By:
(Jun 4, 2016)
My husband and I are new to peoria and we're excited to try this farmers market out. It was not worth getting up early on a Saturday. There were only 4 vendors and much of the produce was spoiling already. I didn't understand why one of them were selling grapes in bags that had skue numbers on them. It looked like they were from snucks around the corner. My last city I went to the farmers market every week and was very disappointed with this one.
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By:
Gregory Donley
(Aug 7, 2015)
It is nice to have a farmers market as centrally located as this one but surely a greater selection of fruits and veggies is possible! That being said the folks that work the market are friendly and the prices are very reasonable.
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By:
Farmer Girl
(Dec 8, 2010)
I would like to challenge the Peoria Famers Market to up their standards and quality! I visit the Madison, WI farmer's market regularly (check out their rules for vendors - amazing!), and that is much more the style I would like to see.
I cannot tell you how frustrating it is to go to stalls and see produce that the seller obviously did not grow and probably ran into Schnucks that morning to buy! Limes, lemons and pineapples will NEVER grow (in any salable quantity) in Illinois and melons certainly aren't available in May and early June like I saw this year. If the seller didn't grow it, it shouldn't be permitted at the market.
Also, can we get some variety and a greater number of sellers? I saw broccoli once at the market this past season and never saw cauliflower. There have got to be small scale famers raising chickens, beef, etc., and those selling eggs. Let's get them to the market. How about cut flowers? Honey? Vegetable seedlings ready for transplant?
It also makes me wonder when vendors at the market have PLU stickers on their produce - the type of sticker that grocery stores require. I want to buy local and support local - farmers who have contracts with large wholesalers perhaps do not need my business so much as the small, family run organic farm.
Please, let's have a bigger and better Peoria Farmer's Market next season!
By:
christyn eskridge
(Mar 25, 2010)
Waiting with bated breath for the market to start up again this Spring. What a beautiful thing in the middle of Peoria. I can't imagine buying produce anywhere else this summer!
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By:
Sarah B.
(Jun 26, 2009)
They always have great food, beautiful flowers, and the Metro Centre has a wonderful local butchers and whole foods store - I can get it all in one place!
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By:
susan P.
(Jun 21, 2009)
Some of the same farmers have been there for decades and at least two families have never sprayed their produce. I've seen their kids grow up and have stands of their own.
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By:
Thomas White
(Sep 17, 2008)
I just checked out the farmers market for the first time and i have to say i was pleasantly surprised. it's not what i was expecting at all. i went to the big farmer's market in san francisco once, and although ours is smaller, the quality is still there. i don't really expect big city standards here in peoria, but that's what i got the other day. this stuff is top notch and the prices are right. good food just tastes better. we should do everything we can to support. BUY LOCAL. support our farmers. i'll be back.
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By:
Marcus Stevens
(Aug 14, 2008)
I just love this market! I go multiple times a week and stock up on the best fruits and vegetables around. All the vendors are so polite and helpful that they make me feel like I'm family. They even have these cool cotton tote bags now that are so much better than all those plastic bags. Keep up the good work guys!
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By:
Jessica Rice
(Jun 30, 2008)
We moved to Peoria a few months ago. I came from a big farmers market. I was so happy to find the Farmers Market at Metro. It really is great. I've been getting all my produce there... especially after that tomato scare! A few weeks ago they were giving away these REALLY nice reusable tote bags. It may have just been a promotion but it was such a great idea. I have been to a few of the other markets in town but they are not as large and only seem to have very limited hours and produce. This is the best one we've found.
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By:
Linda Hackett
(Jun 26, 2008)
I look forward to the Farmers Market every year even though I come from farm country. The market has such a variety of produce, plants, flowers,etc.The vendors are polite, helpful and always willing to share information about their product. The Metro Centre only ,as always, gives Peoria the best.....thank you Metro Centre.
Linda Hackett
Comment
The Metro Centre market is a combination of fresh local grown produce as well as retail sales of fresh produce bought directly from wholesalers. The riverfront market is more like a flea market than a farmers market and there are vendors there that are reselling things they bought. The downtown riverfront market is not the reason for the number of vendors present. I don't know who it was that had something you thought was spoiled, but that is not typical of what you see there. I'm not sure what time of the day you arrived either. Being there for 40 years now I'd say they must be doing something right.