Promoting Ethnicity at the Webb City Market

I always enjoy spreading news from our local markets across the state... If you ever have any special events or news you would like shared on the Missouri Farmers' Market blog, please email me.

This comes from Webb City Market Master Eileen Nichols...

Speaking of promotions, we had a real winner last Friday. We celebrated ethnicity as a whole.

The market collected information on all of our vendors and made placards for each stand saying where they were born and where their ancestors came from and, in the case of our Hmong growers, when and where they became citizens.

We had a display on Hmong culture, a display of a world map so our customers could mark their roots and a large display on where our market food originated thousands of years ago.

It was very well received by both the vendors and the customers. It was rather amazing to find that at least 1/4 of our growers have native American roots. We even had a grower who was a direct descendant of Chief Red Cloud (& Irish pirates). We had lots of compliments, lots of fun and a terrific feeling of community. Our Hmong ladies all wore their traditional festive garb which was really special. I have attached a photo of Ka Yang in her outfit while being interviewed by a local TV station (the reporter couldn't resist her egg rolls - not many people can.)

I agree with Eileen's last statement: I couldn't resist her egg rolls on my last visit to the Webb City Market either, they were delicious!

Thanks for sharing Eileen!