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Opening day shoppers

The biggest change this year at the Downtown Lawrence Farmers Market may be in personnel, but look for some variations on familiar tunes. (Do go to the market web site and sign up for the market newsletter. It will keep you updated on available products and events.)

I got a chance to talk with new market coordinator Tom Buller this week, after Saturday’s auspicious opening. As you can see in the photos in this post, fair but cool weather graced opening day, a turnabout from the rain, wind and general unpleasantness that greeted the market the last couple of years.

I was surprised, especially given how cool this spring has been, at the amount and variety of produce available last weekend. Buller said he had the impression that more growers are learning how to extend the season with hoophouses, greenhouses and other techniques.

Graduated opening

Spinach, herbs

One difference this year is that the market is opening and will close in increments. That is, it will have only Saturday markets until the grand opening May 2, after which the Tuesday and Thursday evening markets will resume. (Hour and location details here.) Then, in the fall, the weekday markets will stop at the end of October, but the Saturday market will continue until last Saturday before Thanksgiving. It’s a schedule that makes sense as the number of crops increase into summer and then decrease in the fall.

The opening last weekend with 30 vendors suggests that interest is high, despite the relative lack of promotion. The market board is going to try to increase attendance by both vendors and buyers for the weekday markets, Buller said. To that end, look for coupons for weekday purchases in the weeks ahead. They might also get some musicians or other special activities for those days, too.

Other ideas being talked about include carriage rides on Saturday mornings and a June breakfast event including demonstrations, to coincide with visitors from Japan as part of an exchange organized by the Kansas Rural Center and others.

The coordinator

Bedding plants

I also asked Buller a little about himself. He’s been a grower for himself on land he rents, and he’s worked for or with Wakarusa Valley Farms (which seems to be in the process of changing its web site-and offering a subscription service), one of the bigger produce operations in the area, Moon on the Meadow farm and the Rolling Prairie Farmers Alliance. He also participated in the Growing Growers program in Kansas City.

It’s a tough job, trying to keep vendors and shoppers happy. It could easily be a full-time job (in my opinion), given the promotional, organizational and administrative tasks.

And, good news, he’s a morning person, a very helpful trait in someone who has to get things set up for the market’s 7 a.m. openings on Saturday. He and his wife have two children, ages 4 years and 5 months, so they have their hands full. I’m sure I’m not alone in wishing Buller the best in his new job.

Elsewhere

Buller has a tough act to follow. Former coordinator Mercedes Taylor-Puckett had more ideas for the market than she had time to undertake. She, meanwhile, is still involved with markets, doing statewide farmers market promotion and development in her new position with the Kansas Rural Center. Her job apparently includes a new blog, which I discovered today, called Kansas Farmers’ Markets, aimed at producers and market organizers. She has promised to be at the market this year but as a shopper.