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Quick Take:
Lane County Farmers Market is surveying area residents about starting a new farmers market in Springfield. Organizers hope to finalize the details by November.
Thursday, Sept. 10, Lane County Farmers Market posted on Instagram that it was “exploring the idea of starting a Springfield Farmers Market.”
Organizers asked people who live in Springfield or would shop at a Springfield market to fill out a survey with preferences of days, times and locations. Options for days are Thursdays and Sundays, with two locations to choose from: Island Park or the area near City Hall and the Springfield Public Library.
Alexis Molinari, market manager at Lane County Farmers Market, said it has been discussing the idea of expanding into a nearby town, such as Springfield, for a few years.
“It’s been part of our strategic planning, and now we are ready to actually start activating that,” Molinari said.
Feedback about the potential market has been “nothing but positive,” Molinari said.
Springfield has never consistently had a farmers market, though different groups have tried to implement one.
“For various reasons, they haven’t been very successful, or they’ve fizzled out or the organization that was running it stopped existing,” Molinari said.
The survey remains open and the Farmers Market hopes to solidify plans by November for a Springfield market to start next year.
“It’s important that we hear from as many people as possible,” Molinari said. “The more responses we get, the more our decision will be better informed.”
If plans for a Springfield farmers market move forward, it would likely begin in June and run through October — peak produce season — Molinari said.
Molinari said the Lane County Farmers Market is working with the city of Springfield to create a “true partnership,” similar to what has been achieved in Eugene.
“That’s a key piece of the whole puzzle,” Molinari said. “We need to have community investment in this expansion, both from city officials and neighboring businesses. If any Springfield businesses are excited about this and want to reach out with partnership opportunities, that’s something that we are actively looking for and exploring.”
Molinari said Springfield city officials have been supportive of the idea, and the Lane County Farmers Market team is excited about the future market in Springfield taking shape.
“This is in line with our vision to continue to make local fresh food more accessible to the community and lower the barrier to connect rural and urban communities.”