Walking through the produce and pastry-lined sidewalks inside the Ann Arbor Farmers Market always brings back memories of the summer. The annual farmers market in the heart of Kerrytown has just transitioned into its summer vendors, along with the addition of Wednesday hours.
Immediately after entering the market’s canopy, you are greeted by friendly faces and free samples. Vendors welcome you to curious goods: delicious bread and cheese, fresh honey, and other tasty accouterments. And the care of each farmer is, in a literal sense, palpable.
The most notable of which was White Lotus Farms, offering samples of cranberry bread and goat cheese. Mango, the frontman of the booth, was especially warm because for him, the farmers market is a chance to share and explore.
“It’s to see all the people, and bring people to a product they have never tried,” he said. “Then, actually selling something people like to eat — people want to eat bread, they want to eat cheese, they like salads, which is fun.”
Mango admits that it’s his favorite part of working at the Market. Samples are indeed a different type of exchange, one that demystifies the unfamiliar, in both food and people. After all, it’s hard not to be fond of someone who offers you a bite to eat.
There’s much to love about the farmer’s market. For Mango, it’s the people, but at Jason Sutherland’s booth, it’s the variety of goods throughout the season.
“You can get a lot of stuff here at the farmers’ market,” he said, “fruits and vegetables, as well as beets, cheeses, breads, and other things. You can get your local plants, veggie starters.”
It doesn’t take much to realize how right he really is. Every couple of steps, there is something new to marvel at.
Even with all of this variety, each vendor has one thing in common: the Kerrytown Farmer’s Market, Mango explains, is a producers market. There are no secrets behind the scenes; the goods you see available are grown and crafted locally.
“It takes a lot of people to make this,” he said, “we have a bakery, a creamery, a farm, and people can actually come out to the farm and see where everything is from. That’s a nice thing about having something like a local farmer’s market.”
And as the clock approached 3 p.m, vendors began collecting their things, counting their earnings, and packing their produce back in their trucks. The market is officially wrapping up, and the Kerrytown canopy will be empty once more.
Thankfully, it’s only temporary. There will be many more opportunities to experience the Market. Starting in May, the farmers’ market is open every Wednesday and Saturday, from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
