Farmer's Market Blues...

I really miss playing Farmer's Markets.  In my earlier performing days, and when I was in better health, I was able to get up early enough  and drive to a farmer's market  I had booked some place  (even though not a "morning person"), and  the experience was usually very refreshing.  There's definitely an illustrious  beauty of the morning, and those earlier hours of the day,  that you do miss  over time when you simply can't get up for it.   I used to play the Farmer's Market circuit right often, and I would either get invited by word of mouth, or find some interesting ones via the Internet.  I  would scope them out within a 2 hour radius. I remember playing at different markets around Richmond, but also little country towns around Central Virginia. I remember playing the market in Orange, Mineral,  Goochland , Charlottesville, and Williamsburg. At Williamsburg one time, I made over $200 in tips.  Over time, markets refrained from allowing you to make tips, but they would allow you to sell records. I would get a lot of positive feedback, and give out business cards. Many vendors at the market would give me free produce and other goods to take back home. It was nice!
I started in around 2001, with the Irvington Farmer's Market. From there, I found other markets that would have me play, and it lead to other venues.

Because the markets are earlier in the day, it really set the tone for the whole day and gave me a sense of accomplishment. I would load up the car the night before and usually get up at dawn, and be on the road just after sun rise . I would see all these things I normally would miss on my regular schedule of life.   It could even cure my depression.  Getting on those country roads were a quiet time for me to reflect and get closer to God. I really do miss the Farmer's Market scene, and I hope to get back into it. I don't consider it a "low rent" venue-  it doesn't matter what level of musicianship you are, because many great musicians play at the markets, and it's always a bonus when they pay you something! Most Farmer's Markets run from 8 AM to 12 noon, and at  present, that would be a difficult time frame for me to perform. Even when I was feeling better, I still had issues getting up and feeling well enough to perform, but I could manage to do it more freely and easily a decade ago.
Below is a list of Farmer's Markets I played at throughout my 20's and the earlier days of my performing.

Meade's Regular Farmer's Market Days
Orange Farmer's Market, Orange , Virginia
Mineral Farmer's Market, Mineral, Virginia
Durham Farmer's Market, Durham, North Carolina
Irvington Farmer's Market, Irvington, Virginia
Ashland Farmer's Market, Ashland, Virginia
Middleburg Farmer's Market Middleburg, Virginia
17th Street Farmer's Market Richmond, Virginia
Williamsburg Farmer's Market Williamsburg, Virginia
Goochland Farmer's Market, Goochland, Virginia
First Baptist Church, Richmond, Virginia
Charlottesville Farmer's Market Charlottesville, Virginia

Coming back to these places , one day!