Crossroads eyed as site for Takoma Park Farmers Market

Supporters say area is ripe for venue, which is intended to draw immigrants

‘‘There was a desire to create a community space ... a place where people can socialize, network, meet friends, shop,” said Michele Thornett, project coordinator for the proposed satellite market who also works as a vendor at the Old Town Takoma Park site. ‘‘Hopefully, this will build some bridges and bring together different ethnicities.”

Thornett said organizers are still deciding where to place the market, but talks have begun with private-property owners about the use of parking lots as close to the New Hampshire Avenue and University Boulevard intersection as they can get.

The funding for the new market will come from a $60,000 grant to be handed out Thursday, and will run until Jan. 31, 2008. Project for Public Spaces, the New York City-based nonprofit that awarded the grant, received $3 million from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation three years ago to promote markets in transitioning areas. An additional $10,000 was pledged by the Wallace Genetic Foundation, a Washington, D.C.-based group that promotes sustainable agriculture.

One requirement of the Project for Public Spaces grant was that recipient neighborhoods should be what is described as ‘‘shifting sands” communities, or areas dealing with change and in need of a central meeting place, said Kelly Williams, an associate with the Project for Public Spaces. Of the 10 markets nationwide that will be receiving grant funding this year, Takoma Park’s endeavor is unique in at least one way. Minority and immigrant farmers also will have access to a micro-loan program run by City First Bank of D.C. to fund expansions on their businesses after market hours.

‘‘It occurred to us that the Takoma Park Farmers Market in Old Town is very well-established, very successful, but doesn’t draw a lot of customers from the Hispanic community, or immigrants,” said John Hyde, who along with his wife owns Takoma Kitchens, a merchant at the Old Town market. ‘‘As a way of encouraging that, establishing this [micro-lending] program will help these growers get involved in direct marketing ... we don’t know yet what their needs are.”

Thornett said a handful of potential growers have expressed interest, although applications haven’t been drawn up yet. Organizers have been talking to representatives from Casa of Maryland, the Maryland Small Farm Institute and area churches to identify potential immigrant growers and strategies. As with the Old Town market, vendors must come from within 125 miles of the city, and their food must be produced within the same distance.

‘‘This will definitely add to the vitality of that neighborhood, with a built-in base of patrons to the market,” said Takoma Park Councilman Doug Barry, whose Ward 6 incorporates the Crossroads.

New methods, new patrons

Some of the funding also will be used to set up Electronic Benefit Transfer machines at both market sites that will be used to process food stamps and credit or debit card payments. Rather than giving each vendor a wireless terminal to process payments, a table will be set up at each site and run by a market manager. Shoppers will then be given color-coded tokens in exchange for food stamps or credit and debit card purchases.

The process, which Thornett called ‘‘innovative,” is modeled after a method pioneered by the Crescent City Farmers’ Market in New Orleans, said Richard McCarthy, the executive director of marketumbrella.org and a co-founder of the New Orleans market.

Louise Swartzwalder, president of the Takoma Park Farmers Market board of directors and Hyde’s wife, said going digital was a ‘‘no-brainer.” More payment options for consumers makes it easier to buy goods, she said, and could draw those who come across the markets by chance.

The Old Town market will roll out the wireless terminal before the Crossroads market opens, although it will take a few months to receive state approval for the food stamp aspect.

Will it work?

At least six years ago, Bill Hanna came to Takoma-Langley community leaders with a plan to start a fresh foods farmers’ market to give residents an alternative to the chain grocery stores and supplement the incomes of immigrant growers. Although everyone agreed the market was a good idea, Hanna said no one wanted to take the lead in finding funding, making connections with vendors and getting the program approved.

‘‘We really needed someone to run with it,” said Hanna, a community activist with Action Langley Park. ‘‘If it’s run right, it’ll be terrific to have it there. ... There’s definitely the consumer base for it.”

Saidou Sow, a native of Guinea who lives in Silver Spring, said an open-air international market would definitely bring in large crowds. For now, Sow shops for ethnic foods at markets like the Red Apple Farmers Market on New Hampshire Avenue in Takoma Park, a grocery store that boasts African, Latin and West Indian specialty foods.

Mina Gamboa of Langley Park does most of her shopping at the Crossroads’ Safeway supermarket, which already carries several aisles of Hispanic foods. But, she said an alternative could appeal to those looking to make personal connections to the neighborhood. The Crossroads tends to be a very transient area, she said, and many residents keep to themselves.

Thornett said organizers have plans not only to sell prepared native foods at the market, but also to play international music. But a hazard of bringing crowds in to an area surrounded by plans for future projects like a transit center and day laborer site is an increase in the already-heavy traffic.

And what about getting immigrant farmers interested in the new business venture?

‘‘They might be reluctant to jump into this at first,” said Hyde, adding that several of the Old Town vendors will be volunteering to serve as mentors. ‘‘We know once they get into it, they’ll love it. They’re going to make so much more money than just selling food.”