Enjoy bounty of harvest at Meeker Farmers’ Market

The Meeker Farmers’ Market is doing well as Colorado is approaching peak harvest time. Three to four vendors from the Grand Junction area, Meeker and Craig are pitching their tents early every Saturday morning to be open for business by 8 a.m. They close down by noon before heading home to their farms. Townsfolk have been busy buying farm fresh produce or farm produced meat, cheese and soaps. Delicious Palisade peaches have been and will be available on each market day. As the peak of harvest time is approaching, vendors are able to sell larger quantities for canning or other ways of winter storage. Several potential new vendors have shown interest and could possibly join us with additional products later in the season.
Market time is also a great time to visit with friends under the shade of the trees on the courthouse lawn. At times, musicians like David Cole, Mary Krueger and Jim McFarland have provided pleasant background tunes. Jen Taylor and Katie Day, with Foods-Are-Us, have been helping with free recipes featuring the fresh foods available at the market, along with food-related games or brain teasers.
Customer support and attendance has been very good some weeks (370 visitors counted), but we have experienced declines in attendance the last several weeks (down to 180). The market organizers hope that the community is enjoying the market and that repeat customers will keep coming, and we encourage new customers to come and take advantage of the readily available fresh produce and other products. Consistent, high weekly attendance will allow for the market to continue in the future by providing the vendors continuous business and rewarding them for their hard work and their weekly commitment to Meeker.
New producers and vendors are welcome. Local community groups are invited to talk to the organizers and explore opportunities to conduct an event during market time. The Meeker Farmers Market has been organized by community members associated with Rio Blanco Farm Bureau. Those unpaid volunteers are doing this to provide more local food choices, stimulate local food production, and help the community. Anybody who wants to be part of the group or has constructive suggestions is welcome to contact Katie Day at 878-0165 or Albert Krueger at 878-4138.