Red River Market’s second season

Culture | June 1st, 2016

Simone Wai, board member for the Red River Market, is excited about 2016’s changes and new offerings.

First of all, the market is moving to a new location, at 409 Broadway North, in front of the former Schumacher Goodyear. Simone thinks this new location will continue the “plaza format” and that this year there will be “at least twice as many vendors” than year one, likely 50-60 vendors. Simone explains, “Our offerings are increasing in every category, including makers, household goods, and produce.”

Also new this year is a partnership with Metro Area Transit to provide free bus rides to and from the market.

Simone is excited about the addition of 4E Winery, located near Casselton, Everest Tikka House’s Indian and Nepali cuisine, grass-fed beef by Nourish by Nature in Bismarck, and a new vegetarian restaurant, The Green House Cafe.

Simone works for Folkways, which supports “culture creators in our region.” The Red River Market was created to bring together creators, locally grown food providers, artists, and local restaurants.

She considers the people involved in the market “on the front lines of community building” and that the market is a “place where culture is created.” She comments, “You don’t normally spend three hours at the grocery store,” but it is not unusual to have people go to the Red River Market and spend a significant part of their day, sampling, buying, tasting, enjoying music, drinking coffee, and meeting old and new friends.

Simone said that the board worked hard to make the Red River Market the first farmer’s market to accept the SNAP (Supplemental Nutritional Assistance) Program. The Red River Market is partnering with Cass Clay Alive, a part of Dakota Medical Foundation, to make this possible.

Katie Preston has recently been hired as the Market Manager. She says, “What I'm most excited about this year for the Red River Market is the variety of vendors and programming that we have this season. Not only can you purchase your weekly produce, but you could also buy gift for a friend, watch a cooking demonstration, and grab lunch on your way out. Having this variety makes a complete experience and we would love for patrons to come on a weekly basis to see what's new (in addition to the new location)!”

Katie grew up in the suburbs of Chicago where she says she had a great deal of exposure to farmer’s markets and the local food movement. She has a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science from Drake University in Des Moines. During her time there, she was “very active” in the Drake Environmental Action League. As part of that club, Katie and a friend brought a farmer’s market to campus. She says this on-campus market “became a staple in our club's programming for the next few years.”

Katie moved to Fargo four years ago to get a graduate degree in Zoology from NDSU. She saw the market manager position and “was excited to become a bigger part of the community and spread the word on living more locally. I’m excited to take on this role and help make the market the best it can be.”

One of the new vendors this year is a start-up vegetarian restaurant, The Green House Café, a collaboration of chef Joey Haynes, wife Abigail Haynes, and Miguel Danielson. Joey was formerly chef at Vinyl Taco and is currently at Rustica. The Green House Café will be at the Red River Market offering wraps, sandwiches, and rice bowls. Joey describes the rice bowl as “seasoned brown rice, and then you get to choose which variety you want, whether it is BBQ, Asian, Mediterranean, TexMex, etc. That will determine the fresh toppings and handcrafted sauces that will go in your bowl. We want it to be healthy and meat-free, but also unique and exciting.”

Joey says that the Green House Café is “working our hardest to get as many things as we can, locally,” including working with Legacy Gardens and Woodchuck Farms. They hope to make the café a stand-alone restaurant by the end of 2016.

Starting July 9, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m., come to 409 Broadway and relax and enjoy local food, crafts and the 2016 Red River Market.

IF YOU GO

Red River Market

Saturdays July 9 – October 29, 10 am – 2 pm

409 Broadway, Downtown

https://www.facebook.com/redrivermarket/