Sonoma's Tuesday Farmers Market opens for the season

Almost half the food vendors will be new this year, and you can get beer and wine for onsite drinkage.|

When Tuesday Night Farmers Market president Bill Dardon rings the opening bell to the first market of the season at 5:30 p.m. today, Tuesday, May 3, the expected 2,000 visitors will notice some subtle changes from years past.

More than a third of the food stalls will be different this year and there will be two beer stalls (Sonoma Springs and Carneros Brewing), as well as a handful of wineries which have signed on to alternate selling bottles for onsite consumption each week.

“The overall experience will be similar to previous years,” said market manager Chris Welch, a part-time employee of the Valley of the Moon Certified Farmer’s Market, which operates the Tuesday market. “This is one of the most popular markets in the state,” he added.

Welch oversees the day-to-day running of the market alongside Dardon, whose position is also as a part-time employee for VOMCFM.

This year the market will include 19 farm stands, 14 food stands and 23 artisans selling either packaged food or crafts. Overall, about a third of the vendors will be new to the market this year, and six of the 14 food stands will be new.

Vendor space is tight, says Welch, and approving who is granted space each year is no exact science. First priority goes to the farmers – a grower who is eager to participate is almost never turned away and farmers are the only vendors allowed to come for just part of the season (based on their crop availability).

The food and artisan craft vendors are required to commit to the entire season. They pay between $25 and $50 per week, an amount Darden is proud to have been able to hold steady for several years. Nonprofits and political causes can have a table for free on a first-come first-served basis.

Most controversial is how the food stands are selected. Darden explained to the I-T recently that a selection committee comprised of Jane Bell, Lisa Pidge, Pam Larson and Penny Byrd made the selections in 2016 – independent of Welch and Darden, the market managers stressed. The committee uses a scoring sheet that weighs where the vendor is from, how healthy and/or organic their food is, and the breadth and uniqueness of their menu.

When asked how corn dog and the kettle corn vendors could possibly have qualified again this year based on that criteria, Dardon laughed and said, “Well there are a lot of other factors that are considered as well. People love corn dogs and kettle corn and we couldn’t possibly turn them away.”

In more detail, Dardon added: “We want a variety of price points, we want kid-friendly items and we want variety – we don’t want two vendors who sell burgers. Most importantly, we want ‘good market citizens.’ Vendors who won’t flake out, who treat the patrons well and who clean up after themselves.”

The selection committee also has a soft spot for start-ups, according to Dardon. “The market has a great history of helping launch new businesses, of helping people to go into business for themselves and so we sometimes favor younger companies over more established ones,” said Dardon.

Rachel Hundley’s Drums and Crumbs chicken takeout was one business that launched at the Tuesday night market – first in 2014 with a stall, and last year with a food truck. Hundley, a member of the Sonoma City Council, expressed disappointment that she wasn’t chosen to return this year.

“I love this market and my customers have been shocked that I won’t be there this year,” said Hundley. “To be honest, I have no idea why. Vendors get no explanation, just a form letter.”

Another higher-profile business that was turned down for vendor space is the girl & the fig restaurant, which had hoped to have a ramen truck at the market.

“They talk a lot about transparency,” said girl A& the fig chef John Toulze. “But that’s bull----. All we’re asking for is to see the real list of criteria.”

Hundley and Toulze both would like to see the market allow food vendors to alternate, as other markets do. They say it would allow twice as many vendors to participate and provide more variety for market-goers. But Dardon has balked at the idea. He likens running the market to putting on a play, once a week for 27 weeks.

“There are so many aspects to consider that people don’t realize,” Dardon said. “Tight space requirements, fire marshal rules, appealing to young and old, tourist and local, wealthy and not.”

“We got applications from twice as many food vendors as we could accept this year,” added Welch.

Dardon admits that the selection process is always controversial.

“We try to be transparent about the process, but there is no way everyone will be happy,” said Dardon. “I walk around with a huge target on my forehead all spring.”

The market also came under fire last month for seeking what amounted to nearly a 60 percent discount over last year in Plaza-use fees. In March, the Community Services and Environment Commission voted to lower the market’s Plaza fees from $5,204 in 2015 to $1,964 this year. But when several local nonprofits – who often pay more than $5,000 for a single day – cried foul, the Sonoma City Council overturned the CSEC and put the fee back to 2015 levels.

Additionally, council members Hundley and Gary Edwards questioned whether the market had grown larger than the city had originally envisioned and suggested revising the city’s “request for proposal” for the market when VOMCFM’s contract is up after this season.

Oscar Mooneyham will again book the entertainment and he submitted the entire lineup for 2016 last month.

“Oscar strives for local musicians, but also for good music,” said Dardon who noted that bands are paid between $150 and $400 for performing. “That was probably the most meaningful way that we improved the quality of the music a few years back.” Bands play on the horseshoe each Tuesday between 6:30 and 8:30 p.m.

“The music doesn’t start until 6:30 p.m. because we really want to encourage people to shop the farm stands,” said Dardon. “We’re trying to keep this pure and to honor the artisan angle. Most importantly, we want everyone who sells at the market to make or grow what they sell.”

Dardon takes his responsibility seriously and he and his team patrol the market continuously throughout the evening, describing it as a “well-oiled machine.” “We’re proud that in the five years we have been running it there have been no fights, no problems because of excessive intoxication, the Plaza looks good the next day.”

He said that he strives to make it a safe, enjoyable family atmosphere.

The Valley of the Moon Certified Farmers Market is a nonprofit. According to Dardon, the market’s annual budget is $75,000 and it just about breaks even most years, thanks to local sponsorships. The board is even able to dole out some small scholarships to local high school students most years. Dardon is pleased that he expects to be able to continue with the EBT (food stamp) matching program this year.

Low income families with EBT cards receive food tokens at the manager’s table and the market matches the government contribution.

“Most importantly,” he says. “We’re providing great family fun, totally for free, week after week.”

Contact Lorna at lorna.sheridan@sonomanews.com.

UPDATED: Please read and follow our commenting policy:
  • This is a family newspaper, please use a kind and respectful tone.
  • No profanity, hate speech or personal attacks. No off-topic remarks.
  • No disinformation about current events.
  • We will remove any comments — or commenters — that do not follow this commenting policy.