Farmers Market, Flea Market in Tok?

I know people think Tok is really small, too small for much of anything of interest. How wrong they are. But one thing that Tok doesn’t have is a flea market or farmers market, and I’m thinking that might be a good thing to have, don’t you?

Just got back from Denver where my friend’s neighborhood association puts together a weekly farmers market during the summer months. That’s right – NEIGHBORHOOD. I can’t imagine her neighborhood has more people than Tok’s population, even if it is a Denver neighborhood.

The market featured a few fresh produce stands but consisted mostly of local businesses selling their wares. There were several bakeries, a winery (Bonacquisti Wines trucks in grapes from Grand Junction area – I tried their Syrah Grenache, and it was tasty), several homemade soap makers, special vinegars, a jam maker, eco products, a massage therapist giving free 10 minute sessions, a coloring station for kids, a jewelry maker, and a Thai restaurant stand.

Highland Farmer’s Market…

Why can’t Tok have something like this? Folks could sell eggs, jams, baked goods, used books, excess from abundant vegetable gardens, essential oils, crafts, art. Local folks could play music. I know Delta Junction has one, but that’s quite a drive when we don’t have to leave here to get the same kind of thing.

The Big Orange Truck with California fruits and veggies will be here one more time this month. Wouldn’t it be fun to have everyone with something to sell set up their own tables and turn the lot next to the Husky into an impromptu marketplace? We’ve got so many sugar and snow snap peas and a ton of rhubarb that is still good. Heck, I could get really ambitious and make some rhubarb crisps. And we have several boxes of books we could sell or trade.

What do you think of a little flea/farmers market in Tok? Would you participate, and if so, what would you offer?

Full Circle Farm Coming to Tok

Image by firepile via Flickr

While I was in Anchorage, I was hard-pressed to find fresh and varied organic produce in town. I’d toggle between our neighborhood Carrs and Fred Meyers and struggle to get to the Farmers Market during the summer – a rare moment when I could actually get there with weekend life getting in the way.

Then I heard about Full Circle Farm from both my naturopath and acupuncturist. At first, I was hesitant to “pay the extra money” to have my organic produce shipped up from Washington State, however, I eventually realized that:

a. I’d be providing my family with more fresh produce free from pesticides than I could otherwise;
b. The cost all evened out in the wash because I bought less bad produce at the supermarkets.

We ordered the small box twice a month so that was about $70 per month. We were able to specify things we didn’t want such as no garlic and no leafy lettuces (they inevitably showed up wilted). Then we could customize each box on the farm’s web site once they listed that week’s produce selection.