Short season slows sales at Farmers' Market

By DAVID TELLER

Staff Reporter

The Friday Farmers' Market in Cheney will remain open until Oct 17, running one another week longer than the original wrap-up date.

Interim executive director Spencer Grainger made the announcement during the Oct. 3 Farmers' Market. He added that aside from catastrophic weather, the extended market would not be cancelled.

The decision came after Grainger met with vendors to discuss interest, many of whom are hoping for another dose of mild weather. Some of them stated they'll “be here regardless of the weather.”

The Farmers' Market is concluding its fifth season, which Grainger said was a typical season. He said the sale of crafts and handmade items were steady, but noted that it was an off year for produce.

“It seems like it was a really short growing season,” Grainger said.

He added that many of the items were about three weeks late and were not in the quantities that he normally sees. Grainger said the late arrival of spring, and an early frost were the largest contributors. He said he didn't see corn at the market until September.

“Usually we start getting it by July,” Grainger said.

He noted that tomatoes were not in any kind of abundance and the squash were smaller than normal. He also speculates the late arrival of produce, coupled with higher gas prices were factors thwarting produce business.

“People just don't come,” Grainger said of the possible lower profits.

Other vendors' comments reflected similar experience. Coeur d'Alene resident Art Boyman sells his mother's Royal City vegetables at the Farmers' Market. He said even the more central part of Washington had an off-season. Boyman's vegetables are certified organic and he is a vendor at five other markets. Regardless of location, he said other vendors universally say they've had an off year.

Alex Campos, who sells locally made bakery items along with landscaping plants and bushes, said his plants have not sold as well this year. Contractors buy a lot of Campos' shrubs for their new developments. Campos speculates the development phase of local construction is beyond landscaping. He added his Shepherd's Harvest brand pastries have sold well.

Grainger said the timing of the sluggish activity comes when Cheney City Council will vote to renew the yearly contract for Pathways to Progress at the next council meeting.

Grainger said the slow September was characterized by the lack of students and faculty at the beginning of classes at Eastern Washington University.

Grainger said he countered the low turn out with free selling days, (where vendors get a complimentary day to set up at the market). He also said the monthly special events have helped and he stepped up vendor recruiting too.

The monthly special event for October is Autumn Bash where there will be a free pumpkin carving contest, free scarecrow making, live music and a free raffle for prizes of hand-crafted jewelry, a model log cabin school supplies Farmers' Market shirts and tote bags. Pathways to Progress sponsors the Autumn Bash.

Friday Farmers' Market begins at 11 a.m at the corner of First and College streets

David Teller can be reached at [email protected]