Playing for Farmer's Markets

Last Friday I went to the coffee shop e.p. atelier to hear the Floorbirds, Mill City Grinders and the Lulu Gals (I had a great time). Lisa from the Lulu Gals noted that Lynn and I were playing at a Farmer's market the next morning. She said that she had played farmers markets before she moved to Minnesota and had fun but said the St. Paul Farmer's market was too 'formal'. I haven't been to the St. Paul Market so I couldn't comment.

For the last several years, Lynn and I have been playing at farmers market gigs set up by Bob Estes of the Rhubararians.

At the beginning of the season Bob sets up a number of dates at several farmers markets. Most commonly Lynn and I play at the Prior Lake and Bloomington farmers markets as 'guests'. (see earlier post here). The original Rhubarians (Bob, Tom , Dave and Joe) usually cover the Kingfield market in South Minneapolis. This weekend Lynn and I joined Bob at the Prior Lake market on Saturday; on Sunday only Bob and Tom could make it to Kingsfield. I hustled on over after church and played with them the last hour and a half.

Lynn and I usually wind up playing with Bob and Tom: there are a number of common reels,jigs, marches and polkas from the Rhubarbarian repertoire; otherwise we 'jam' on each other's songs. This provides us an opportunity to try out new songs - on Saturday, we did O, The Raging Sea and I've Gotta Bulldog. There's a couple of songs that we do that have become Farmer's market 'standards', including Otto Wood and One More Dollar. I did 'em both days (with Lynn on Sat, just with Bob and Tom on Sunday). Jesse James is an old jamming tune that I only play with the farmer' market gang.

Of course, at a farmer's market we're mostly playing background music - although, we usually have a few people who sit and listen to a few numbers. And the vendors really like it. On Sunday we got corn and tomoatoes!

We also provide a baby-sitting service: kids like folk music and there's usually a baby stroller or two that a Mom or Dad brings up next to where the band is set up. There's almost always a few kids who dance. Not only to jigs and reels but also to some of our bouncier songs like Milwaukee Blues or If I Lose. On Sunday a 8 or 9 year old girl was dancing to a few tunes and even did a modern dance interpretation to One More Dollar (which is a ballad).

The Bloominton and Prior Lake markets give $100 to the band, plus any tips we can busk up. Kingsfield is about $25 but is much closer. Thus we usually cover gas and a farmers market gig often means we can skip getting cash from the ATM for a week or two. Lynn and I played Prior Lake on our own in July on our wedding anniversary and paid for our anniversary dinner from the proceeds.

I sometimes tell Lynn that our 'mission' is to take old-time music to the masses and playing at Farmer's markets certainly accomplishes that (and shows the universal appeal of folk and old-time music ).