Summer is here, and one of the best places to find locally made and grown items is at the Apex Farmers Market. The open-air mart, which operates on Saturdays from 9 a.m.-noon behind the Tobacco & Mule Exchange at 225 N. Salem St., offers some of the Triangle’s freshest fruits, vegetables, meats, handmade pasta and baked goods from 25 vendors.
Every farmers market has its own special charm, but the Apex Farmers Market is truly unique. It’s where in-season produce, including crisp cucumbers, vine-ripe tomatoes, plump blackberries, fragrant herbs and crunchy peanuts showcase themselves next to farm fresh eggs, pasture-raised chickens, regional honey, and delicious seafood from North Carolina’s coast. Vendors also peddle their finest goat milk soaps, all-natural preserves, roasted coffee beans and fresh-cut flowers to happy faces each week.
Shopping the Season
Alexis Jenssen has provided support for the Apex Farmers Market & Local Food Alliance since 2017 through her organization, The Bowerbird Agency.
“Shopping the season is something we work to educate our shoppers about,” she said. A weekly newsletter and robust social media campaigns have resulted in the Apex Farmers Market averaging 1,100 weekly visitors who search for the freshest in all things local. To discover exactly what’s growing when, Jenssen suggests that shoppers consult the North Carolina in-season produce calendar at apexfarmersmarket.com.
“As general consumers in the world, we are all trained to shop ‘on-demand,’ and we have come to expect things like tomatoes and citrus year-round. Our market doesn’t offer that, and for good reason,” Jenssen said. “We work to share those benefits of shopping locally and seasonally with our community. The world of convenience has made its way into the markets and is providing some incredible food created with locally sourced products for busy households that may want to participate in ‘locavorism,’ but don’t have the time, skills or desire to prepare the foods themselves. This is the beauty of eating locally.”
As many people adopt a healthier lifestyle and seek out more nutritious food choices, farmers across the country have responded. Not only are more farmers producing organic and ecologically sound foods, the number of farmers markets across the country has quadrupled since 2000, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
To accommodate over a thousand weekly visitors, the Apex Farmers Market recently relocated to a larger area behind the Tobacco & Mule Exchange building, a move that has also given its vendors and shoppers ample space to observe social distancing protocols during the era of COVID-19. The market is currently operating at half capacity for vendors, but its offerings have remained varied and plentiful.
The Benefits of Eating Local
“Each of our vendors is a local producer, within 150 miles of downtown Apex,” Jenssen noted. “Our goal is to elevate and support independent businesses and we do so by promoting them to our followers, creating a cost-effective and efficient way for them to sell their wares and grow their business.”
“We often receive feedback from our shoppers and have brought in some new and amazing vendors based on community recommendations. Our area is such an interesting one in that you have a variety of cultural communities shopping the market, which means different food traditions.”
“Popular items each week would absolutely be our fresh seafood. Get there early or pre-order online because Apex Seafood & Market sells out fast! Microgreens and organically grown produce from vendors like Julie Ann’s and Hilltop, freshly baked bread from Ninth Street Bakery, and sweet potato pie from Desserts by Shirley are always a hit.”
Local meat producers also have a fond spot in shoppers’ hearts. “The hogs at Haven Farms roam free in the woods, foraging for food and the flavor of the meat is incomparable. The sausages from MJM are perfectly flavored and the chicken from Leaning 7 is exceptional,” she said.
“Food has the power to inspire people, and I believe these delicious, prepared foods nurture an overall appreciation for all of our local producers. All of our vendors are favorites, and they all bring something exceptional to the market. We are so fortunate to have them all.”
Pivoting During a Pandemic
To maintain a safe and healthy environment during the coronavirus pandemic, farmers markets throughout the U.S. have had to modify their operations. The upside is that many of those changes have proven to be beneficial.
“The biggest shift we have made as a result of COVID has been the online ordering system, SHOP HERE. It really allows us to not only provide our shoppers with safe, contact-free shopping options, but it also provides the vendors with sales before they even get to the market, and it drives traffic to their sites which is hugely beneficial to their businesses,” Jenssen explained. “Pre-ordering helps our vendors cut down on waste as well, when they have a better idea of what to bring to market. They have far less waste so, in addition to the convenience of it all, it also provides a greater benefit to the vendors and our environment.”
Jenssen said each vendor offers a variety of contact-free pick-up options, and parking is available at the market’s entrance to collect purchases. Several vendors also offer pick-up and delivery throughout the week as well. To offset the fees associated with credit card transactions, vendors are preferring cash payments, and the market is following strict protocols to support safe cash-handling.
Prior to the pandemic, the market had hosted Apex Eats, a monthly community fundraising event that highlighted vendors and their dazzling assortment of items. The popularity of cooking activities and food samplings at Apex Eats was unparalleled; because of this, Jenssen and her team are working to create virtual cooking demonstrations that residents can watch at home.
Fun for Young Shoppers
“Bach to Rock [a music school in Apex] appears weekly at the market, providing fun activities for the kiddos. Sometimes it’s a great craft, sometimes it’s a spin of the wheel to win a prize! They play great music for us each week and integrate fabulous local performers throughout the month,” she said.
Buddy Bags, which contain a craft or activity and a Market Buddy pin, are $10 and available for purchase online or at the market. Kids can also learn about healthy food options and seasonal eating with Willa Watermelon, the market’s mascot, at apexfarmersmarket.com/kidsactivities.
Apex Night Market
The Apex Farmers Market is proud to partner with the Raleigh Night Market for a brand-new monthly event: The Apex Night Market. Taking placing from 6-9 p.m. on the second Thursday of the month behind the Tobacco & Mule Exchange building, the Apex Night Market features 35-40 local artisans who showcase their handmade creations, as well as regular vendors from the farmers market. Dates for the Apex Night Market are June 10, July 8, Aug. 12, Sept. 9, Oct. 14, Nov. 11 and Dec. 9. For an updated list of night market vendors, visit apexfarmersmarket.com or subscribe to the newsletter.
