Kansas City Farmer's Market

Stop by the Kansas City Farmers Market and you've found one of the most popular shows in town, especially on weekends. Stephanie Spatz-Ornburn is the marketing director here, "The city market, farmers market we have during the week. Saturday, Sunday and Wednesday market. And the Saturday market is our behemoth the biggest one of the week. Over the course of an entire summer, or over the entire year as matter of fact, over 700,000 people come down to the market."

The market has been approximately in the same location since 1857. The river just a couple blocks from here, the Missouri River, had a lot to do with the origins of the market. It was the springboard for starting the town of Kansas City. Stephanie says, "And that's what we take pride in. We want to be a venue for the community to come and get to know their farmers and getting to know where your food is coming from has become very important in the world today. What I really enjoy is you can walk around here, the smells, and you can taste everything. We have the fresh produce put that up with our jams and jellies and the specialty food items, the spices, the herbs, all of those yummy things. They all come together for a wonderful experience."

Walk around the market and you'll find people like Bibo Padilla. He runs Mama Socorro's Chili which sells chili mix and salsas mixes. Salsa from Missouri? Bibo says, "There's a lady in Prescott, Arizona (true story) that calls me every summer and I mail her twenty four bags of our medium salsa mix to Arizona and she makes 24 quarts of salsa with it."

Bibo Padilla creates his special salsa and other mixes from chili peppers along with what he says are nine other secret ingredients. And if the proof is in the pudding, the test is in the tasting. We tried one. Great...but Hot!

Pao Hun came to this country from Laos. He grows vegetables for the market on his four acre farm outside Kansas City. He points to Thai basil, Holy basil and something called the Kapow Basil.

Turn any corner at the market and you'll stumble on some surprises. You'll find fresh fruits and vegetables, but you'll also find entertainment as well as one of a kind products to take home. Claude Fitzwater has been making willow furniture and selling it at the market for more than 20 years. Rocking chairs, swings and country style recliners.

And you'll find a cross section of people from all across the area. Sara Souder is from a Mennonite community in Versailles Missouri, "In the spring, we do basically flowers. But as the season progresses, we switch over to produce and in the fall, we do a lot of dried flowers, crafts and, of course, mums."

The market has grown in popularity as a "destination" for visitors and locals alike. Tina Perry started shopping here with her father years ago, "The quality is good. I like ripe fruits and vegetables. I got three cantaloupes for two dollars. And I bought some cherries. And I've got a couple tomatoes. I like the city market." And does she save money here? "Most definitely."