It's not just the start of summer, the warm weather also signals the return of the farmers' market. You are watching the "Local News Network," brought to you by FASTSIGNS Durango and Sky Ute Casino. I'm Sadie Smith. Every Saturday morning, through October 25th from 8:00 AM to noon, the farmers' market fills the TBK Bank parking lot with shoppers and local vendors. But it's more than just a place for farmers to sell their crops or for small businesses to share their crafts. It's become a community gathering spot.

I've really been trying to focus on creating the farmers' market to be a community lifeline, where we are working with SNAP and other programs to make food accessible to those who need it. We are creating an atmosphere where you can come and bring your family. It's family-friendly. We're creating a space where you can enjoy music, and breakfast, and lunch on a Saturday morning, but ultimately it's a gathering hole.

You'll find farm fresh produce, baked goods, artisan crafts, all accompanied by live music to enjoy. While you may pay a bit more to support local farmers and small businesses, the money stays in the community and you build a strong local economy.

Some items might be slightly more expensive when you buy small and you buy local. In the long run, it creates a stable community, and within that community, we can thrive. And so the goal of the Durango Farmers' Market, ultimately, is to become a lifeline for the Durango community, where produce and our food products are accessible and priced fairly, but also our small businesses can thrive.

The farmers' market recently became a 501c3 non-profit. They're now tax exempt. The status allows them to collect donations for programs like Farm to Neighbor, a program that connects local farmers with people in need by sharing unpurchased fresh produce. The farmers' market also supports the Good Food Collective, another program that provides fair access to healthy food. Donations also assist the Food Equity Coalition that works to ensure everyone in the community can obtain good local food.

We see what donations we have collected, and we are able to utilize those donations to buy leftover produce that would not be acceptable to sell next week from our farmers, and then distribute it to manna, as well as the family center here. And through that program, we're creating a more sustainable community where we are seeing less food waste, and more healthy food go to those who need it the most.

Anna Knowles says that the farmers' market keeps your dollars in the community while supporting the local farmers and small businesses that sustain the region.

Investing in the grassroots of our agricultural community here is so vital because, you know, they're not here to make a ton of money. They just don't. They do well enough for themselves to continue to grow the next year, and I think that that's something that also customers should keep in mind. When you are buying small and you're buying from our farmers, you're investing in their livelihood to continue to do this for our community.

For accessible parking, the Transit Center Parking Lot is designated for farmers market shoppers. Additional details may be found on the Durango Farmers Market website. For more information about this and other stories, visit durangolocal.news. Thank you for watching this edition of the "Local News Network." I'm Sadie Smith.