BOISE, ID — The Boise Farmers Market has doubled in size since it started 11 years ago. Vendors have established a community that supports their peers and local farms.
“You can ask questions here. You can learn a lot about food.” The Boise Farmers Market is looking for a permanent location at the Idaho Botanical Garden for expansion. Boise Farmers Market
(The following is a transcript of the full broadcast content.)
It’s spooky season at the Boise Farmers Market, but what’s not scary is meeting the people who are directly responsible for your food.
“You can ask questions here. You can learn a lot about food,” says Janie Burns of Meadowlark Farm.
Eleven years later, the Boise Farmers Market has outgrown its original location at 10th and Grove, doubling the number of vendors and tripling sales.
Amber Bayer, executive director of the Boise Farmers Market, told me, “…what I mean is, last year, vendors reported more than $2.5 million in sales. , the vendor came to us and told us the sales figures. I mean, impact.
As the valley widens, farmland shrinks. Farmers markets provide community and resources, especially for farmers when Mother Nature intervenes and causes devastating losses.
“They did nothing wrong,” Beyer says. “And this community, this farmers market community came together and we raised $11,000 within a week so they could get it done and recoup some of their losses. As long as we continue, we can keep the farmers market going and we can bring this community together.”
From Boise to Nampa to Sand Hollow, farmers serve growing communities and customers become increasingly knowledgeable.
“I think the biggest difference between when we started and today is the sophistication of our customers and their knowledge of what they want,” Burns adds.
