Mosbaek, Snider and Hagan

These three local activists worked with local farmers who wanted to supply fresh produce. Marketing costs for classified ads, posters and flyers were a mere $30 that first year.

The original market had 13 vendors on opening day, then grew to 22 that first year. Soon thereafter, the main Saturday market moved to the Eastbridge Campus, and a second market was added on Wednesdays in 1997.

By 1999, the number of vendors had grown to just short of 50, and additional markets were added on Thursdays.

Each year the number of vendors has grown and today operations have been expanded to manage more than 250 vendors at six sites in Ontario and Orlando. Total sales for all vendors are nearly $6 million annually.

©AnnOKeeffe 2010