Baby steps to market

The Caldwell Farmers' Market will mark its third week this Wednesday...of course the planning and preparation for the market has been going on much longer. Months of work went into making the market a reality... and it is still in its infancy with seven vendors. The good news is the market is helping to revitalize downtown Caldwell. It's giving community members a reason to gather. The market also gives people a chance to interact with the folks who grow the food they are buying. So far, customers have had a chance to pick up farm fresh eggs (ones containing vibrant golden yolks instead of the pasty paleness found in most store bought varieties), lamb sausage (yum), plant starts, lettuce mixes, leeks, rhubarb, and fresh salsa. And of course, the market always has music... from 4 p.m. - 7 p.m. families can enjoy entertainment in the cool grass planted along the banks of Indian Creek. Late spring and early summer is proving a challenge in the recruiting of vendors... we're the only mid-week market in the Treasure Valley, but are finding that many producers have full-time jobs and aren't able to commit to Wednesday evenings, even if they have the product to sell. For now, the advisory board is hoping to grow slowly over the season.