Shade netting over the farmers' booths flutters and snaps in the breeze. The constellation Orion pitches headfirst across the heavens, his faithful dog Sirius following behind, just above the Santa Fe Building. Market president Donald Jones stands under a bare lightbulb and explains how the Golden Spread Farmers' Market works. A nine-member board of directors runs the operation. Produce must be grown within 150 miles of Amarillo.
Verification is done annually by on-site visits to each participating farm.
The Amarillo Independent School District owns the parking lot and leases it to the organization, which in turn charges daily stall fees to the farmers. This produce is fresh, he says. It may not always look as pretty as the supermarket's, but you'll taste the difference when you eat it. A lot of these farmers work other jobs, Jones continues. They also haul produce to farmers' markets in Hereford and Clovis, though Amarillo's is the best.