Dunwoody Green Market

The Dunwoody Green Market is located just off Chamblee Dunwoody Road, on the black-top of a parking lot between an office strip center and a bank. They are only open on Wednesdays from 8-12, and have about been around about five years. They are a “producer only” market, meaning that only vendor who actually produce the foods and goods can sell at the market. So, no middlemen or resale vendors, only the people from who’s farms, kitchens, craft shops, or gardens the product actually came. They also organize a CSA program that supports local farmers. The CSA is not overseen by the Dunwoody Green Market, but is provided by their most senior members. Like Morningside Farmer’s Market, all sellers must provide USDA certified organic produce.

I guess I had thought most of these markets were basically like the old farmer’s market I used to go to in Auburndale, Florida. It is a huge, sprawling, ecclectic market with over 300 stalls that sell everything from fruit and vegetables to clothes, CD’s knives, and sunglasses. If you wanted to rent a stall, you went to the office, gave them $35 and they gave you a 12X12 square of concrete in one of the football-field-length wings, and you set up you stuff to sell. Kind of like a high-traffic garage sale. But the markets I am going to around here are very organized with many rules about who can and cannot be a seller. And still many of the sellers come in from two or three hours out of town.

I was off work Wendnesday in order to take care of the kind of government stuff they aren’t available for after 5pm and on the weekends. I happened to be in the area and stopped at the market, which was actually pretty busy. There were about 20 vendors set up, some selling produce, some soap, some bread, some meats and eggs. I talked with a woman who sells soap, and she explained to me all the different varieties she offers, how they are made, and how she has a relationship with a sponge diver in Florida who sustainably harvests natural sponges for her. I talked to a man who owns a 178-acre farm past Clarksville. He had pretty decent produce and a basket of fat, golden, delicious-looking chantrelle mushrooms he foraged off his property. The season for fresh chantrelles is coming to a close, so I bought a pint that was probably over-priced, but worth it. I also bought a loaf of freshly baked, rosemary-onion ciabatta from a bread guy I know. Even with conversations it took me about 20 minutes to work my way through the market, and I was going slow. They had pretty good foot traffic while I was there, and I am sure there are lots of people going to work in the am or making special stops by these sellers to fill their pantries with organic, local, hand-harvested foods.