Harvesting fun at the Cache Gardener’s Market
While many college students are sleeping in on Saturday morning, Logan’s Gardener’s Market is selling fresh produce, exotic ethnic foods, massages, and homemade crafts in the atmosphere of local music.
Vulkner’s bread, as well as many local farmers and craftsmen sell their products at booths, while a live band plays.
“I like the ambiance, the produce and the bread,” said Isabelle Mccllom, a regular of Logan’s gardener’s market. “It’s really cool because it’s all local, and it’s fresh. You can taste the freshness compared to something that’s been in the store for two weeks.”
Logan resident Nyla Newman said, “I love the diversity. There are crafts, fruit, vegetables, ethnic foods … it’s great. It is the highlight of the summer.”
Vendor coordinator Penny Trinca said, “Logan doesn’t have anything like this, it’s a social event.”
Tom Proffitt, a current vendor, said most of the produce sold is local, and not much more expensive than the grocery store.
“We try to be competitive with our pricing,” he said. “I don’t think anyone is going to come down and get a great deal, but they will get a lot better quality. Some of the stuff we sell we will pick that morning. The roots, beets, and carrots I sell I pick the night before.”
Brent Bryner, another vendor, said the food is not expensive.
“We always try to have things priced less than they are at the store,” he said.
Vendor Paul Cowley said, “It’s definitely cheaper to go to the gardener’s market. A lot of times we’re selling food cheaper than they do at the fruit stands in Brigham City.”
Trinca, like all of the members of the Cache Valley Gardner’s Market Board, is a volunteer. She collects the $2 fee for running a booth and mingles with the customers. She also sells jewelry in her own booth when she’s not working for the board.
“My jewelry money this year has bought me a laptop,” she said.
Trinca has been involved with the market for three of the 20-plus years it has existed. While the market now has more than 60 vendors, Proffitt said it only started with “a handful of folks at a card table.”
Virginia Nelson, one of the founding vendors said in the beginning there were only eight vendors.
“We started on Federal Avenue years ago, then there was one at the Whittier school, then we came down here,” she said.
Trinca said the market has blossomed over the last few years. This year has been the biggest for the market, so far. Crafts and live music have been added, as well as ethnic breakfasts, cooked by Usha Spaulding and Ellen Barr, Trinca said.
“It’s a fun, creative, cultural experience,” Barr said. “We try to do different types of cuisine from different cultures.”
Barr said they have made Indian, French, Spanish and Russian food this summer.
“We serve nothing but the best music and food. It’s a happening place,” Proffitt said.
The local bands that play at the market are volunteers, said Trinca. They often get paid with a basket of produce donated by the vendors. The genre of music varies, and all of it is local, she said.
Trinca said the last day the market will be open this year is Oct. 18. This is also the day of Harvest Fest, where the market will have a celebration.
Until then, Proffitt said the market is open for business and invites students to “come on down have some fun.”
The gardener’s market is located in the parking lot of Tony Roma’s every Saturday morning May through October at 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.
-lroylance@cc.usu.edu
Brian Palmer, of Wellsville, sells roses at the Gardener’s Market. The market, that takes place every Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon, brings many people who sell products from their garden or items they’ve made. (Photo by John Zsiray)