Farmers’s Market attracts unique vendors

The Idaho Falls Farmers’ Market kicks off Saturday. Market managers said participation over the years has been gradually growing.

“We have the usual vendors that come out every year, but this year we have more bakers and gardeners to offer. So we are excited to get started,” said Market manager Junean Stoddard.

This year there will also be several more vendors who fit local market requirements, but with a unique spin on products. Landon Walker is one of them. This year will be the first time his company, LOCAL, will showcase almond milk.

“We thought we would get involved because the people that come out are excited about local produce and local products and so we felt like this was going to be a great place to get people excited and get our name out there,” he said.

Walker said his company is the first to produce raw and unpasteurized almond milk.
“A lot of people have had almond milk before and they think, ‘oh I’ve had almond milk’ and I’m like ‘you know our almond milk taste a lot different and its totally different from stuff they’ve had before.”

This was also the first time the state was met with this sort of production. Walker said the state wasn’t sure how to categorize his business when he applied for a license to sell in Idaho.

“At one point we were lumped in with goat sheep and water buffalo,” he said.

The farmers’ market said it plans to have more unique vendors like Walker. In recent years, it has also had more interest from craft vendors. Unfortunately, the market has had to turn many away to stay within its bylaws for fresh and local products.

The market will be open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Saturday, through Oct. 31.