, and one Saturday a month. We have a big farmers market here that is open Saturday mornings, but we pretty much never make it over there. We have a great little farmers market on the campus where DH and I work, but it's only open Wednesdays from 10-2 from June through October. Still, when it's open, it's really nice. Usually DH will head over there on his lunch break on Wednesdays and pick up produce for the week, since it's only a block from his lab. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twoforjoy Posted May 14, 2011 Share Posted May 14, 2011 And the little produce they offer is INSANELY expensive. Once I saw a head of garlic for $10. I'm really jealous when I hear people say how they love going to the farmer's market and plan their meals around the farmer's market. :glare: Wow, that's nuts! Our farmers' market is quite a bit pricier than buying produce at Aldi, but not nearly that bad. Usually $25-30 is enough to get us fruits and veggies for a week. It's all grown in the city, and we figure it's worth the extra cost to support urban agriculture, but there's no way we'd pay $10 for a head of garlic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Impish Posted May 14, 2011 Author Share Posted May 14, 2011 The farmer's market around here operates on Sundays, but really they don't sell much! It's mostly stuff like homemade jams, honey, and crafts. And the little produce they offer is INSANELY expensive. Once I saw a head of garlic for $10. I'm really jealous when I hear people say how they love going to the farmer's market and plan their meals around the farmer's market. :glare: Me too, which is why I announced to Wolf that I wanted to go this wknd...only to discover that there's only 2 to choose from! One, he doesn't want to go to...its massive, and very trendy...and me and crowds...well...bad combo. The other is huge too. *sigh* I need to hire body guards to manage a market. :glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
athena1277 Posted May 14, 2011 Share Posted May 14, 2011 The ones around here are on weird days too. There are several places they have farmer's markets and each place is only open one day a week. I rarely go because I never remember that I should go at that one certain time/place that is near us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keniki Posted May 14, 2011 Share Posted May 14, 2011 What is with Farmers Markets in my area? There are six operating in my area, and only TWO that operate a day of the wknd! Seriously, whats with Tues/Wed/Thurs? And one day a week each? Wouldn't you figure that if you operated ONE day a week, you'd pick a Saturday? More ppl around? It may depend on the vendors available. Maybe the vendors are even the same people at the different markets. As a vendor myself, I love having different markets available. If the sweet corn is ready on Tuesday, it's hard to convince it to 'hang in there' until Saturday. It also gives me a broader customer base. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Impish Posted May 14, 2011 Author Share Posted May 14, 2011 I see what you're saying...a midweek market just is more hassle than its worth for us, by the time Wolf gets home, cleaned up, kids packed up...More running around than I like to do on a weeknight. Bah. I guess I'm stuck with the usual suspects. At least I can hit stores in the 'off' hrs and not worry about crowds. I was really looking forward to this too! Maybe I'll convince Wolf to go, this once, give the kids the experience... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonshineLearner Posted May 14, 2011 Share Posted May 14, 2011 I guess we're really lucky; ours are on Sat. 9-1 I'll be more thankful! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OrganicAnn Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 Most farmer's markets in our area will be open 1 day during the week and one day on the weekend. So Wednesday 4 to 7 and Sat 9 to 1 or Thursday 5 to 7 and Sun 12:00 to 3:00. The most popular markets are usually Saturday morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 We have a lot of farmer's markets and they are all open on different days. I'm sure that many of the farmers go from one to another to sell during the week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audrey Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 (edited) What is with Farmers Markets in my area? There are six operating in my area, and only TWO that operate a day of the wknd! Seriously, whats with Tues/Wed/Thurs? And one day a week each? Wouldn't you figure that if you operated ONE day a week, you'd pick a Saturday? More ppl around? Bah. I haven't gone to a market in years. I sooooo miss being in Ontario...I used to go to St. Jacobs Market...the most awesome farmers market ever. Many of the vendors parked their buggies outside, the produce was so freakin good...And it wasn't limited to a single day a week! They probably schedule them that way so they aren't competing for vendors on the same days. In my experience as a vendor at markets, it is usually the same vendors that go from market to market. You can't be 6 places in one day, so market organizers tend to spread them around a bit strategically, trying to pick a day where there is the least nearby competition for customers that day. Also, there are regulations stating a farmer's market can only have so many market days a year. In our province the limit is 30 market days or no more than 2 per week. Maybe yours is limited to 1 market day a week? Edited May 15, 2011 by Audrey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephanier.1765 Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 Wow, I had never thought how different farmer's markets could be. Ours is open every day and the produce is much, much less expensive than the grocery store. The best thing I bought last week were seedless watermelons about the size of basketballs for a $1. They were just the right size to cut and everyone get a good sized piece without any having to go back in the fridge. We'd eat one and chill one. And they were so sweet. My mouth is drooling just thinking about them. I wish I had gone back this week to get more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFSinIL Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 I feel lucky - while our local farmer's market is only open Thursdays, and is largely jams/honey/organic dog food (!!!!), etc. a local farm DOES run two seasonal storefronts during the growing season, all week-long. Plus, we just joined a brand new CSA and will start getting all sorts of goodies grown within walking distance of our house in a couple weeks! (The family bought a couple old houses in a row, and transformed the backyards into their farm!!!! This is in the middle of a city of over 100,000 folks. He has a degree in Ag. Sci., too.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Impish Posted May 15, 2011 Author Share Posted May 15, 2011 I can't wait until I can grow my own darn veggies. That's what Farmers Market Frustration (FMF) has resulted in. And I want fruit trees. And a moo cow. And to win the lotto to pay for it all. *sigh* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephanier.1765 Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 I can't wait until I can grow my own darn veggies. That's what Farmers Market Frustration (FMF) has resulted in. And I want fruit trees. And a moo cow. And to win the lotto to pay for it all. *sigh* I just got back from buying Satsuma and Persian Lime trees. The Satsuma already has fruit so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I don't shock them off their branches. Now if only it was cooler out so I would feel motivated to go put them in the ground.:tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 They probably schedule them that way so they aren't competing for vendors on the same days. In my experience as a vendor at markets, it is usually the same vendors that go from market to market. You can't be 6 places in one day, so market organizers tend to spread them around a bit strategically, trying to pick a day where there is the least nearby competition for customers that day. Also, there are regulations stating a farmer's market can only have so many market days a year. In our province the limit is 30 market days or no more than 2 per week. Maybe yours is limited to 1 market day a week? :iagree: I acutally like that there are markets on several days a week. I think you can go to some market here within 30 minutes of my house on just about any day of the week. My two favorites are on a Saturday and one on a Wednesday. I go to the Wednesday one more often than the Saturday one. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 I actually prefer having the weekend to do stuff with my family, go hiking etc - and not having to go spend my time shopping! Not even at the farmer's market. Our town used to have one on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Saturday always interferes with out weekend plans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 Ours have weird hours/days too but given our location (urban), I can find one within a 10 mile radius probably 5 days a week. I am about to be in Farmer's Market heaven! I do plan our meals around what's available locally for sure starting very soon. Going to the farmer's market doesn't feel like shopping - it feels like summer bliss to me. I love it! We have one farmer's market open Sat/Sun that requires everything is grown/made w/in 100 miles. That one is the best. I like to go down there early - like 7-8 am. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephanier.1765 Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 Going to the farmer's market doesn't feel like shopping - it feels like summer bliss to me. I love it! Me too! Going to the farmers market is a treat. My friend and I go as a fun way to spend time together. We have the best time ooohing and ahhing over all the wonderful things available, but then again we are probably dorks. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 I can't wait until I can grow my own darn veggies. That's what Farmers Market Frustration (FMF) has resulted in. And I want fruit trees. And a moo cow. And to win the lotto to pay for it all. *sigh* Whatever you do, don't come to my local farmer's market expecting fresh produce. There isn't any. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 Farmers Market Frustration (FMF) :lol: My version of FMF is that the produce is no more local than what I get at the grocery store. I can go to a farmer's market and find produce from Mexico, Chile, and who knows where else. I usually have to ask, "Is this from Florida?", unless I know the item is something that doesn't grow here (or is out of season here). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted May 15, 2011 Share Posted May 15, 2011 Me too! Going to the farmers market is a treat. My friend and I go as a fun way to spend time together. We have the best time ooohing and ahhing over all the wonderful things available, but then again we are probably dorks. :lol: ROFL - right there with you! Veggie dorks unite. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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