Farmers’ Market to open Saturday

As the sun rises Saturday over Bloomington, John Byers will be setting up his booth to prepare for the start of the season – the farmers market season.\nStarting this Saturday until the last Saturday in November, the Bloomington Farmers’ Market is open to the community.\nLast season, the market had 91 vendors and averaged about 3,500 customers per Saturday, said Marcia Veldman, the farmers market coordinator.\nVeldman said the first Saturday of the season won’t be too busy. But as more produce becomes available, along with a wider variety of vendors, the market will be “packed full” of people.\nThe market is located at Eighth and Morton streets in the Showers Common next to City Hall.\nByers, who has been involved in the farmers market since 1993, specializes in selling maple syrup. He describes the syrup he sells as having “more character” than typical store-bought syrup. Because he is a small producer, he said, the syrup isn’t blended, resulting in a different and sweet result.\nByers was raised on a farm, which sparked him to help Tom and Dan Weber, two brothers who own Weber’s Sugar Camp.\nByers said the maple syrup is produced in the spring and takes about 50 gallons of sap per 1 gallon of syrup, along with “lots and lots of firewood.”\n“The (farmers market) is a great place where the customer and the vendor can meet face-to-face and know they are getting an honest product,” Byers said.\nBloomington’s Farmers’ Market was started in 1975 and serves as a growers-only market, meaning the people selling the produce or other products are those who grew it, Veldman said.\nNew market hours, inspired by daylight saving time, are in place this year. The market will be open from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. each Saturday until the end of September and from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. during October and November.\nWith the sudden cold front invading Bloomington’s previously warm spring season, Veldman anticipates that not as many customers will come out, but vendors will be there, she said. Overall, she said she feels people will bundle up and enjoy the first day of the market season.\nBesides maple syrup, the market offers customers the chance to purchase other dairy products, freshly grown vegetables and fruits, along with selections of perennial plants and annuals and freshly cut flower bouquets.\nEach week also offers food to the community prepared by local vendors such as the Scholars Inn Bakehouse or the Market Cafe operated by Bloomingfoods. \nAs Byers keeps coming back each year to sell his syrup, he hopes the people keep coming back, he said.\n“I hope lots and lots of folks show up,” he said. “It’s a great place to not only get really great food, but to meet people and discuss the events of the day.”