Produce at the Verde Valley Farmers Market.
Insights into one of the oldest and one of the newest farmers markets in Central Arizona
Farmers markets are magical spaces. They have the power to transform nondescript parking lots into colorful, bustling microcosms of humanity. They bring together an eclectic mix of entrepreneurs, all dedicated to nourishing others. Though you may be familiar with some of the vendors, not everyone knows the markets’ history or the people who make it possible.
VERDE VALLEY FARMERS MARKET
MANAGER: DON KOVACOVICH
The Verde Valley Farmers Market (VVFM) holds the honor of being the longest continuously running market east of Mingus. Started in 2003 by the owner of Willowbrook Farm, this season marks its 22nd in operation. The VVFM is unique in its long-standing tradition of being focused primarily on growers. Produce vendors outnumber prepared-food vendors by about 2:1, and there are even fewer arts and crafts.
Most products you encounter come from within the Verde Valley. Occasional exceptions are made for high-demand products such as citrus or early-season tomatoes that aren’t being produced locally. Regardless, everything you see at the market comes from a plant or a person living within 60 miles of the market.
The Verde Valley Farmers Market is also the only nonprofit market in the Verde Valley. Started as a 521(a) Farmers’ Cooperative Association, one of this year’s goals is to shift to 501(c)(3) status. The market has grown significantly. Last year, it gave space to 22 vendors focusing solely on farm products including produce, eggs, flowers, meat, plant sales, herbs, microgreens, pecans, and fruit in addition to 11 prepared-food vendors: two selling hot food readyto- eat and the rest offering bread, jams, deserts, barbecue sauce, ferments, etc. It operates on a traditional model in that vendors contribute a flat fee to support the market’s operation.
Market Manager Don Kovacovich is a third-generation resident of the Verde Valley. His family history is deeply involved with food, beginning in 1908 with his great-grandfather’s mercantile business, Kay’s Foods. Kovacovich entered the industry at a young age by helping his father as a delivery driver. He eventually took over management of what had then become Kay’s Deli Pack, which cut and packaged cheese for nearly all the grocery stores in Arizona. That operation closed in 2008 and allowed Kovacovich to explore other interests and earn a degree in tourism and recreation from ASU. His father’s passing brought him back to the family farm, and the pandemic reignited his passion for local, sustainable agriculture.
Before assuming the market manager role in 2023, Kovacovich served on the board of directors. He is well accustomed to wearing multiple hats. Kovacovich owns Camptown Microgreens and sells at both the Sedona and Verde Valley markets. He says, “I believe in supporting the community through building local supply chains.
My goal specifically is to build the farming community within the Verde Valley. Food equity and increasing local production have a symbiotic relationship. By improving access to local foods, you also create new sales channels for local farmers, which grows community and community resources.”
VVFM is the only market in the area that distributes and accepts Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) benefits. Kovacovich says, “Last year, the market signed up around 54 seniors and 22 WIC participants, and we redeemed $9,977 in coupons in our second year, which is nearly twice as much as our previous year.” Last year, Kovacovich spearheaded a partnership with a local food distribution organization to ensure any unsold produce went directly to people in need.
The VVFM is almost entirely volunteer-run and operates on a minuscule budget. When asked how the magic happens, Kovacovich replies, “We all want to do this, it’s just finding the ability, the time and the resources to enact it… and also the networks.”
9 TIPS FOR SHOPPING AT A FARMERS MARKET
By Heather Desousa
- Most vendors accept various payment options like cash, card, or even Venmo/Zelle. It’s always best to bring some cash until you’ve gotten to know your vendors.
- It’s always a great practice to bring reusable bags. If you forget, most vendors offer bags, and some markets have tote bags for purchase. Also, consider the time of year and your travel time. During the summer, leafy greens wilt easily. Bringing a cooler allows you to keep your purchases at their best while you continue running errands.
- Although all markets allow service animals, they don’t always allow pets. Be sure to check with your market manager before bringing your furry friend.
- As they say, the early bird gets the worm! Popular items sell out fast, especially at the beginning or end of a season when they are in short supply.
- Do a quick lap when you arrive to see what is available. Most farmers will be selling the same kinds of produce, but you may discover unusual varieties or save money by taking a look around first.
- You’ll notice a shift in the variety of produce throughout the year, and probably some new and exciting ingredients. When you find something you’ve never cooked with before, ask the farmer for preparation tips and recipe recommendations.
- When planning meals, it’s usually safe to assume that produce you see at the market one week will be there for several more. Talk to the vendors to find out how much longer items will be available.
- Farmers markets can easily be a family affair. Many provide places to rest or host special activities that make shopping at the market exciting for everyone. Some even offer snacks and special treats for children.
- The produce you find at a farmers market is much fresher than what is available in grocery stores and often grown using natural or organic methods. If you’re shopping for the week, be sure to start at the farmers market and then head to a grocery store for items you could not find.
With her own market, Kaboti Adakai says she can make the choices she wants to make and combine all of her passions.
FLAGSTAFF MOUNTAIN TOWN MARKET
OWNER: MEG KABOTIE ADAKAI
Flagstaff Mountain Town Market (FMTM) is one of the newest markets to operate in Central Arizona. It is owned and managed by Meg Kabotie Adakai, a Flagstaff resident from birth. She is half white and half Hopi. The Hopi side of her family are artists and farmers, and she grew up learning from her dad how to grow things. Kabotie Adakai is no stranger to what she calls “the Flagstaff hustle,” which she explains as “doing many different jobs and wearing many different hats.”
Her true passion lies in local food, particularly sustainable agriculture, indigenous practices, and permaculture. For her, they are one and the same. For a few years, she worked for a vendor selling breakfast burritos and a variety of beverages. In 2019, she was hired to manage the long-running Flagstaff Community Market, and successfully steered it through the chaos of the pandemic which she described as “five times as much work for a fifth of what people usually bring in.”
After running the market for four years, unexpected circumstances led her to take the leap and launch her own market. Doing so allows her to make the choices she wants to make and combine all of her passions. She adds, “I can support music, support the arts, support the farmers and education, and put it all together.”
Her business acumen and experience wearing multiple hats is evident. Like Kabotie Adakai, FMTM does many things. She calls it a “hybrid market” in that its location varies and can expand or contract depending on the space being used. It also breaks the traditional market mold in its simultaneous function as a food hub.
In its simplest form, a food hub is a business that collects, stores, and distributes locally produced food. During the growing season, Kabotie Adakai buys produce from local Flagstaff farmers and sells it during the FMTM market. She says, “As a new market, I knew it wouldn’t be huge. As a market, if you’re dependent on all the vendors coming and the vendors are dependent on sales, then it’s hard for a market to be successful. Sometimes it can get off the ground, and then it just dies before it gets really going. I acknowledge that, so that’s part of the reason I do a hybrid model. If the refrigerated van comes in, we can be FMTM mobile market.”
Last year, Kabotie Adakai and a few other local farms combined eff orts and submitted a grant application that would allow them to purchase a refrigerated van. The application was approved, and the funds were supposed to be available in June 2024. At the time of this writing, the fi nal approval was supposed to come a few days before the Federal freeze on spending in February.
Neither growing seasons nor lack of grant funding slows her efforts. This past winter, Kabotie Adakai switched to weekly road trips in her vehicle to aggregate fresh produce and products from as far away as Phoenix and Paulden. Her community-centric way of thinking led FMTM to pop up at High Style Collective, an aggregator of another sort. The indoor space sells vintage apparel, accessories, antiques, and other artisanal products.
Accessibility is at the forefront in Kabotie Adakai’s planning. She intends to make fresh healthy foods available to all parts of Flagstaff and especially to those who “can’t always make it downtown on a Sunday because they’re working or exhausted or don’t have transportation.” She also intentionally prioritizes vendors from groups that have been historically disadvantaged such as people of color, Native people, and women-owned businesses. She says, “Having one foot in both cultures allows me to see the perspectives that aren’t always seen by non-Native people.”
