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Lexington, KY - A gathering place for the community, Lexington Farmer’s Market offers more than meets the eye, and there is a lot that meets the eye.
When you walk into any of the Market’s four locations around Lexington there is so much to take in.
On your left, you may find fresh cut sunflowers, brilliant with their yellows and oranges, beckoning you to take them home, place them in a vase. They just brightened your day, how much more would they brighten your dining room? You look, they’re reasonably priced and what’s more, they’re grown in a garden not too far from where you live. In fact, you may even recognize the street name.
You walk a bit further and find some pasta that was made here in Lexington. Wouldn’t pasta be a nice dish to eat as you gaze at your sunflowers? You survey the choices and the man behind the table tells you how they developed the recipe. A bit different than last week, he says, they wanted to get the flavor just right.
Continuing on your stroll, you see a plethora of tomatoes, a simple sauce recipe begins to form in your mind. One seller even tells you that he has a couple of less aesthetically pleasing tomatoes in the back that are just fine, discounted, and would be perfect in a sauce. All of this thinking about a meal that will be hours from now and your stomach is complaining, wanting in on the action.
Something catches your nose’s attention and you see that many people have brought their prepared goods for your perusal. Now, choosing is the only difficult part. Once you decide on a chocolate pastry, you happily continue through the market, munching on your treat and enjoying one of the local musicians, a violinist playing a rendition of a familiar tune.
There are more vegetables, soaps, spices, meats, dairy products, plants and more and as you shop, your only regret is bringing but one bag.
What is even more incredible is that none of this happens by accident. If you are like me and have only enjoyed the Farmer’s Market without putting much thought into the logistics of the operation, then perhaps this year’s Taste of the Farm in the City is an ideal event for you.
Held on August 25th at 5:30 p.m. in the Fifth Third Bank Cheapside Park Pavilion, location of the Saturday morning market, the dinner, sponsored by various local businesses, spotlights the market.
Chefs from Sullivan University take items that you would find on a regular basis in the market and prepare them in a gourmet fashion off site at their commercial kitchen.
There are many goals of this dinner, educating and informing high among them. Jeff Dabbelt, the Executive Director of the Farmer’s Market, passionately wants Lexington to know the heart behind the market.
The desire is not just to provide goods or services to people, but to establish relationships in an almost triangular fashion. The customers must relate to the sellers, who also must relate to the market which ultimately will lead to the customers relating to the market.
Dabbelt comments that he wants people to “understand the value” of the market, which is not just found in the goods it provides. His philosophy: when you buy from the Farmer’s Market, when you get behind and support a local institution, you enhance the health and value of the community you live in, therefore enhancing the life you lead. There are many different times and opportunities to enjoy the market, which is held year round. If you miss the one on Saturday, there is one on Sunday and even more held on nearly every day of the week with seasonal times and locations. A schedule is available online (http://www.lexingtonfarmersmarket.com/)
Dabbelt wants people to become acquainted with those they buy items from. He encourages them to “ask questions and [become aware] that what is going on in the fields affects what is going on with the tables.” Should there be a drought, he says, “customers should know that that will affect availability and cost of a product.” He also wants to encourage knowledge of the way the market is organized. It is not just a random assortment. The dinner, Dabbelt hopes, will teach “what is on the tables, how to cook it, and how to shop.”
Another matter to understand is that the members of the market pay dues. Being a member-owned organization requires the help and support of the community. If the farmers are well supported, they will come back and attract others, leading to variety and abundance. There is cooperation among those selling. There is a crepe stand at the beginning of the market at Cheapside, La Petite Creperie. I have eaten a few of their crepes and while delicious, I had no idea that they make them using many ingredients actually found in the market. It is this kind of knowledge that Dabbelt believes will foster more community support and interaction.
Beyond education, the dinner is a fundraiser for the market. Tickets are forty-five dollars which not only allows you the opportunity to taste creations from the next generation of professional chefs, a treat in and of itself, it also supports an establishment that “benefits customers and members” Dabbelt asserts.
The goal of the dinner is in a large part for those attending to have a great time, which is not an unusual goal for those organizing the event. Dabbelt believes the Lexington Farmer’s Market has “more activity than just your average market” and wants to show it off. An above average market for an above average city. Sounds about right.