Farmers’ markets are largely built on the value of direct exchange between the producer and the consumer, removing the middleman so that hardworking farmers are not swindled out of their well-earned money. What comes along with this value, however, is a sense of community, a sense of supporting your neighbors who are trying to make a living just like everybody else. People come for different reasons: for fresh produce, for garden-grown flowers, for a tasty meal, for art pieces, for entertainment. But what keeps people coming back is the social aspect of the market, the interaction and relationships with others built on comradery and mutual need. This sense of community can be actively felt throughout the Bloomington Farmers’ Market.

     The music that is performed at the Bloomington Farmers’ Market makes a huge difference in the experience of shopping and just being there. For instance, I am from South Bend and we have a farmers’ market, but there is something vastly different about Bloomington’s market. There is no music performed at South Bend’s market, and there is not nearly as many vendors, families, and shoppers either.

     When I visited on Saturday, people of all ages were dispersed throughout the market. Families and children seemed to congregate around the music and other forms of entertainment. Families also seemed to gravitate towards the prepared foods, where they could all go and eat together. Mostly adults could be found shopping for raw foods and art. The politics, in the traditional, American sense, could be found close by the City Hall; booths for political parties and animal activists could be found there. However, politics in the broadest sense of the word could be found all throughout the market where people were freely and fairly exchanging money and products. All people were able to participate as a vendor, as a buyer, or as a performer.

     That morning, I was able to talk to a vendor named Theresa who was selling homegrown produce and plants. She was from St. Louis and she told me that “there is more musical talent walking around Bloomington than you could ever find driving through St. Louis.” Theresa’s children went to Harmony School, which has an alternative teaching style that she feels really benefited her children. They went on to college and majored in music, and they plan to stay in Bloomington. Like anyone to whom I have spoken about Bloomington, they appreciate the community and the diversity that go hand-in-hand in this little Midwestern town.

     I also spoke with Todd, the guitar player performing that day. Todd said that “the Bloomington Farmers’ Market is the best gig [he has] ever played, better than any bar or anywhere else.” Todd is what is known as a busker: he performs on the street for a dollar or two in his guitar case. This is strictly voluntary; Todd is not obligated to perform there, but whenever he feels like he can, he does. He sings and plays guitar because he feels as though that is the only thing he is good at doing. Playing at the Farmers’ Market is his “letout,” a place where he can express himself and connect with other people. In addition to the Bloomington Farmers’ Market, Todd performs in two nursing homes, and he feels as though the people in his three main venues truly appreciate his work. I reaffirmed this by saying that when I walked in and saw him playing, it made me smile. Last Sunday, he was featured in the Herald Times, which was his greatest honor since winning a trophy at his high school talent show. It is clear that Todd performs at the Farmers’ Market without a thought for self-glorification, but rather for the bonds that it strengthens with the people of his community. He would never leave Bloomington unless he got “a million dollar contract.” Something I found interesting was when he pointed out the STP baseball cap that he was wearing. He told me he wore that because it was something neutral, something that encouraged everybody to listen to him. He said if he wore a Cubs hat, for instance, then a White Sox fan might pass by him. Then, he pointed out his shirt which was printed all around with a large photograph of a man, and smiling he said, “Everybody loves Andy Griffith.” Todd returns again and again to the Bloomington Farmers’ Market “to be part of the community, to be happy, and to feel good.”

     After experiencing the Bloomington Farmers’ Market and learning about new aspects of music in this IFS class, it is clear that shopping at a farmers’ market shares the same dynamics as participatory music. All people are welcome and encouraged to shop and support the small farmers of the area. All farmers, artists, and crafters are welcome to sell their products. Everyone there is expected to join in the interaction between producer and consumer. The quality of the producer is based on the amount of consumers he/she attracts. Without an equal representation of both halves of this audience, the Farmers’ Market could not function and would never be successful. But the cohesive cooperation of all people at the Bloomington Farmers’ Market allows for an enjoyable experience for everyone.

(A map of the Bloomington Farmers' Market)

(The Herald Times article Todd was featured in on August 3, 2014)