“Rain or Shine, Our Farmers Market Is Open”
The last 14 months at our Urban Harvest Saturday Farmers Market have been in many ways the most important of our almost two decades in business, a testament of the incredible community that has coalesced around the market. As market operators, we were able to support our vendors during a very challenging and uncertain time by remaining open with a commitment to creating a safe environment for all. We continued to provide a venue for our customers to shop outdoors, and in turn intensified their connection to the place that many had attended each Saturday for not only their week’s groceries but familiar faces, now just wearing masks and standing six feet apart. Many new people found the market during the past years seeking alternatives to their regular grocery store experience and providing at least some modicum of human interaction that has proven to be so vital for our wellbeing. Those new customers have remained, and as we begin to ease into the market experience our long-time customers are accustomed to, it is revealing surprises for our “new regulars” we picked up during the pandemic
We are delighted to bring back the programming that has made the market such a special place. Chef’s will be out cooking again, handing out samples, and showing us creative new ways to prepare staple items that are in season. Non-profits will be doing outreach and the beloved dog adoptions in the field will resume after the summer’s heat subsides. The live music has already begun floating through the market, filling the void that was hard to describe until it returned on June 5th. We recently completed the installation of five large cantilevered umbrellas in the area where our shoppers can enjoy themselves out of the direct sun while they watch the band play and sip their morning coffee with friends. This respite from the summer sun was made possible by the generous support of individual donors that saw our desperate need for shade in the parking lot at St. John’s. Come out and join us as we celebrate “Farmers Market Week” on August 7th and sign up here for our Market Tours guided by our amazing community leaders.
Tyler Horne, Urban Harvest’s Saturday Farmers Market Director
