A Farmers Market on Friday? In the afternoon?
Yes, the Village at Grand Traverse Commons Farmers Market began their second season Friday afternoon, kicking off a weekly harvest of fresh fruits, vegetables, plants and other items.
Open from 3-7 p.m. through September adjacent to the Building 50 complex, the Farmers Market last week drew a handful of vendors and shoppers, as organizers prepared for more.
Launched last year during the National Cherry Festival, the farmers market may expand next month to include Tuesday afternoons.
"There was a need for this, the downtown one is just packed and this area could support another one,” said Lori Soloway, a farmer from Fife Lake who has spearheaded the effort. "What I like about 3-7 p.m. is that first of all [farmers] can pick their produce in the morning before the heat and second, with the gas prices so high, it will be more convenient for customers to come down here on their way home.”
"It was great here last year, the customers loved it,' she added.
A regular last year at the venue, which also offered meat and a range of fresh and value-added products, Evelyn Shelagowski walked over from her nearby condo for this year's kick off. A booster of the Village at Grand Traverse Commons concept in general, she has lived in Building 20 since 2005 and relishes the convenience of a farmers market virtually at her door.
"I was here every time, they had so many goodies,” she enthused Friday as she shopped. "I'm going to plant a garden, too, a plot right here on the hill.”
Ann England had never heard of the alternative farmers market, as Soloway dubs it, but saw the prominent signs pointing to it as she headed home from Munson Medical Center.
"We decided to stop, we love farmers markets,” she said. "We're hoping for some fresh flowers, so he's making us up a bouquet.”
The "he” being Jim Kelderhouse of Copper River Farm in Elmwood Township, who brought a vivid display of seasonal cut flowers, including lilacs, snowball, viburnum, bridal wreath spirea, bunny tails and old-fashioned dame's violets. He offered customers pre-made or custom bouquets as well as bags of fresh spinach. His first stop at the Village at Grand Traverse Commons Farmers Market intrigued him and he is adding it to his summer market list.
"I'd like to promote this and think it is going to attract people,” he said, adding philosophically about the modest attendance: "It is early yet and a lot of the vendors don't have a lot of product as well.”
Ray Minervini of the Minervini Group has been supportive of the concept since the beginning, welcoming an additional community event to the commons area.
"We want to make it a community place, the Village at Grand Traverse in general,” said Deanna Morris, a marketing intern for the Minervini Group. "[The market] not only helps the farmers out but helps us build the community and get the word out about what we're doing here on the campus.”
Other vendors Friday included a soap maker, a farmer offering vegetable transplants and hydroponic tomatoes plus a seller offering flats containing a variety of flowers. Soloway said the market would welcome vendors of all types and she hopes one day that will include arts and crafts.
"They will mingle well with the local farmers market,” she said.
Teresa Peck of Wildflower Soapworks in Elk Rapids displayed a table filled with fragrant, home made soaps. A veteran of many farmers markets, including those in Traverse City, Elk Rapids and Gaylord, she plans to add the Village to her summer roster.
"Friday afternoon works because there's not a lot going on,” she noted.
The Village at Grand Traverse Commons Farmers Market will be held on Fridays from 3-7 p.m. through September.