Tower Grove Farmers' Market

Another Call for Your $10 Donation

So far this season we have raised $9,356. In 2009 we raised $17,494 from contributions, which means we've raised half of what we did last year.

It's important for us to go into the winter with a surplus since that is when we, the organizers, are busiest. That's when we design and print marketing pieces, renew insurance policies, replace equipment, and put in the majority of our hours on the market organizing the next season and signing up vendors.

The vast majority of our donations usually come in during the spring months, so we're a little nervous going into the fall with such a gap in our fundraising.

The good news is that if everyone who shops at the market gave an annual $10 donation, we would meet our operating budget. If you love the market and can afford to give, please consider a donation.

Click Here to Become a Friend of the Farmers' Market

There's Still Time for Your Recipe!

Thank you to everyone who submitted a recipe, we received some outstanding submissions and we're looking forward to cooking them all!

While we work through the recipe submissions and start putting the cookbook together, we still have time for you to submit a last minute recipe.

We've made it easy to submit your recipe, just fill out the Word document available here: http://www.tgmarket.org/CookbookRecipeSubmission.doc and email it to us at contact@tgmarket.org.

See you at the market!

The Tower Grove Farmers' Market Team

Tenth Life Cat Rescue at the Market

Stop by this Saturday to meet some cats and kittens in need of a good home.

Put Up Some Food, Eat Local Year Round!

Preserving food takes some effort, but the reward makes the work worthwhile. Come mid-winter a pie made with local peaches or a pasta sauce made with heirloom tomatoes can be a wonderful pick-me-up and can help stave off the winter doldrums.

Freeze: This is the easiest way to store food for the off-season. Most berries, tree fruits, tomatoes, and vegetables can be frozen with minimal effort.More info here.

Can: This method is more labor intensive and requires some knowledge to avoid contamination issues, but it is very rewarding! Many fruits and vegetables do well canned, and the options are limitless for pickling, preserving, and combining ingredients. Look for a good book on canning to help ensure you do it right.

Dry: All this takes is a little patience and it works best if you have a food dehydrator. Dry berries and tree fruit for year round snacks and make your own jerkies to take on hikes and camping trips. Find more info here.

Of course, you can get even more adventurous by turning fruits and veggies into beer, wine, vinegar, and many other concoctions to keep local produce in your pantry year-round.

Downtown Farmers' Market Thursdays

Location

Locust Street between 8th and 9th Streets & Old Post Office Plaza

Day & Time

Thursdays, June - October, 4-7pm

Free Yoga Starts at 9am

Classes are consistenly drawing 90+ students! Come see why this yoga class is so popular.

Misla Brings Irish Sounds to Harvest Sessions

Saturday, July 31
Tower Grove Farmers' Market, 9:30 a.m.
Internationally recognized harpist Eileen Gannon leads the band Misla into Harvest Sessions for a very special performance of traditional Irish music. Join 88.1 KDHX and the Whitaker Foundation for this free concert at the West Pool Pavilion at the Tower Grove Farmers' Market.

Gannon is a classically trained harpist who has also studied ethnomusicology at the University of Limerick, and her expertise and grace have made her one of the central figures on the Irish music scene in St. Louis. Along with her harp, the band Misla features Mary Walsh (flute), Kelly Winter (accordion and concertina) and Kevin Buckley (fiddle and guitar), all coming together for a sound that captures the best of modern and traditional instrumental Irish music.

Who: Misla
What: 88.1 KDHX and the Whitaker Foundation present Harvest Sessions
When: Saturday, July 31. 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Where: West Pool Pavilion, Tower Grove Park at the Tower Grove Farmers' Market
How much: Free

Who is New this Season?

The Farmers' Larder - Smoked & cured meats
Fats Pierre - Breakfast tacos made with local produce
Freeland Vegetable & Berry - Strawberries this weekend!
Murray's Orchard & Berry - seasonal fruits & jams
Provenance Farm - Seasonal specialy produce and specialty meats
Silent Oaks Farm - Seasonal specialty produce
The Big Cheese - Gourmet grilled cheeses with seasonal flair!

Who's Vending This Weekend?

Farmers & Food Vendors

4 Seasons Baked Goods

Baetje Farms

Biver Farms

Black Bear Bakery

Builaland Buila Family Farm

Centennial Farms

City Seeds

Companion Baking

Double Star

Eilerman's Produce & Orchard

The Farmers' Larder (n)

Fats Pierre

Ivan's Fig Farm

Little Pleasure's Foods

Local Harvest Grocery

Missouri Grass Fed Beef

Murray's Orchard

Oh! Crepes

Our Garden

Ozark Forest Mushrooms

Ozark Harvest Farm

Prairie Grass Farms

Provenance Farm & Ravenscroft Collective(n)

Ringhausen Orchard

Sagez Farm

Salume Beddu

Show Me Fresh Farm

Silent Oaks Farm (n)

Sunflower Savannah

The Big Cheese (n)

Three Rivers Community Farm

Traveling Tea with Queen's Cuisine

Whetstone Farm

Yoder Produce

Artisan Vendors

Caitydid Clothing
Little Miss Sassafras
Sew Good and Trendy
Erin Products
Message in a Bottle
Beltshazzar Jewels

We Need Your Help!

Support the farmers' market, become a Friend of the Market today!

Get the details here.

Your Budget Concerns

We received several inquiries and emails after our latest fundraising appeal. Understandably, some of the market shoppers wanted to know why the market is not self-sustaining at this point. They see the market bustling every Saturday, it is obviously successful, yet we keep asking for money.

The briefest answer is that the busy market is great for our vendors, but doesn't necessarily affect our revenue that much. Most of that increased business is benefiting our farmers, which is what we love to see! We started the market with the goal of creating job opportunities for farmers and food entrepreneurs while also bettering the quality of life for St Louis residents.

We have a 2010 budget of around $45,000, about 40% of which will come from vendor fees and a large part of the remainder comes from personal donations. We do not charge our vendors a percentage of their sales, rather a flat fee that we have held steady for three years now. We are proud to offer our farmers space at the market for 1/2 of what similar markets charge. We are able to do that because each year so far, our supporters have come through to make up our budget gap.

For our $45,000 budget we generate roughly $1,000,000 in sales for our farmers and food artisans. Our budget consists of rent, which will approach $8,000 this year, advertising that will be close to $6,000, supplies, insurance, and printing. It also pays the market team. Last year for our time we made close to $6/hour and this year we're hoping to increase that closer to $6.50 or $7.00 per hour.

So, a little clarification can always help. We understand your concerns, we hope everyone understands we work hard to run an efficient organization and to bring the best possible farmers' market to you every Saturday.

With that said, we are still well below our previous fundraising levels for this point in the year. We still have over $15,000 to go in 2010! If you would like to donate, you can do so here.

Thank you for your support!

Thank you to our 2010 Sponsors and Partners!

From individuals, to blog operators, to magazines and community organizations, we are grateful to all of our sponsors and partners! They are listed below.