From Small Seeds…
OSU-OKC Farmers’ Market
to Return Downtown in 2007

The OSU-OKC Farmers’ Market in downtown Oklahoma City, introduced this year by Oklahoma State University-Oklahoma City, will return in 2007 with the promise of more vendors and with the support of additional partners in the project.

Despite record heat and drought through most of the summer, the OSU-OKC Farmers’ Market downtown location has demonstrated the potential for greater success with improvements planned for next year. The City of Oklahoma City and the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture will join OSU-Oklahoma City and Downtown Oklahoma City, Inc., in presenting the OSU-OKC Farmers’ Market downtown in 2007.

“This year’s weather was about as difficult as it can get for our vendors and our shoppers,” said Dr. Jerry Carroll, president of OSU-OKC. “But the downtown community and our Oklahoma farmers have demonstrated that this is a win-win opportunity we need to pursue.”

Sales at the OSU-OKC Farmers’ Market downtown location – held each Wednesday – were exceptionally strong until soaring temperatures diminished the numbers of customers and the quantities of available products. The top sales day thus far was May 17 when 25 vendors participated and single day sales exceeded $8,000.

“The OSU-OKC Farmers’ Market in downtown Oklahoma City can be one of the best in the region, both for our state’s farmers and for downtown employees and residents,” said Secretary of Agriculture Terry Peach whose department will help facilitate the participation of more vendors of Oklahoma-grown products. “The numbers of employees in downtown and nearby can make this market a model.”

The OSU-OKC Farmers’ Market will continue on Couch Drive in downtown again next season, through the cooperation of the City of Oklahoma City. Couch “park” is nestled between skyscrapers, near the largest concentration of employees in the state and across the street from the renovated Skirvin Hilton which will open early in 2007. The median, which features sculptures and fountains, can accommodate up to 40 vendors.

“We are glad to help continue to host the market,” said City Manager Jim Couch. “It’s a unique setting that we now know can work.”

Downtown Oklahoma City, Inc., will again assist by promoting the market to downtown employees, businesses, visitors and residents. “The market is just one more way we can make downtown special and we’re looking forward to the increased number of vendors and attendance we will have in the years ahead,” said Dave Lopez, president of DOKC.

From Small Seeds…
OSU-OKC Farmers’ Market
to Return Downtown in 2007

The OSU-OKC Farmers’ Market in downtown Oklahoma City, introduced this year by Oklahoma State University-Oklahoma City, will return in 2007 with the promise of more vendors and with the support of additional partners in the project.

Despite record heat and drought through most of the summer, the OSU-OKC Farmers’ Market downtown location has demonstrated the potential for greater success with improvements planned for next year. The City of Oklahoma City and the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture will join OSU-Oklahoma City and Downtown Oklahoma City, Inc., in presenting the OSU-OKC Farmers’ Market downtown in 2007.

“This year’s weather was about as difficult as it can get for our vendors and our shoppers,” said Dr. Jerry Carroll, president of OSU-OKC. “But the downtown community and our Oklahoma farmers have demonstrated that this is a win-win opportunity we need to pursue.”

Sales at the OSU-OKC Farmers’ Market downtown location – held each Wednesday – were exceptionally strong until soaring temperatures diminished the numbers of customers and the quantities of available products. The top sales day thus far was May 17 when 25 vendors participated and single day sales exceeded $8,000.

“The OSU-OKC Farmers’ Market in downtown Oklahoma City can be one of the best in the region, both for our state’s farmers and for downtown employees and residents,” said Secretary of Agriculture Terry Peach whose department will help facilitate the participation of more vendors of Oklahoma-grown products. “The numbers of employees in downtown and nearby can make this market a model.”

The OSU-OKC Farmers’ Market will continue on Couch Drive in downtown again next season, through the cooperation of the City of Oklahoma City. Couch “park” is nestled between skyscrapers, near the largest concentration of employees in the state and across the street from the renovated Skirvin Hilton which will open early in 2007. The median, which features sculptures and fountains, can accommodate up to 40 vendors.

“We are glad to help continue to host the market,” said City Manager Jim Couch. “It’s a unique setting that we now know can work.”

Downtown Oklahoma City, Inc., will again assist by promoting the market to downtown employees, businesses, visitors and residents. “The market is just one more way we can make downtown special and we’re looking forward to the increased number of vendors and attendance we will have in the years ahead,” said Dave Lopez, president of DOKC.
This would be but yet another "historical tie" to the past for downtown Okc.

Here's a vintage pic when the downtown "Farmers Market" downtown really was exactly that (probably taken in 1907 in the 100 block on West California).

http://www.dougloudenback.com/downtown/vintage/1900.farmersmarket.jpg

That was then and this is now, and I hope the 2006-07 "Farmer's Market" succeeds and I wish the project well ... but certainly this past year's and the year prior OSU market on Portland has diminished in its value ... big time ... IMO, if you want to buy Oklahoma grown produce. The 2006 year at that locale was a severe disappointment to what it has been in the past, IMO.

This has been a tough year for everyone's garden including the farmers Doug. Our garden at home had lots of eggplants and cucumbers, but not many good tomatos and peppers. Too damn hot! Hopefully, 2006 was not the beginning of a trend and next year will see the return of lots of goodies at the OSU Saturday Market.

The beef, bison and venison producers are still worth a visit anytime though as well as some of the other vendors offering soaps, honey and so forth. Usually some fine baked goods as well.

Thanks for this photo and all of the other great ones that you post. You must never sleep.

BTW, I mentioned the former Beverly's site to Greg Banta and he is going to have his leasing folks have a go at bring them back home to 11th and Walker. We'll see how it goes. He also has a couple of other restaurants talking to him about spots just north of Plaza Court on Walker. New "Midtown Restaurant Row" in the making.

Doug,

I would love to have a copy of that photo to use in next year's marketing of the market. Is that possible?

Kim

I realy wish the Farmer's Public Market downtown would do something. I thought they were renovating it, but I went by there today and that place is an absolute eyesore.

kim, any update when the farmers market will open downtown this spring?

The OSU-OKC Farmers’ Market is coming to downtown Oklahoma City. Beginning May 23, the renowned Farmers’ Market will be open Wednesdays, 10 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., through July 25 in Couch Park, located between Broadway and Robinson at Robert S. Kerr Avenue, adjacent to Kerr Park. The downtown market is a partnership between OSU-OKC and Downtown Oklahoma City, Inc.

The OSU-OKC Farmers’ Market is a member of the Oklahoma Grown Farmers Market program, registered with the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry. Every item sold at the market is grown or made in Oklahoma. Items available include produce, dairy, eggs, meats, nuts, baked items and processed foods - many of which are certified organic.

In addition to a wide array of food items, the Market offers plant materials, fresh cut flowers, and a variety of handmade skin care and craft items. This year visitors will also be able to enjoy weekly art exhibits provided by The Art Groups (TAG), an organization of local artisans
For more information, visit OSU-Oklahoma City Farmers Market (http://www.osuokc.edu/farmersmarket).

If people like the idea of having a farmers' market downtown, the most important thing they can do is go there and spend money.

Last year was not a good garden year, but another factor in available supply is that demand for locally grown vegetables is much greater than the supply. Anyone with access to the larger markets in the state is practically guaranteed to be able to sell everything they grow directly to the public -- "public" including restaurants and institutions. I get phone calls all the time from restaurants and food brokers looking for quantities of locally grown vegetables (I'm the president of the Oklahoma Food Cooperative, Oklahoma Food Cooperative - Local Food, Local Farmers - Farmer's Market, Natural, organic, health, sustainable, locally grown, meat, vegetables, nuts, produce, bread (http://www.oklahomafood.coop) , and we come up in online searches for "Oklahoma grown food".)

Note that people in cities can grow substantial market gardens. these guys,

SPIN-Farming (http://www.spinfarming.com)

"Small Plot INtensive", gross $50,000 on a half acre growing vegetables in Canada and selling them direct to customers. The land they use isn't even in one plot, it's scattered around in people's back yards.

A place like Oklahoma City, with its relative low density and large yards, could host several urban market gardens that could help increase the supply of fresh seasonal vegetables.

I agree jpeace and that's why I support the downtown Farmers market and buy stuff on Wednesdays and will continue to. I'm not sure your point exactly. Perhaps the President of the Ok Food Co-Op could tell us more on how to get market gardens going and start a public initiative and perhaps some press appearances to get the ball rolling........

Just an idea.

I agree jpeace and that's why I support the downtown Farmers market and buy stuff on Wednesdays and will continue to. I'm not sure your point exactly. Perhaps the President of the Ok Food Co-Op could tell us more on how to get market gardens going and start a public initiative and perhaps some press appearances to get the ball rolling........

Just an idea.

My point was that one of the problems with vegetables is that there isn't enough production to satisfy the demand. Thus, "you heard it first here." Boosting urban and rural market gardening will be one of my primary projects for the next year. I'm still working on details, but my plan is to encourage people to organize small, worker-owned cooperatives to do market gardening. Initially these would be part-time jobs, but over 2 or 3 years they could very well grow into good paying full time jobs, "owned" by the workers.

Just wanted to remind everyone that the downtown Farmer's Market is every Wednesday. Let's all do our part and support it so we can continue to see more outdoor markets and retailers in downtown.

Kim, when does the downtown farmers market end for the season??

I was at Farmer's Market on Saturday and noticed that they had signs that the market was back on Portland on Wednesdays. This led me to believe that they are not having Farmer's Market downtown anymore.

kim, can you please clarify?

Hi!

The last day DT was July 25. The reason it ended early this year is because last year there was nothing to sell in Aug because of the drought. OSU did not want to commit, it was pretty hard on the vendors last year. Of course, this year all of the stuff is just now coming out because of the rain. Just bad luck. Maybe next year we will have it figured out.

Kim

Can it not be extended easily? If the crops are doing good and the vendors are selling, why can't it be extended instead of waiting a whole year? We need more of this stuff downtown and more frequently. Especially with all the new residents coming online downtown.

The first day of this seasons downtown farmers market didn't go so well yesterday thanks to the storms. See pics on Steve's blog:

OKC Central — All about downtown OKC (http://blog.newsok.com/okccentral)

Did they relocate? I looked at the picture, but its nothing like the place that used to be so busy and is called Farmers Market along with flea market and antique mall. There is a huge 3 floors building that is now closed. Only a handful of vendors on the first floor still there. Its somewhere south of I-40. I can't remember the name of the streets. But I do obviously know there is no OSU campus nearby.