Supporting local, sustainable agriculture since 2009
“I actually grew up deep-ocean sailing without pets or plants. My involvement with the farmers market brought me back full circle, back to my roots,” says Katrin Themlitz, founding member and owner of the Sedona Community Farmers Market (SCFM).
The roots she refers to began with her paternal grandmother’s 3,000-hectare farm in eastern Europe, which had been in the family for 300 years. The ancestral farm produced organic crops and raised horses and prize-winning cattle until it was lost during World War II. As a child, Themlitz was very close to her grandmother, who taught her about the family’s history and relationship with agriculture.
The SCFM was founded in 2009 by a small group of Sedona residents, including Themlitz. She secured the location, wrote market regulations, and found vendors. Although others came and went, she remained. Each week, she did everything necessary to ensure the market took place. That entailed much more than logistics. “To attract high-quality growers to our small market, I researched other opportunities where they could increase their income,” she says.
One such opportunity was developing wholesale accounts. “I was hoping that it would entice more growers to attend the market if they could also deliver to restaurants on the market day and increase their revenue.”
The idea of farm-to-table dining has become so popular that few are aware of the shift that had to occur to facilitate it. Once upon a time, small, local growers were largely prevented from supplying commercial food service operations, such as restaurants.
Back then, all growers were required to participate in third-party food safety certification programs, such as the Good Handling Practices/Good Agricultural Practices (GHP/GAP), to supply commercial or institutional food service providers. These programs were often beyond the reach of small, local farmers due to their cost and the extensive nature of the certification process.
Themlitz worked with the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension office in Yavapai County to provide free GHP/GAP training to small producers and helped organize the first class in the area. At the same time, she encouraged the Yavapai County Health Department to work with local farmers. The result was the adoption of the Farm to Fork program, which requires that growers meet the same level of food safety requirements without undergoing a costly training program.
These efforts were critical to paving the way for local farms to legally supply restaurants with fresh produce. “It took five years to do, but now the regulations have changed,” Themlitz says. “Growers can sell directly to the restaurants and work directly with chefs, which has been great.”
With more than 15 years in operation, SCFM is aligned with the City of Sedona’s vision of being a destination for health and wellness. The market aspires to offer the highest-quality local and regional artisan products that contribute to the health and wellness of our community while allowing small local businesses to connect directly with their customers.
“It’s a small market,” Themlitz says. “I try to keep it well organized, efficient, and self-sustaining, and make sure that the vendors are happy and it’s worth their time. We aim to offer a great-quality product for the customer. They feel inspired and nourished by what we offer, and part of that is also meeting their neighbors and being a part of the community.”
The Sedona Community Farmers Market operates year-round and is open on Sundays at 2201 W. State Route 89A. Check the schedule and learn more about the products offered at sedona-farmers-market.com.
