Old Town Farmers’ Market will be the first Kansas market to sell wine from a local vineyard

wineryWICHITA — If you’re picking up some pasta and vegetables this Saturday at the Old Town Farmers’ Market, you can now also buy some wine to complete your meal.

Market coordinator Pat Randleas says the market will be the first in Kansas to have a local winery as a vendor.

“It’ll be just another great addition to what we already have,” she says. “It’ll broaden our offerings.”

Britt Nichols of Vin Vivante in Wamego will sell his varietal wines beginning this Saturday.

“It’s going to be good for him,” Randleas says. “It’s going to be good for us.”

She says Nichols also is negotiating to begin selling at a market in Shawnee. But Randleas is excited to have the Old Town market be the first.

“It’ll give it distinction,” she says.

The market is open 7 a.m. to noon every Saturday from now through early October.

  • hiphopflipflop

    Just out of curiosity, why would you buy vegetables at this market? It appears that several (most?) vendors are simply reselling wholesale items, not food grown in their backyards and farms as the name of the venue implies…..

    Not to take away from the ‘real’ vendors, but I can get the same product at Dillons.

    Can someone tell me if I’m wrong?

  • drurydarkstar

    I’m with you. I have always felt that the term “farmers’ market” is a misnomer when applied to the old town market.

  • Carrie Rengers

    I can’t speak for the entire summer (maybe some vegetables aren’t in yet), but I’ve certainly purchased fresh veggies there that I’ve felt like I can’t get at the grocery store — and often at better prices.

    Just the other day I discovered a new one (it seemed to be in the bok choy family, but I can’t remember the name).

  • hiphopflipflop

    I guess tomatoes come to mind for me. The tomatoes I’ve seen at this old town market were tough and pink, just like grocery store tomatoes (I think some even had lookup stickers on them!).

    It may seem like many of us come in here just to bash Wichita and it’s events, but until some of this stuff is brought to light it will never change. Many of us have seen true farmer’s markets, and to be frank, Wichita’s ain’t one of ‘em.

  • Silverdire

    The one on the west side is really nice. You can get all kinds of fresh veggies there…

  • samiyam

    Maybe the tomatoes will look better after you’ve purchased some wine.

    OK, here’s a positive comment – there’s a family that makes and sells their own salsa that’s out of this world AND my wife swears by the cantaloupe (I don’t do that vegetable/fruit stuff, personally) AND the blueberry guy’s blueberries were great (I make an exception for blue vegetables/fruits) (except he wasn’t there last year…illness?)

  • Maggotpunk

    This is great, not that long ago such sales of Kansas wine were illegal. I’ll go to buy wine to celebrate the end of an abhorrent, unnecessary law.

  • gardenbug

    I don’t think hothouse/hydroponic vegetables should be allowed at the farmers market unless they disclose that is what they are selling. I have been told by sellers and have overheard many sellers being dishonest about their vegetables when asked by a customer. You can not fool a real gardener. The proof is in the taste.

  • lc957

    hiphopflipflop— what makes you say they are re-selling wholesale produce? The Old Town Farmers Market web site says vendors are local farmers within 150 miles… and there are plenty of reasons to buy local produce.

    When in doubt I would ask the person taking your money where the food was grown. Usually they have banners at their stands saying where their farm is located.

  • http://oldtownfarmersmarket.com Pat Randleas

    Well, as the manager of the Old Town Market and a vegetable producing vendor I must speak up. Perhaps those of you who haven’t been to the Old Town Market in a while would do yourself a favor by giving it a try. We have rules by which we abide and they can be found at our website. If an item isn’t available locally we do allow reselling – but not by someone who simply goes to a warehouse. A farmers market in Kansas would definitely be different from one in California. Kansas is not an easy state to grow in with our harsh and erratic weather conditions. If you doubt the origin of a product – you simply can ask our growers about their products. When out of state produce is present – the vendor’s signage states place of origin. Now quit all that hatin’ and come down for a good time.

  • http://oldtownfarmersmarket.com hgkansas

    I enjoy the pleasant atmosphere at the Old Town Market. They have a Chef making a dish from what is available locally at market each week, a children’s craft table and music. There are celebrations through the summer at the market. The concept is to eat what is in season locally. It is nice to have items brought in to compliment what is not available locally – they had great peaches last week and sweet corn, all from Georgia – direct from the farmer. What a nice job they do managing the Old Town Market.

    Folks should support all farmers markets. They are all different and unique. I see thousands of folks having a good time each week at market. Meeting friends, visiting and sharing a moment.

    From reading what hiphopflipflop and gardenbug posted, they may have never been to the market. I pick up great tasting food and specialty products that are unique to this area. It is a great venue for starting a business. Get to know your farmer, I have at the Old Town Farmers Market.

  • hiphopflipflop

    Yeah, sorry to bash the lovefest here, but I -have- been to the market (did you read my original posts?), and am not impressed. As one poster said, much of the stuff I see is ‘factory’ grown, and I could care less if that factory is 2 miles away or in China. Crap produce is crap produce.

    But I’m curious, just how exactly do you validate that they are growing their stuff on a real farm or garden?

    Again, sorry, but you guys need to travel further than Valley Center or Wellington and see what the country offers. To me, a farmers market is just that, full of farmers. Do a little research yourself. EVCO, for example, touts the are the 2nd largest wholesaler in Kansas. Guess what – they are in Emporia, LESS THAN 150 MILES AWAY.

    Enjoy your Dillons tomatoes.

  • http://oldtownfarmersmarket.com hgkansas

    hiphopflipflop – Like my mom used to say: “Talk is cheap”. I invite you to the market – come find me at the information booth – let’s take a little market tour together. It won’t be at all like Dillons. Pat

  • aerocy

    hiphopflipflop, I agree with you. I’m from rural Iowa, transplanted to Wichita. I’ve been disappointed with all the so called farmer’s markets I’ve seen here in Kansas.

  • gardenbug

    Hey hgkansas–yes I have been to the Old Town market as well as the Ks Grown Farmers markets at 21st & Ridge and the one at 21st. I do enjoy them but still believe in honesty on how the veggies, etc. are grown. This is my right before I buy. As Pat R. said, they have rules. But is anyone visiting their “gardens” to verify? People don’t always follow rules. I was not bashing farmers markets, simply stating that not all the produce is grown in a garden with dirt.

  • AFN

    I went to the Old Town farmer’s market once last summer and was incredibly disappointed. There were only like 5 booths of fruit/veggies/food and the rest was all jewelry and junk. Not to mention the band blaring throughout the square. I was looking for a farmer’s market not a flea market. I hear that there are two others in town, one on the west side and one on the east side, that are both better but I haven’t had a chance to check them out.

  • hiphopflipflop

    Yeah, like someone else said, it’s more like a flea market than a farmers market. I have been to the one on the west side numerous times, and also the downtown one a few more. I have purchased a few odds and ends, but yeah, they said it best – it’s more like a flea market. Or basically a representation of most events in Wichita. (Can anyone say “River Festival”?)