Indoor market connects community

Indoor market connects community


Al Stover / Reporting
Britney Locati / Images

Inside of the lobby of the Browne’s Addition Community Building, local vendors display their home-grown breads and meats while felt hats hang from wire racks and a musician sings her rendition of Jazon Mraz’s “I’m Yours.”

Every Thursday, the Community Building, located at 35 W. Main ave, hosts an indoor farmers market every starting at 11 a.m. and ending at 3 p.m.

According to Tom Tuffin of Arabesque Farms and Bakery, the community building began hosting the indoor farmers market four years ago. 

His wife, Louise, adds that the main reason for starting the farmers market was for selling their bread directly to their customers. 

“It has turned out better than we ever thought,” Louise said. 

“So” Angell, one of the owners the Rocky Ridge Ranch that is based out of Rearden, was one of the first vendors to partner with the Tuffins. Angell said the market has helped her with selling her free ranged meats and organically grown vegetables.

“It helps pay for the land and the tractors,” Angell said. 

Stacy Blowers, another vendor, sells hand-made chocolates and preservatives that are made with 10 percent sugar. Blowers said the farmers market gives her a hands on approach with her customers. 

“I get good feedback and requests,” Blowers said. “People tell me what they want and I make it for them.”

Brian Estes, a representative for Vinager Flats Community Garden, a program of the St. Margaret’s Shelter, has been a vendor in the market since the beginning of winter. Estes said partnering with the market has helped with their winter potato crop.

“It’s a good outlet to sell what we’ve got left,” Estes said. 

Customers can also buy hand made crafts at the farmers market. Joyce Thomas, who has been a part of the farmers market for two years, uses the wool from the Shetland sheep she raises to create her felted hats and scarves.

“It’s probably eight hours of steady work,” Tom said. 

The farmers market also features entertainment in the form of local musician Suhanna Hamilton, who has been playing the farmers market for two seasons. 

“The people here are wonderful,“ Hamilton said. “It’s one of my favorite gigs.”

Tom said there are 10 vendors every week, on average. He also explained that the structure is less formal.

“There are not a lot of operating rules, people are policing themselves,” Tom said. “There’s a lot more cooperation that way.” 

Kim Harrison owner of Kizuri, a clothing and gifts shop that operates in the same building as the farmers market. She said she loves working alongside the market every week.

“It brings more people into the building,” Harrison said.

Some of the customers who stop in also work in the Community Building. Shannon Blewitt, who works in the Blueprints for Learning organization, bought some bread from the Tuffins and browsed Angell’s meat selection. 

“I am a big advocate for local growers,“ Blewitt said. “I also like the community feeling of the market.”

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Indoor market connects community