Para la versión en español, haga clic aquí.
Through leadership, location, and structural changes, the Beatrice Farmers Market has continued to provide a venue for local producers to sell their products and bring community members together to support local businesses for the past 29 years.
Vendors offer fresh garden produce, thoughtfully handcrafted items, and more each week at the market in downtown Beatrice, Nebraska.
Main Street Beatrice ran the market until last year, when it decided to focus on other projects. Promoting Local Agriculture and Nourishing Traditions (PLANT) Alliance, a nonprofit group that encourages educational opportunities around local food and farming, stepped in to take over.
Katie Jantzen is a longtime vendor at the Beatrice Farmers Market and the executive director of PLANT Alliance. She took on the role about a year ago, and has been able to offer a unique perspective to market management.
“A group of vendors and community members wanted to make sure the market continued, so they submitted a proposal to Main Street Beatrice to take over the market,” said Katie. “It's definitely challenging and interesting to see the other side of a market after having been a vendor for a number of years.”
To help with the transition of market leadership, PLANT Alliance turned to the Center for Rural Affairs.
“We were looking for resources and assistance as we started that journey,” said Katie. “The funding we received for additional promotional materials has likely contributed to the increased customer attendance we're seeing so far this season.”
Offering variety
Vendors sell more than 60 different kinds of fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs, along with baked goods including quickbreads, sourdough breads, kolaches, pies, cakes, scones, cinnamon rolls, granola, and pasta.
Market shoppers can also find cut flowers, jams and jellies, honey, creamed honey, and beeswax products, as well as eggs from chickens, ducks, turkeys, and guinea fowl. The market vendors offer prepared foods and handcrafted products made out of wood, soap, crocheted items, and more.
In addition to the variety of goods available, the stability of long-term vendors has contributed to the market’s success.
“Customers come back every week to shop from their favorite vendors, and over the years our market has been lucky to have a number of vendors who sold for a decade or more,” Katie said. “We're a rain or shine market, so people know we'll be there for them every week of the season.”
Building relationships
Deborah Solie, senior project associate with the Center, said what stands out most to her about the market is the mix of available products and consistency of vendor participation.
“Markets thrive when vendors and shoppers build relationships over time, and you can really see that happening here,” Deborah said. “The Beatrice Farmers Market creates opportunities for small businesses and producers to reach customers in a direct and personal way. Those face-to-face conversations help build trust and keep local dollars circulating within the community.”
Along with produce and other goodies, the market offers a place for families and friends to come together each week.
“There’s an energy at the market that makes it feel like more than just a place to shop,” said Deborah. “It serves as a community gathering space where people can slow down, visit with neighbors, and support local entrepreneurs.”
New programs
The market has hosted live music in previous years, and this year organizers are introducing two new programs in partnership with Gage County Extension.
Power of Produce (POP) Club is for kids ages 4 to 12, and the market provides a weekly educational activity about food, agriculture, health, or farmers markets. After participating in the activity, kids get $3 in POP currency to spend on fresh fruits or vegetables from market vendors.
The Nutrition Education & Local Food Sampling program provides free samples of recipes made with seasonal produce items available at the market, which provides the recipes for people to take home plus some nutritional information. Katie hopes this will encourage people to try new foods and shop locally.
“Local businesses and organizations are involved as sponsors of the market, and their support is what allows us to offer these free programs, continue to keep vendor fees low, and ensure the market continues,” Katie said.
Looking ahead
From observing how the managers plan vendor stall layout, parking and customer flow, and activities to behind-the-scenes undertakings like insurance, vendor applications, and fee structure, newer markets can learn a lot from more established ones like the Beatrice Farmers Market.
“It's important to plan ahead for how to attract both customers and vendors, because you need both to have a good market,” Katie said. “As a vendor, it's important to have a good display that will draw in customers, and then to establish relationships with the customers. That's the reason people shop at a farmers market—they want to get to know the people growing/making their food.”
A wide range of vendors and producers is helpful in creating and running a successful market, as well.
“The greater the diversity of producers involved in the market, the greater the selection of items available for customers to purchase,” Katie said. “Any time a market can offer an additional food item, customers begin to see the market as a more viable place to do their grocery shopping.”
Providing a reliable source for fresh, local foods and products has been the market’s goal since it opened in 1997, and the people who run it work hard to make that happen each season.
“The market continues to offer a place for people to access healthy food and connect with the people who grew it, draw people to the downtown to support other businesses, and be a fun spot for neighbors to run into each other, friends to meet up, and people to have an after-work activity.” Katie said.
Seniors who receive the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program coupons can buy local produce at the market, and Katie hopes to be able to accept Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits at the market next season. There are also plans to have a celebration to mark the market’s 30th anniversary next year, and expand the programs they started this season.
“The Beatrice Farmers Market is recognized as a model market in the region and has served as an example and inspiration for several other local markets that have started in recent years,” said Katie. “It's encouraging to know that the work that's been done by so many people over the past nearly three decades is continuing to make an impact and serve this community and surrounding communities.”
The Beatrice Farmers Market is located at 318 N. Sixth St. This year, it opened May 14 and will run every Thursday, 4 to 6:30 p.m., rain or shine, through Oct. 8.
Funding for this publication was made possible by a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the USDA.
