Majority of Vendors at Farmers Market in Sunset Valley Remain; now called SFC Farmers’ Market at Sunset Valley
Sustainable Food Center (SFC), a local non-profit, has answered to the call from the farming and small local business community to keep a farmers’ market at Sunset Valley. SFC will begin operating a Saturday farmers’ market next week under a temporary permit, March 20, pending approval by the Sunset Valley city council. A majority of the vendors from the previous Sunset Valley Farmers Market will be continuing to sell in the Toney Burger Center area and adjacent Pillow Street. Some farmers who have only been at SFC’s Austin Farmers’ Market downtown will now be at both locations. Now called the SFC Farmers’ Market at Sunset Valley, the market will feature about 50 vendors to start, with a majority of them farmers. There will also be quality ready-to-eat and value added vendors, as well as a small group of artisans.
Customers are welcome to use the same ample parking that they are accustomed to, and are invited to stop by the Information Booth to learn about the change and how to continue support of the farmers. After an interim temporary period of operation, the market is up for review of an annual permit at the City of Sunset Valley April 6th council meeting.
The market hours remain the same, from 9 am to 1 pm, and the location of the market will move slightly to the east within the area. SFC’s application with the City of Sunset Valley expresses an intent to run the market weekly, rain or shine, year-round.
SFC is prepared to carry out our mission of cultivating a healthy community by strengthening the local food system and improving access to nutritious, affordable food. We institute a number of educational and accessible programs at the markets we operate, including the SNAP Lone Star program, Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program coupons for fruits and vegetables during the summertime, farmers’ product tasting tent, chef’s demos, gardening workshops, etc. We are a local 501 (c)(3) non-profit and have been involved in the community of growing food for more than 35 years.
Find out more about SFC’s family of farmers’ markets and programs at www.austinfarmersmarket.org and www.sustainablefoodcenter.org . We’ll see you at Sunset Valley this Saturday!
Thank you,
Suzanne Santos, Austin Farmers’ Market Director Ronda Rutledge, Executive Director
Sustainable Food Center Sustainable Food Center
Thank you!
Comment by Deborah — March 14, 2010 @ 10:36 am
actually that is not true at all. We were there on Saturday (as we are every saturday) and spoke to most every vendor. It is my estimation that 95% of the vendors at Sunset Valley are moving to the new location at the Barton Creek Mall parking lot. The lady and her husband that sell lettuce are moving to Cedar Park but all the other major vendors we spoke with are going to Barton Creek. Also from what we heard this all got started because of one or two disgruntled vendors (really you work at a farmers market and your disgruntled? tough life) and that the end result is everyone has to now move because of these one or two disgruntled farmers. So these disgruntled farmers/vendors will now join with the downtown people who want to do double booths downtown and sunset valley. From talking to the regular customers it seems they are also going to take their business to Barton Creek. That’s where my family and I are going…..
C
Dear Cory,
I would encourage you to not throw the baby out with the bath water. Why do YOU go to farmers’ markets? To buy fresh local food? Humanely raised meats? To get some really good locally made specialty food items? If these are your reasons for going to a farmers’ market, then let your passion about food guide you (and your proximity to the fulfillment of that passion), rather than “he said/she said” type exercises that really don’t let you enjoy your ultimate reason for being at farmers’ markets in the first place. Maybe go to all markets on Saturday, including Boggy Creek Farm, Austin Farmers’ Market – Downtown, SFC Farmers’ Market at Sunset Valley, and Barton Creek FM to see what best suits your culinary tastes. NOT ESTIMATES (as of 3/17): Staying at SV–21 farmers (4 more to come in one to two weeks); 19 food vendors; 4 artisans/crafters.
Comment by Cory — March 15, 2010 @ 9:43 am
Please get the word out. This is being incorrectly reported everywhere because the only people submitting STORIES to the news happens to be Sunset Valley Farmer’s Market ™
Comment by Shadrach — March 15, 2010 @ 10:23 am
[...] SFC Sunset Valley : Saturday 9am – 1pm, Toney Burger Center Share/Save March 15th, 2010 | Category: Farmers Market [...]
Thank you, Austin Food Journal, for having a sense of humor.
Pingback by UPDATE: Sunset Valley Market Moved… Again « Austin Food Journal — March 15, 2010 @ 11:10 am
whoever responded to my post didn’t read it real well…I wasn’t saying anything other then the original blog said “a majority of the vendors from Sunset valley are staying” and from what I heard from all the vendors I spoke to, that is not a true statement and I stick by that statement. I also said it was a shame that a few unhappy vendors have caused such an uproar that everyone there is moving….that a few would cause such upheaval for a majority….hhhmmm seems to me that for a bunch of “liberal organic” non profity anti-wall-street types this almost seems like one of those hostile business takeovers…..
Comment by cory — March 17, 2010 @ 1:33 pm
Hi Cory,
I am a farmer who has chosen to stay in Sunset Valley and have also watched this situation play out over the last few months. Having been a bystander, I would ask you if you knew why those “few farmers” were disgruntled, and if it was possible that they were not alone but just the people putting voices to real issues. Many farmers had real concerns about quality of goods being sold, about losing our lease, and about the stability and health of the market. I don’t feel it’s necessary to fill in all the details, but I for one am very happy to have the SFC leading the continuation of the market in Sunset Valley. I have spoken with several of the SFC staff in the past few months and spoken to a lot of the farmers they work with. They are good people who promote and support the local food movement transparently. They also are steadfast to the most important guidelines we growers have; we must grow or produce all goods sold at the market. I also believe that there is a lot to be said about character here. I was not involved directly in all the drama that has ensued but in the last few weeks have not had a choice as it has sought me out. No one from the SFC has said a single bad thing about the other party involved and I have witnessed people really poking and reaching with no acknowledgement from the SFC staff. The high road is often the more difficult path and I commend the SFC for the job they have done in the past few weeks. I hope you don’t receive my words as an attack but as maybe a little insider trading… We, as farmers, really just want to grow amazing food and get it to our community through markets and businesses that practice the same value of integrity we strive for daily. Also, please remember that for many of us Saturdays at the market is our “day off” because we work seven days a week. We don’t just work a farmers market and call it a day afterwards either we go home and unpack, wash everything from the market, prep beds by hand, hoe and weed, plant more, check water, fix pipes, feed animals, pay bills, write newsletters, buy supplies, fertilize, till, plan events for extra income, repurpose unsold goods, harvest for upcoming markets or orders, plan the coming week, try and decifer the weather, and take care of our families. Believe me we will stand up when we feel like we are being misled, misinformed, misrepresented, and generally not taken care of. We work hard for it! I genuinely believe that good will come from all of this and we look forward to seeing you and your family at the market!
Comment by Melody — March 25, 2010 @ 6:42 am
[...] Sustainable Food Center Market – Sunset Valley : Saturday 9am – 1pm 3200 Jones Street (Toney Burger Center Parking Lot) Austin, TX Share/Save var a2a_config = a2a_config || {}; a2a_config.linkname="SFC Market at Sunset Valley Loves Hot Food"; a2a_config.linkurl="http://www.austinfoodjournal.com/?p=5487"; a2a_config.onclick=1; April 28th, 2010 | Category: Farmers Market [...]
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