The corn's been selling out before closing time. The heirloom tomatoes disappear, too. This summer, farmers' markets have emerged as consumer-driven havens for decidedly local foods sold in a setting of tell-all candor.
In a summer vexed by food safety worries and gasoline-cost anxiety, farmers' markets are mushrooming. Growers also report favorable weather conditions as boosting this summer's harvest - as well as increasing attendance. Consumers say they are shopping for price and assurances that the food comes from farms no more than about 50 miles away.
"I've gone from two workers at the Waverly Market to five," said Cindi Umbarger, who owns Woolsey Farm in Harford County's Churchville. "I've gone from three freezers to four. I've gone from one to two trucks."
The inquiries are different as well. "I can tell all our new customers by all the questions they asked," Umbarger said. "They asked about how our animals are housed. They asked about hormones and antibiotics. They asked where our feed comes from."
Mark Powell, chief of marketing and agricultural development at the Maryland Department of Agriculture, said sales numbers are not in yet, but he is hearing that sales are up.
"For years, the Maryland Department of Agriculture labored in the wilderness trying to promote our local produce. All of a sudden, it's red-hot," he said. "All of the indicators say there is something going on in the minds of consumers saying, 'We want local.'"
Added Vernon "Mark" Rey, president of the 32nd Street Farmers' Market in Baltimore's Waverly neighborhood: "Vendors tell me they are up 25 percent from a year ago. Some are up 50 percent."
And while the customer base remains top-heavy with those seeking a quart box of ripe tomatoes or peaches, restaurateurs now shop these stalls to acquire ingredients they will later promote for their Maryland pedigree and eco-friendly status.
"My egg and chicken customers like the story behind the product," said Andy Bachman of Fallston, who has doubled the number of eggs he typically sells on a busy Saturday. "They want that local product, and they are willing to pay for it. There is a real interest in and appreciation of the egg."
One way to measure the increased attraction is by the number of markets. The state reports that in 2004, Maryland had 72 farmers' markets, up from 30 a decade earlier. Last year, there were 74 markets; this year, there are 84. The Baltimore area now has 10 markets from Catonsville to Dundalk.
