It was a clear and sunny morning when I arrived at the the Fillmore Farmer’s Market, located in the Fillmore District, famous for its deep roots in Jazz music and culture. The market was small but vendors were packed in. No need to worry about finding the market, just listen for the soulful jazz band that always comes out to give market goers a bit of jazz, to go along with their shopping and mingling.
As I walked through the Market, I became aware of how much life there was bustling around me. Life radiated from not only the vendors, but the many familes as well, that had come out to enjoy the market. I watched as a young toddler held on to a strawberry. She stared at it almost as if trying to figure out where it came from. The beauty in that happening is that children old and young can use the market as a learning experience.
I came across one vendor where a young boy was handing out free orange samples.
He had a cheery look on his face and a polite tone to his voice. I thought how significant it was that at a young age he was already exposed and working with local and sustainable food. I thought about how this is how it all begins, when it comes to children and exposure of food. I smiled and took a sample from him, as he educated me on what it was that I was eating.
What I believe is extremely important and significant when it comes to the Fillmore Farmer’s Market is the powerful sense of community engagement and bonds. Everyone seemed to know someone else at the market, names were shouted across vendors, jokes and laughter were shared, and of course I can’t forget that soulful jazz constantly played. This sense of community and spirit is what markets should always be surrounded with. It makes for a more powerful and engaging experience when purchasing your local produce. At this particular Market you will find just that, and perhaps you will walk away at the end of your visit here with your own story, and maybe even a new tune or groove heard from the band.
Fillmore Farmer’s Market takes place every Saturday from 9 a.m-1 p.m, located at 1475 Fillmore Street.
