Minneapolis Farmer's Market celebrates 75 years at current location

Early years of the Minneapolis Farmer's Market

Minneapolis Farmer's market

Our food class visited the Minneapolis Farmer's Market yesterday.  We discovered it began way back in 1876, when hay was the primary item for sale.  With horses being used as the common means of transportation hay was in great demand.

In 1937 the Central City Farmers Market was established in its present location off Lyndale Avenue, just north of downtown Minneapolis.

The market was restructured in 1971 as farmers took over the administration.  A resurgence of the flagging farmer's market begin in the 1980s with the addition of Hmong farmers.

Signs above food stalls indicating vendors

A local farmer who presented to the group shared concern about the future of farming. She noted that the average US farmer is 58 years old.

Young vendors at the Farmer's Market

She expressed optimism however about the public's interest in purchasing foods locally directly from the farmers.  This type of transaction puts more money directly into the small farmer's hands, which in turn supports the local economy.  We learned that for every dollar spent on local food four dollars return to the community.