City to add new farmers’ market

By John W. Goodwin Jr.

A trial run is planned during the annual Walk on Wick event in July.

YOUNGSTOWN — Those living, working or just visiting the downtown area will soon have a new place to pick up fresh fruits and vegetables.

Common Wealth Inc., a Youngstown-based nonprofit organization, will be expanding on the idea of a farmers’ market in the city with an additional downtown farmers’ market on Tuesdays beginning July 22 on Federal Plaza near Market Street.

Jim Converse, regional developer with Common Wealth Inc., said there will be a trial run for the market during the Walk on Wick event July 12.

Common Wealth has operated a farmers’ market near Wick Park on the North Side since 2003. That market operates Saturday mornings and also runs from July through September.

Converse said the market ends in September, not for a lack of interest, but because the summer growing months end at that time.

Converse said it is time to expand the market to accommodate a growing downtown presence.

“A lot of people who work downtown don’t come back on Saturday, so we just want to catch them on Tuesday. Phil Kidd with the city asked us to do this also as a means of helping with the growth of downtown,” he said. “I think there will be a lot of interest in this. A lot of people work downtown and with the redevelopment there will be a lot of people living there. There are also seniors who live there now.”

Kidd, downtown director of special events and special projects, said he had heard much discussion about the potential for a downtown farmers’ market before the idea was put into play, and all the discussion seemed to be in favor of the idea.

“The idea of a farmers’ market downtown has been suggested and desired since I have been coming to the downtown area,” said Kidd. “The idea has been very well received by the downtown community. I have received nothing but positive feedback.”

Converse said he believes the downtown market will also be successful because many people are getting back to buying freshly picked fruits and vegetables. He said it is nice to see people who operate roadside stands drive into the city and make those products available to those in the city — especially those who do not have the means to travel far.

Pat Rosenthal, executive director at Common Wealth, said the move to fresh, just-picked produce from local growers is becoming more common. She said that direct interaction between customer and grower, and the desire of many people to explore that option, will be the topic of an Arts and Lecture series starting July 14 at First Unitarian Church on Elm Street.

Converse said many of the sellers who participate in the farmers’ market often do more business in one morning than they would typically do in a week’s time at a roadside stand.

Converse said the benefits to those buying goods at the market are simple to understand.

“Across the board, for the variety of goods, it is price competitive, plus it’s all fresh, having been picked just that morning,” he said.

Converse said there is always the possibility of making the market a daily operation, but that depends on customer response. He said an area the size of Youngstown typically does better with a market operating a few times a week.

“In bigger cities they may be open every day, but in midsize and smaller cities, it’s only a couple of days a week. People just don’t come out every day,” he said.

jgoodwin@vindy.com