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Q.C. Farmers' Market loads up on produce
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From left, Eco-Kiddos co-founder David Brandhorst, Agritopia's Kasondra Brunson and The Deli in Queen Creek's Blake Mastyk are teaming up to make sure this weekend's Farmers Market has plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables.
Tim Hacker, Tribune
This weekend's Queen Creek Farmers' Market is expecting to go from famine to feast.
Three local growers have teamed up with the Queen Creek Chamber of Commerce to make sure Saturday's farmers' market, the last one for this season, has plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables.
David Brandhorst, one of the owners of the new Eco-Kiddos garden in Queen Creek, partnered with The Deli and south Gilbert's Agritopia after hearing complaints about too little food at the last market in May.
Brandhorst was at that market, but he was selling only live plants.
"You could see people looking for the food, because it says 'Queen Creek Farmers' Market,'" he said. "We want to have a good presentation, because food is the key to a farmers' market."
This time, the three growers will have 60 to 80 feet worth of tables pushed together and filled with fresh produce, he said. Kasondra Brunson, farm manager at Agritopia, said there's a need for a market in Queen Creek, but it will be hard to attract vendors until it's established.
"It's really heartbreaking for me, as a farmer," Brunson said. "We have such an availability of things we can grow here. We have farmers in the local area; it's just heartbreaking that no one else is participating."
Kim Moyers, who works in the town's economic development department, is pleased the group is filling a need.
"Knowing we have plenty produce is a good start," she said.
On top of the produce, there will be about 40 vendors selling other types of food, crafts and other items.
Saturday's is the fourth Farmers' Market in the town. The first was in October. The Town Council will evaluate how the year went and how often future markets should be held in July, Moyers said.
Brandhorst and Brunson both hope the markets become a more regular feature.
"We're working on it. We want to support the town, but we need a constant place to do it," Brandhorst said. "You don't shop for food like you do your TV. You need to reload every week."
FYI
The Queen Creek Farmers' Market is 8 a.m. to noon Saturday at Queen Creek Library, 21802 S. Ellsworth Road.
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