Farmers market works to ensure authenticity
Trending
ALPENA -- From 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. residents and visitors to Alpena can find produce, crafts, bagels, and more when they visit the Alpena Farmers Market, a local event that happens twice every week on Wednesdays and Saturdays at the Mich-e-ke-wis Park.
Everything is handcrafted and, according to officials, they make sure everything is certifiably handmade. The market board makes sure crafts are not resold items from stores or that farmers do in fact have a farm with the correct product they sell.
Sandy Santamour, onsite market manager and a vendor that sells baking products, said he's been a part of the Alpena Farmers Market for about 10 years and loves the community.
"It's fun just meeting people and sitting around her with the vendors," Santamour said. "It's a very good group of people. Very good - everybody helps each other and it's sort of a community."
As the onsite manager, Santamour starts his work at 6 a.m. to put up signs around the town that direct traffic to the venue.
On Wednesday, about six to eight vendors showed up to participate in the market. Santamour said a lot of the usual participants have jobs outside of the event and only join in the market on Saturdays.
He said more than 30 vendors come in on Saturdays and many people come to buy products.
"We're having our (chrysanthemum) sale, last Saturday and this upcoming Saturday," Santamour said. "We had 504 mums last weekend and we sold them in three hours. We have another about the same size coming this Saturday again."
The market is year-round, staying outdoors during the warmer seasons and going into the park shelter starting in October.
Before they move in for the season, the market has a kids day coming up on Sept. 23. The day will have a petting zoo, veggie tasting, hay rides, and more for children and their parents to participate in.
For those who don't carry cash, it's no problem for the vendors. Members in a brick vending structure near the park shelter can charge credit or debit cards and give handcrafted wooden tokens that are worth $3 each.
Any money left from the transaction will be given back in cash.
"We accept card, cash, and EBT," Santamour said. "In fact there's this one program called 'Double Up' and people can use their EBT Card to and get $20 worth of fresh produce. It's a way to get families and people to eat some vegetables and fruits."
Other programs such as Project FRESH, Senior Project FRESH and SNAP are accepted at the market.
Those with questions or who need more information, contact the Alpena Farmers Market at 989-255-9372