{"id":1635,"date":"2010-03-22T08:45:39","date_gmt":"2010-03-22T13:45:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/staging.communify.me\/newvinegrowing\/?p=1635"},"modified":"2019-06-07T13:42:05","modified_gmt":"2019-06-07T17:42:05","slug":"change-under-way-at-one-of-countrys-best-farmers-markets","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/staging.communify.me\/newvinegrowing\/change-under-way-at-one-of-countrys-best-farmers-markets\/","title":{"rendered":"Change under way at one of country's best farmers markets"},"content":{"rendered":"

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The artist formerly known as Sunset Valley Farmers Market is now Barton Creek Farmers Market in Austin.<\/figcaption><\/figure>
\nFor fans of Austin’s Sunset Valley Farmers Market, which Eating Well magazine<\/a> named one of the five best farmers markets in the country, this past weekend might have been confusing.
\nAnya Jack, market manager, said market leadership had been trying for some time to move out of the parking lot behind the Austin Independent School District. When they got the chance to set up at Barton Creek Square Mall<\/a>, they took it. With only about two weeks notice.<\/a>
\nOn the final Saturday at their old location, signs everywhere announced the move.
\nBut let’s say you don’t get to the market every week and this Saturday you just drove out to the south side location<\/a> where you’d always gotten your fruits and veggies. You’d still find a market, as Sustainable Food Center<\/a>, which operates the Austin Farmers Market network<\/a>, has started a new one in Sunset Valley’s old place<\/a>.
\n“I’m sad that a few people aren’t coming with us,” said Jack. (By the way, I can’t find anything online confirming Jack as market manager, and this story about the move<\/a> lists the manager as Jim Moore. So color me confused, too.)
\nKaren Lee of Texas Olive Ranch<\/a> said they planned to split the difference, setting up shop with their olive oil and balsamic vinegar in both locations.
\n“I’m going to go where the customers are,” Lee said, adding “I have no opinion on the politics.”
\nPolitics? I thought I was just showing up to check out best practices in farmers markets. But here’s a letter from the mayor of Sunset Valley<\/a>, who is “gravely disappointed by these events.”
\nThe Austin Food Journal writes<\/a>:<\/p>\n

Someone has turned the goofy meter to 11. As the farmers\u2019 markets in this town get cooler by the day, the Sunset Valley market seems to be spiraling out of control. After getting their high school parking lot space yanked from them, they were slated to move to a strip of grass on the shoulder of highway 290. Apparently, they thought a wiser choice was to move to a mall. Starting March 20th<\/sup>, their new home will be the North East corner of the Barton Creek Square mall parking lot. Next to Dillard\u2019s (tasty). Nothing says local and sustainable more than a mall parking lot.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Jiminy Crisket performed folk tunes while shoppers bought produce, plants and prepared food at Sunset Valley Farmers Market's last Saturday.<\/figcaption><\/figure>
\nWhile South by Southwest had thousands of geeks and filmmakers swarming downtown Austin, John and I visited Sunset Valley for its last Saturday in its old location, March 13.
\nObservations on Sunset Valley Farmers Market, in its old incarnation:<\/strong><\/p>\n