Last Farmers' Market Of Season
PASCO -- Vendors at the Pasco Farmers' Market tried to sell the last of their crops before closing on Sunday for the season.
KEPR Action News checked in to see how they did considering some new competition.
Peppers, pumpkins and apples galore as the Pasco Farmer's Market wraps up the season.
Vendors have taken a hit since new markets in the area have opened, but as Action News found out business has still been steady.
"The vendors that sell here on Saturday, now they have another outlet of selling on Friday so it may have affected our overall income for this market, but still they're doing better and that's the name of the game," Mike Somerville with the Pasco Farmers' Market said.
Rene Lemos has been coming to the Pasco Farmers' Market for 20 years.
He says his customers keep coming back, but he has noticed a change and as new markets crop up, he follows.
"This market I know has lost because they opened up another one in Richland and they opened up another one in Kennewick, so it's taken some of the customers that use to come from there and now they're going to the other market, instead of coming here," Rene Lemos said.
Dani Smart is recruiting new vendors for the online farmers' market shopthenorthwest.com .
It's a year round farmers' market available on the internet, so vendors can keep selling long after the season is over.
"During the market season obviously they build a lot of inventory so they can come and have a lot of things available to you, but on the first day of the last day of the market they still have that inventory and so if they have chickens that are producing eggs they don't have a place to sell them after the market closed," Dani Smart said.
The site isn't competing with the markets, just trying to give an added bonus.
"I think it's a compliment to it, the farmers still sell at the markets and are just as excited to be there, but what it allows them to do is develop a customer relationship that they can carry through all year," Dani Smart said.
That could mean a boost to the bottom line for farmers whether they sell at the Pasco Farmers' Market or at some of the new competing outdoor markets.
The Pasco Farmers' Market will open again in May.
KEPR Action News checked in to see how they did considering some new competition.
Peppers, pumpkins and apples galore as the Pasco Farmer's Market wraps up the season.
Vendors have taken a hit since new markets in the area have opened, but as Action News found out business has still been steady.
"The vendors that sell here on Saturday, now they have another outlet of selling on Friday so it may have affected our overall income for this market, but still they're doing better and that's the name of the game," Mike Somerville with the Pasco Farmers' Market said.
Rene Lemos has been coming to the Pasco Farmers' Market for 20 years.
He says his customers keep coming back, but he has noticed a change and as new markets crop up, he follows.
"This market I know has lost because they opened up another one in Richland and they opened up another one in Kennewick, so it's taken some of the customers that use to come from there and now they're going to the other market, instead of coming here," Rene Lemos said.
Dani Smart is recruiting new vendors for the online farmers' market shopthenorthwest.com .
It's a year round farmers' market available on the internet, so vendors can keep selling long after the season is over.
"During the market season obviously they build a lot of inventory so they can come and have a lot of things available to you, but on the first day of the last day of the market they still have that inventory and so if they have chickens that are producing eggs they don't have a place to sell them after the market closed," Dani Smart said.
The site isn't competing with the markets, just trying to give an added bonus.
"I think it's a compliment to it, the farmers still sell at the markets and are just as excited to be there, but what it allows them to do is develop a customer relationship that they can carry through all year," Dani Smart said.
That could mean a boost to the bottom line for farmers whether they sell at the Pasco Farmers' Market or at some of the new competing outdoor markets.
The Pasco Farmers' Market will open again in May.
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