Ann Arbor Farmers Market, open year-round on Saturdays.

Kim Bayer | Contributor

It's the last Wednesday market day of the year at the Ann Arbor Farmers Market and, surprisingly, two lonely vendors are soldiering through the biting cold. In Carhartts and a knitted cap, Bill Brines is distributing the winter greens CSA share for Brines Farm, while John and Lois Hochstetler of Our Family Farm have chicken and duck eggs for sale. Even in frostbite weather, the Ann Arbor's Farmers Market will continue on Saturdays throughout the winter no matter how cold it gets, from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. January through April under the historic Kerrytown pavilion.

Along with the Royal Oak Market and Detroit's Eastern Market, Ann Arbor's market is one of the few in the state that goes all year. The main difference between Ann Arbor and the other year-round markets is that Royal Oak and Detroit both offer sheltered space for vendors and shoppers.

But somehow, even in terrible economic and weather conditions, the Ann Arbor winter Farmers Market has seen astounding growth. Market manager Molly Notarianni says the average number of vendors is up 150-200 percent over the past five years.

She adds, "I think the most exciting increase is in the variety of vendors at market, which has grown more than 100 percent in the past five years, between 38 and 61 different vendors at market throughout the course of each the month, in winter of 2010."  And when the vendors come, the shoppers do too. Bill Brines says "We've got some really stout customers. It's hard to believe how many people come out here even when it's only 10 degrees."

Out in the bitter cold John Hochstetler, aka "Farmer John," is wearing a U.S. Marine Corps sweatshirt. He's definitely among "the few and the proud" when it comes to showing up for the market of winter. Along with his wife Lois, Hochstetler has been here with duck and chicken eggs, greens and a CSA distribution every single Wednesday and Saturday, rain, snow or shine, for the entire year, and he's planning to make the drive from Manchester every Saturday this winter as well. "Unless we're snowed in, we'll be here," he says.

Kim Bayer | Contributor

Hochstetler sees less competition in the colder months and has been focused on ramping up his winter production. With two hoophouses currently in production, this winter he'll have arugula, chard, bok choi and hydroponic lettuce, along with a CSA of chicken, eggs and pork. Hochstetler says they have the county's first "solar powered chicken house."

"It's basically an A-frame covered with plastic that uses the sun to warm up the chickens. It's a chicken hoophouse," he says with a grin. For this week's market, they brought in 14 dozen duck eggs and 30 dozen chicken eggs, and they expect to have their first greens once the market starts up again on Jan. 8.

Our Family Farm's hydroponically grown greens.

Kim Bayer | Contributor

If last year is any indication, they won't have any trouble finding buyers for those greens. Even with as many as 60 vendors on a Saturday, anyone looking to buy fresh greens at the market last winter knew to arrive before 9:30 a.m. or risk going home empty handed. Hochstetler agrees that the winter market is growing. He attributes it to a growing variety of food available in winter and to the relationships that develop. He says "What I'm hearing is people saying to vendors 'Are you going to be here this winter?' When they hear 'yes,' they say 'Well I'll be back then.' People prefer buying from someone they know."

Over at the Brines market stall, the hoophouse greens in the CSA shares are being kept from freezing in the covered bed of a white pickup truck. Bill Brines, recently retired and father of farm owner Shannon Brines, smiles as he hands over a bag full of salad mix, spinach, cress, bok choi and Asian mixed greens that were grown in Dexter. He says "there's a little bit more in there than last week. This week, the sun helped us out quite a bit."

Kim Bayer | Contributor

Hoophouse greens from Brines Farm.

You can tell he's proud of his son, Shannon, who started Brines Farm in 2004 with a goal of proving the viability of growing food through the Michigan winter. Now with four hoophouses in production, Bill Brines says Shannon has "grown the business more than I ever expected he could in five years. This year he put up two more hoophouses. Pretty much everything he envisioned so far has come true."

One thing Brines has envisioned that hasn't happened yet is covered space for the winter farmers' market. This year it will be interesting to see if the opening of the online Lunasa Market that distributes in a heated space on Jackson Road on Tuesdays twice a month has any effect on vendors, customers and sales at the Ann Arbor Farmers' Market. Even though Brines Farm participates in both the Lunasa Market and the Ann Arbor Farmers' Market, Bill Brines says "As a customer, if I had a choice between going to the Lunasa Market where it's warm, and the Farmers' Market, I would go to Lunasa."

Market manager Notarianni says she welcomes the options Lunasa gives both vendors and shoppers. "I am not concerned about competition from Lunasa, and in fact think that a synergy exists between the two markets which may benefit us both!  I believe more area farmers markets provide shoppers with more opportunities to buy local food directly from producers-different market locations, different hours, different vendors, different shopping experiences for customers.  An increasing number of farmers markets also provide producers with more opportunities to sell their product, which is awesome and great because it supports those who want to become growers and producers of food."

But Notarianni would like to see the Ann Arbor market enclosed, in part because it would bring more diversity. She says "I have tried to seek out potential vendors who seem like they are doing fantastic, unique things that would be a good addition to the market — but it is not always easy to convince someone to stand outside all day in the winter!" 

Many of the market's long-time farmers and vendors have been lobbying for years for shelter in the winter. Frustrated by the lack of response from the city, some are even starting to take matters into their own hands by building their own temporary shelters. For the past couple of months, Carpenter's Greenhouse and Organic Produce has set up a sturdy tent, heated with three propane burners to keep their tomatoes, eggs and greens from freezing. They've also drawn crowds of customers. Lois Hochstetler says "Lots of people commented on Dwight's tent — how warm it was in there." Warm enough to keep the Carpenter sons in short-sleeved t-shirts. Hochstetler says her husband has promised a similar setup for her this winter.

"Farmer John" Hochstetler wonders, "Why can other vendors have indoor markets, but not the Ann Arbor Farmers Market? Doesn't the city care about us?" Market manager Notarianni says "I would love, love, love to see the market all, or partially, enclosed. This would be an amazing benefit for shoppers with more pleasant shopping, and also to vendors, who frequently cannot set their produce or eggs outside, as things will freeze in subzero temperatures. The city is aware of this, and is starting to look into options... stay tuned!"

Until then, semper fi! Saturdays will find the few, the proud and the freezing buying and selling their produce, meat and eggs in the fresh open air at the Ann Arbor Farmers' Market all winter long.

Addendum: Market manager Molly Notarianni says these are the foods she expects to be available at the farmers' market this winter:

Produce: potatoes, garlic, winter squash, carrots, beets, turnips, radishes, onions, greens (hoophouse greens, micro greens, sturdier brassicas like kale and collards), apples, cider, mushrooms
 
Baked goods: breads (Millpond and Café Japon), French pastries, alfajores, gluten-free baked goods, cupcakes, donuts, other sweet treats
 
Proteins:  eggs (duck, chicken, goose!), chicken, duck, goose, lamb, beef, buffalo, pork
 
Other things you can eat:  grains, yogurt/kefir, fermented vegetables, chocolates, honey, maple syrup, jams and jellies, cheese, handmade pasta, raw treats like kale chips
 
Not positive on hot food options yet, but there will certainly be coffee, hot chocolate, and most likely also several food cart vendors: Pilar's, EAT, and maybe even some new additions!

Kim Bayer researches and writes about food and works toward community food security.