Produce Placement

The return of Philly's original super market.

by Will Dean

Photo By: Michael T. Regan (CLICK IMAGE FOR LARGER VERSION)

The Shambles at Headhouse Square � which resembles an abandoned piece of a colonial estate � always looks like it's missing something.

Something like a huge pile of tomatoes.

America's oldest marketplace, The Shambles was built in 1745, and used as a produce market up until the 1950s. On July 1, The Shambles will once again serve its original sustenance-providing purpose as Philly's largest open-air farmer's market.

A creation of the Food Trust, a nonprofit that starts farmers' markets and provides nutrition education in Philly, the new Headhouse Market will feature almost 30 different vendors. Operating on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Headhouse Market is nearly triple the size of the largest of the Food Trust's previous markets, which usually feature two to 10 vendors.

The large size is key to making the new market a central hub of the Food Trust's expanding network of markets, which will number 28 by the end of the year. (Visit www.thefoodtrust.org for the schedule.)

"We wanted a big Center City farmer's market similar to the ones in Union Square in New York and Dupont Circle in D.C.," says Nicky Uy, a project coordinator with the Food Trust and manager of the Headhouse Market.

It took one-and-a-half years to find the right location. Food Trust employees met with the South Street Headhouse District, which manages The Shambles, and the Headhouse Conservancy, a historic preservation group, to address any community and historical issues. Both groups agreed that The Shambles's large covered area, central location and historical significance as a market made it the perfect place for a new one.

The new market will feature the usual kinds of produce found at a farmers' market, plus plenty of other locally made goods, like soaps, pickles and diverse strains of heirloom fruits and veggies.

"Our other markets are primarily food retailing; this one is special," Uy says. "It'll have all-natural soaps, seasonal baked goods and be more event-oriented."

One of those events is the grand opening celebration July 22 which will cap off Buy Fresh, Buy Local week. It will feature a cook-off between local chefs using produce from the market, and visitors can sample the food and vote on their favorites.

Usually markets started by the Food Trust are aimed at lower-income areas that do not have access to fresh, nutritious produce. Many of their markets accept food stamps and the nonprofit provides nutrition education at local schools.

"Our mission is to provide food to lower-income areas," says John Weidman, deputy executive director of the Food Trust.

The Shambles, with its proximity to Society Hill and South Street, is far from fitting that description.

It does, however, fit into the Food Trust's overall plan. A large, central market serves as a magnet, bringing in farmers previously unseen in Philly. Some of those newcomers will also bolster the other markets already in operation around the city.

"[Headhouse Market]'s attracting a lot of new farmers who we couldn't offer anything big to before," says Uy.

One of them is A.T. Buzby Farm in Mannington Township, N.J. "We've done lots of markets in South Jersey before," says Dawn Buzby, who founded Buzby Farm with her husband, Andy, in 1981, "and I'm looking forward to moving into Philadelphia."

Old favorites will also populate the new market. North Star Orchards, which grows over a hundred kinds of apples, pears, peaches and plums, has worked with the Food Trust since joining their market at 17th and South in 1997.

"Philadelphia is in great need of a big producer-only market," says Lisa Kerschner, co-owner of North Star. "Today's farmers' market shoppers want to do as much of their weekly shopping as they can at one place."

Another draw for consumers is actually meeting and talking to the people who grow their food.

"The consumer gets not only fresher and usually tastier produce, but also gets to know the person who grew the food," says Kerschner. "There are three teens in particular who have become quite the apple connoisseurs," she continues. "One of them will stand at our booth and extol the virtues of particular varieties to other people who are wondering about all the unusual varieties."

Beyond making the market a hot spot to get produce, larger markets make it easier for farmers to survive. "From an economic standpoint, it is much easier for our farm to stay in business if we have busier markets to attend," says Kerschner.

Farmers' markets not only provide a place for Philadelphians to buy fresh food, but also provide desperately needed support to local, independent farms.

"Pennsylvania is still losing two farms a day," says Weidman.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, from 1997 to 2002 Pennsylvania lost 4,766 farms covering 286,403 acres of land, although Philadelphia County actually gained three farms.

Many of the remaining farms are on land preserved by the state. According to the Pennsylvania Dept. of Agriculture, more than 2,750 farms are on over 300,000 acres of preserved land.

Farmers' markets face similar problems. Nonprofits and community groups run most markets on donations and grants in addition to fees that farmers pay to rent space at the markets. Large networks of markets, like Greenmarket in New York, are the only ones that are self-sufficient. Greenmarket, which runs daily markets in all five boroughs, survives using the large size of their network and higher farmer's fees, charging $40 to $76 per 12 feet of space as compared to the Food Trust's $30 to $40. The Food Trust still runs on donations, grants and farmer's fees, although the new Headhouse Market is a step towards self-sufficiency.

The real benefit to the average Philadelphian, though, is the food. Fruits and vegetables from farmers' markets are fresher, and thus hopefully better tasting, than the travel-weary goods available at big chain supermarkets.

"Ever since I started this job," says Uy, "I haven't had bad fruit."

(w_dean@citypaper.net)

The Headhouse Farmers' Market, Sundays, 10 a.m.- 2 p.m., July 1-Thanksgiving, Second and Lombard sts. Grand opening celebration Sun., July 22. For more information, visit www.thefoodtrust.org/php/headhouse, or call 215-568-0830.