Market Mashups

Recently I became involved in a heated discussion about prepared food vendors at farmers markets. My antagonist, a fellow farmer, maintained their moral superiority for attending a “producer-only” market claiming that many farmers markets have become upscale mobile food courts.“Are you still eating gas station breakfast burritos and Starbuck’s muffins and coffee for breakfast on market day?” I asked. Their silent glare was all I needed to know I had stepped on a nerve. To add insult, I whipped out my iPhone and pulled up a few pictures - a wood-fired pizza topped with chorizo and cilantro sprouts, a rice bowl with pickled vegetables and Korean BBQ topped with a fried egg.“Yeah, that looks good, but they probably shop at Costco,” was the retort.*Queue sound of game show buzzer for wrong answer*“No. Actually, I watch each week as the prepared food vendors walk around the hour prior to the opening of market to pick out their ingredients for the day. Some even get from me so I’m essentially eating my own food that I didn’t have to cook.” But my conversation didn’t stop there.Statistics reported that in 2017 50.3 million people ate at a fast-food restaurant ten or more times in thirty days and twenty million dined in a sit-down restaurant in the same period.Recognizing the growing number of people who want convenience combined with fresh, locally produced foods, farmers markets have evolved to meet consumer demands.To set the bar, Central Farm Markets includes specific guidelines in their operating regulations for vendors to maximize the use of local products. For instance, condiments such as mustard and ketchup must be made by or for the vendor selling it using local produce.There is more collaboration between vendors taking place at farmers markets than ever before. Didn’t get to see the prepared food vendors shopping first thing in the morning on market day? Stick around after the close of market and you’ll see scenes such as Heirloom Kitchen gathering up ingredients from fellow vendors that will return to market as delicious soups, fermented foods makers with crates of raw ingredients and bakers amassing fruits and cheeses.The latest generation of market vendors are taking prepared foods to the next level. The Gather Company provides culinary services, including prepared meals that use ingredients fresh from the market.In addition to the feel-good atmosphere of vendors helping vendors, Central Farm Markets considers the waste associated with ready-to-eat products. Vendors serving foods that are prepared for consumption at the market are asked to use compostable or recyclable plate-ware and cutlery. No poly foam containers are permitted.Having prepared foods that used ingredients from the markets has a bonus. Consumers get to taste ingredients they may easily overlook at the market because they are unfamiliar with their preparation.Look for market mash-ups throughout the season as vendors enjoy pointing out when they combine other producers’ ingredients to cook up a delicious success.