The Rochester Downtown Farmers Market (RDFM) is a project of the Rochester Downtown Farmers Market Association, seeking to support sustainable agriculture and the family farm by sponsoring a market to provide farmers with a well-organized retail marketplace, to provide local access to quality farm products, and to strengthen the ties between the family farm and the community.

Description:
The RDFM is a non-profit Association made up of member growers, a Board of seven members who are elected from and by the membership, and one paid employee, the RDFM manager. We host a summer Farmers Market every Saturday, May through October, outdoors in the City lot on 4th St SE and 4th Ave SE. Our 2008 roster of vendors represents 90 growers who live and work within a 50 mile radius of Rochester, MN. Products range from bedding plants to cut flowers, eggs and poultry to organically raised beef, lamb, pork, and elk, to a wide variety of seasonal produce, and baked goods. Music is provided by local performers on a weekly basis. Chef demonstrations and various family-oriented events take place throughout the season, all with a focus on healthy living through support of local agriculture.

History:
The Rochester Downtown Farmers Market has been in existence for over 20 years, having started as a small group of local farmers interested in providing fresh food to the Rochester Community who congregated at several different downtown sites. In 2004 the RDFM was granted use of our current site by the City of Rochester; we have grown in numbers of vendors as well as in our partnerships with other community organizations. We work with the Farmers Market Nutrition Program and accept W.I.C and Senior Vouchers for fresh produce, and continue to be grantees for the voucher program through Steps for a Healthier Rochester. Every week our vendors donate produce to the Channel One program of Rochester.

Contact person: Kari Dunn, Marketing Director, (phone), (email)

Address:

PO Box 6554 Rochester, MN 55903 This location is handicap accessible

Web Site: http://www.rochesterdowntownfarmersmarket.org

Directions:

We do not have a mailing address for our Market site. Our Market location is 4th St SE and 4th Ave SE, Rochester, MN 55904   Nearest Bus Stop: 4th St SE and 5th Ave SE, 2 minute walk