Saturday mornings in Tower Grove Park are abuzz with activity. Families, yoga mat-wielding exercisers and others of all ages crowd the booths of the Tower Grove Farmers Market, vibrant this time of year with the bright hues of summer’s bounty. Neighbors chat, live music plays, vendors cheerfully make suggestions on how to use their products, and kids squeal as they run barefoot through the nearby fountains.
It’s a special place. Here you’ll find pattypan squash in a rainbow of colors, baby eggplant streaked in shades of purple and white, chunky heirloom tomatoes, freshly harvested mushrooms and peaches warm from the sun. You’ll find locally produced honeys, sauces and cheeses, and freshly baked bread.
This year, the market celebrates its 10th season. It’s one of the region’s only independent farmers markets that operates as a nonprofit, and was founded after Patrick Horine and his wife Jennifer Ryan moved to the Tower Grove neighborhood 12 years ago. “We had been living in San Francisco and found we missed our farmers markets, so we decided to bring something similar to the neighborhood,” he says. Horine also founded Local Harvest Cafe and Grocery.
To ensure fresh and local produce, the market requires that farmers come from no farther than 150 miles. At first, this proved a challenge. “Ten years ago, the local food scene was very different,” Horine says. “There was much less production as far as local food goes, and we had to really search for farmers. We also had a hard time finding local artisanal food producers. Now there are new food businesses opening here all the time.”
Since its founding, the market has grown tremendously, from about 13 vendors and 500 weekly visitors to an average of 60 vendors and 4,500 visitors, Horine says. It strives to go beyond being another place to get groceries. Its goals, outlined in its mission statement, include helping farmers and artisans market their products, promoting the sale of locally grown products, and improving the variety and quality of produce available to St. Louisans. “We want everyone to have access to healthy food, and food that’s fresh is also more nutritious,” Horine says. “We’re equally concerned with the local economy—when you buy local products, you’re keeping a high percentage of your dollars in this economy.”
The market also strives to make fresh, local produce available for all, not just the well-heeled. “A few seasons ago, we started offering EBT (government food subsidies), and now we accept matching EBT amounts,” Horine says. “So if somebody comes and uses their EBT card and spends $20, we will then match them up to $20. It doubles their buying power.”
WHEN » Saturdays April through November, 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
WHY » To purchase fresh, locally grown foods and support local businesses
Photo: CJ Zeilenga
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