The Moscow Farmers Market has grown from just three vendors in a parking lot in the late 1970s, to the packed Main Street event we know today. It has persevered through construction, location changes and a global pandemic. What has never changed is the community support that makes the market special.
“I really don’t think it can be overstressed how much people seem to value coming face-to-face with the people who produce their food,” said Kole Tonnemaker, a long-time vendor at the Moscow Farmers Market. “It makes what we do feel worthwhile.”
Tonnemaker’s family first brought produce from their farm in Royal City, Washington to the Moscow Farmers Market in 1984. The Vandal alum has come back ever since and believes that the support of the Moscow community has helped his family farm survive, even as wholesale produce prices dropped.
“It suddenly became a huge thing for us,” Tonnemaker said. “(The market) has made a huge difference in our life and how we approach what we grow and how we grow it.”
When the market first moved to Main Street, Tonnemaker saw a change in more than just the number of vendors that were able to attend.
“It just gave more space for the public to really wander through the market and enjoy,” he said.
Leah Sempel, owner of Pokey Creek Farm along with her husband, Greg, also remembers the move to Main Street as a time of expanding the community.
“When I first went, it was in the parking lot,” Sempel said. “For me, (the move) was a great change.” Sempel has been coming to the market for over 20 years and said that on Main Street, the market was able to accommodate more vendors and customers alike.
“It’s managed really well now,” Sempel said. “It feels like a real community of people, a community of farmers.” The strong management and community support are why Sempel believes the Moscow Farmers Market is ranked so highly among national markets.
“I think the community supports it. There’s a dedication to keeping it a positive venue for everybody,” Sempel said.
That community support was tested by the COVID-19 pandemic. In the summer of 2020, the market structure was adapted to include new safety regulations and a reduced size.
“Last year, we just did not know what to expect,” Sempel said. “We grew all this food that we didn’t know if we would sell or not.” While there were fewer attendees at the market each week, Sempel said she was impressed by how respectful and safe people were.
“We were able to sell all our food, which was better than I expected,” Sempel said. “Everybody worked together to try to make it happen.”
Community Events Manager for the City of Moscow, Amanda Argona, said that the overwhelming community response to the pandemic was to make sure small farmers were able to stay in business.
“Even before one month or two months before the market started, we had people reaching out, asking ‘how can I support farmers?’” Argona said. “There was a community response of wanting to support those small businesses.”
This year, when the market returns May 1, marketgoers can expect a more normal experience compared to last summer. While adapting to the pandemic has been the biggest challenge in the market’s history, Argona said that vendor numbers are slowly recovering.
“I’m excited to see that our vendor roster is looking healthier and normal compared to last year,” Argona said. “It’s looking much better. So much better.”
Beth Hoots can be reached at [email protected]