Salt and Soil Marketplace, an internet-based farmer’s market, has seen about five orders per week since starting in June, but an organizer said she expects business will pick up with harvest of more local vegetables in late summer.
“So far, it’s had a slow start in Haines… Some of the demand is already met through the weekly (farmer’s) markets,” Pochardt said. “As more things become ready to harvest, there will be a lot more produce available, and hopefully seafood. We’re working with Haines Packing to see about that.”
The online marketplace recently offered seven types of produce – including lettuce, cucumbers and zucchini – plus canned salmon and candles.
Pochardt said the marketplace has extended its deadline for ordering to noon on Friday to pick up purchases the following day at the weekly farmer’s market at the fairgrounds or Monday at the Takshanuk Watershed Council office at 425 Sawmill Creek Road.
Two small-scale farms – Double Shovel Farm and Saunderosa Farms – are offering produce through the marketplace.
Shoppers who sign up for a membership receive weekly updates on new products. Membership is free and available at http://www.saltandsoilmarketplac.com. To serve as a vendor, email [email protected].
Pochardt said that at this time, the marketplace is just “looking for folks to give it a shot.” Salt and Soil, which also serves Juneau, was established with a three-year grant. Its model is based on a $40 annual membership, which is waived in the first year.
Salt and Soil is Kate Saunders’ entry into the commercial food business. A 30-year gardener, Saunders said she has been intending to sell her extra produce for several years. She looks at the marketplace as a retirement gig and a way to write off her gardening habit.
“I always end up with more than I need and I can’t see wasting food. Why not share the wealth?”
The idea of spending Saturday mornings under Payson’s Pavilion doesn’t appeal to Saunders and she doesn’t grow enough extra to make a table at the market lucrative, she said.
So far she has offered zucchinis, cucumbers, kale and lettuce online and soon should have bush beans and pole beans. In a few weeks, she hopes to offer tomatoes and peppers.
But besides a batch of Swiss chard, all the produce she has offered was grown in a dome greenhouse.
The growing season has been slowed by chilly weather, she said. “Stuff is coming in late. It’s not much of a summer so far. If this is our summer, it won’t be good.” In August, we get cold rains and summer’s over.”