Midtown Farmers' Market facts for kids

The Midtown Farmers Market is a fun outdoor market in south Minneapolis. It's a place where you can buy fresh food and other items. The market is open during certain times of the year. It runs on Saturdays from May to October. You can also visit on Tuesdays from June to October. It is located in the Corcoran neighborhood.

This market is run by the Corcoran Neighborhood Organization. It's famous for selling food grown nearby. Many items are also organic, meaning they are grown naturally. Everything sold here comes from Minnesota or Wisconsin. Over 70 sellers are at the market during busy times. More than 60,000 people visit each season!

What is the Midtown Farmers Market's Goal?

The main goal of the Midtown Farmers Market is to create a lively place. This place helps people in south Minneapolis connect with local farmers. It's a way for them to trade food and learn from each other. This helps both the community and the food producers.

Where is the Market and How Did It Start?

The Midtown Farmers Market (MFM) started in 2003. It has been connecting people with local food for many years. About 40,000 customers visit each season. The market is located at 2225 East Lake Street. It uses a parking lot owned by Minneapolis Public Schools.

Local people first thought of the idea for the market. The Corcoran Neighborhood Organization helps run it. The market was an important part of the Corcoran Midtown Revival Plan. This plan aimed to improve the area. The MFM is open one day a week from May to June. From June through October, it is open two days a week.

You can easily get to the market. There is parking for cars and racks for bicycles. The Lake Street Station is right next to the market. This station is part of the METRO Blue Line train. Many Metro Transit buses also stop nearby.

In 2004, the market won an award. City Pages magazine called it the "Best Farmers Market."

How Can You Pay at the Market?

You can pay for your items with cash. But the market also makes it easy to use other payment methods. You can pay with credit cards. You can also use EBT cards. These are also known as food stamp cards.

If you want to use a credit card or EBT, you go to a special booth. There, you can buy wooden tokens. These tokens work just like cash at any vendor's stall. The Midtown Farmers Market was the first market in Minnesota to let people use EBT cards.

Protecting the Midtown Farmers Market's Future

The Midtown Farmers Market is very important to the Corcoran Midtown Revival Plan. This plan was created by local citizens. It suggested having homes, shops, and public spaces in the area. The City Council approved this plan in 2002.

The land where the market is located is about 6.5 acres. The school district plans to sell this land. Residents hope to create a permanent home for the market. They want it to be part of a public square or plaza. This new area would be next to the Lake Street train station. It would also connect to the Midtown Greenway bike path.

The Midtown Farmers Market is safe at its current spot. It has been there for seven seasons. It will be part of any future plans for the land. Mark Bollinger, from Minneapolis Public Schools, confirmed this in 2010. The school district owns the land. They are planning to ask for ideas to sell and develop the site.