In a community where “living green” paired with shopping locally and organically, one thing was still missing for White Rock resident Sarah Perry — a farmer’s market.

After a discussion with her longtime friend Candace Moss, Perry decided to hedge plans to begin a local farmers market. She was in luck. Bruce Bagelman, owner of White Rocks’ Green Spot Market & Fuels, which features fresh and locally produced foods, had also seen a need.

“After we opened [the Green Spot in 2008], the idea of having a local market was always something we were interested in,” Bagelman said. “The idea of an East Dallas market fit what we were doing inside the store.”

The two worked together, along with fellow organizers Mary Norvell and Jonathan Moss, Candace’s husband, and produced their first White Rock Local Market on June 13. The market not only featured produce, but product ssuch as homemade soap, clothing and jewelry.

The event, which is scheduled every second Saturday of the month through November,  received an overwhelming response with most vendors nearly selling out of their products — vendors such as Flower Mound’s Lucido Farms, which produces pasta, preserves, plants, herbs and produce. Corey Womack of Lucido Farms said he brought 200 pounds of pasta to last month’s market and came back with 10.

“It was one of the largest crowds I’ve ever seen at a market,” Womack said. “People there were so hungry for it; it was just unreal.”

Lucido Farms currently participates in eight markets every weekend around the Dallas-Fort Worth area, including Coppell, Lewisville and Frisco.

“The funniest part about it, it got around to every vendor I know and they’re all eager to get onto it now,” he said. “That blew my mind; they were coming to me about how wonderful the crowds were. And asked me, ‘How do I get in?’”

Although there are farmers markets throughout the metroplex that are close by, namely the Dallas Farmers Market, the White Rock Local Market team said the benefit of shopping at their market is the opportunity to see familiar faces, meet and greet the people who grow the food and the satisfaction of knowing that the money spent goes to a local business.   

“It seems like people really get excited about something that strengthens the community,” Moss said.

Perry said they predict that the market will be even larger than the first one. Certified organic Oak Ridge Farm is slated to come to the July 11 market as well as the floral store The Petal Pusher, Anahata, which produces Indian silk wraps, Tough Cookie/Just Twisted vegan cookies and bread, Rush Patisserie and many more.

Mary Norvell, who heads up the market’s Web site, said their emphasis for the market is to find people who make things from recycled materials. And staying true to the environmentally conscious attitude and diversity, both of which Perry said is characteristic of the White Rock area, she and the group have sought after vendors that are sustainably savvy such as Baby Bean Vintage Daywear which creates children’s clothes from vintage clothing.

And giving White Rock another alternative to the mainstream is something Bagelman has been doing all along at Green Spot. Some of the market’s vendors also sell their products in his store.

“The community has really tapped into this,” Bagelman said. “People appreciate something unique in their backyard. It’s kind of owned by everyone.”

 

 

IF YOU GO

The White Rock Local Market is from 8 to noon July 11 and is located next to the Green Spot Market & Fuels at

702 N. Buckner Blvd.

at the corner of

Northcliff Drive

. The market will also feature student performances from Zounds-Sounds School of Rock from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Visit whiterocklocalmarket.com for updates, vendor lists and map or check out their Facebook page.

 

Jenice Johnson is the editor of White Rock/M Streets/Lakewood neighborsgo and can be reached at 214-977-8172 or via e-mail at jsjohnson@neighborsgo.com. Got a story, photo or video you'd like to share? Post them directly on neighborsgo.com. Got a story idea? Send it to me directly. For more about how neighborsgo.com works with our neighborsgo print editions, please visit neighborsgo.com/help.