Tuesday night market to open farmers booths early

For the remaining five weeks of its 2016 season, Sonoma’s Tuesday night Farmers’ Market will open its fruit and produce booths an hour earlier. And if you and your shopping bags need a lift back to your parked car, the Veggie Valet is at your service.

The new crowd-free, farmer-only hour starts at 4:15 p.m. to give those vendors more and exclusive selling time before the rest of the Market opens at its usual time of 5:15 p.m.

Valley of the Moon Certified Farmers’ Market Board President Bill Dardon hopes the change will accomplish two things: give the farmers more daylight hours to make their sales, and allow shoppers to more easily access the farmers and buy their produce before the rest of the market, including the musical entertainment, gets underway.

According to the VOMCFM’s Emily Fitzpatrick, this latest change is one of several steps the event has taken this year to try and keep the focus on the farmers and drive business to their booths. The change was recently approved the City’s Community Services and Environment Commission.

“Our farmers let us know that their sales have been declining, and our Board has been working with them throughout the year to better support them,” Fitzpatrick said.

Dardon noted that even after the full market is up and running at 5:15 p.m., it should be easier for patrons who only want to buy produce to access the farmers directly from Spain Street without going through the rest of the market.

“We got input from some members of the community that the crowds and festive atmosphere of the market makes it difficult to just buy your weekly produce,” Dardon said. “With this change, someone who just wants to quickly shop and buy produce and then go home.”

The new Veggie Valet service – a free lift for buyers from the market itself to their nearby parked car – is available throughout all market hours.

The market runs through October 25.