Today we’d like to introduce you to Jane Wylie.
Hi Jane, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself
I have always had a passion for agritourism in general and farmers’ markets specifically. When I was given the opportunity to manage the Wheeler Sunday Market I was thrilled. The Sunday Market began in 2011 as part of the Wasatch Front Wheeler Farm Sunday Market, which was hosted here at the farm. In 2017 they decided to discontinue the market. At this point the Sunday Market had become a staple in the community and couldn’t just fade away, this is when Salt Lake County picked it up and we have been running the market since 2018. After the initial change in 2018, we have seen the market grow and change with the community. We have seen a 30% increase in vendor attendance since 2018 and our parking lot is packed to the brim every week!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The transition between Wasatch Front Wheeler Farm Sunday Market to Salt Lake County was understandably bumpy. The vendors had established relationships with past market managers and were not super quick to trust a new leadership. Since then we have worked diligently to earn their trust and create lasting relationships with them. Last year was also a challenge, we had to work quickly to adapt to the frequently changing pandemic guidelines. Our team worked closely with UDAF and the health department to make sure we could keep our gates open.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Wheeler Historic Farm has been a staple in this community, even before there was a community here. The property was purchased by the Wheelers in 1887, they lived here and built the many out buildings you can see preserved here. The property was sold to Sterling Furniture Co. in 1943. The property was vacant for many years when Salt Lake County purchased it in 1969 and began restoration efforts. Today the Farm is a place where families can visit and see what life was like many generations ago. They can watch our gardeners tend to the fields and watch as they harvest, and interact with farmers and animals on a daily basis.
The Sunday Market is a great way to show how food comes from the farm and is sold at the market. You can see it all happen right here in one spot. All of the farmers that attend our market love to talk about and educate the public on their farming practices.
In the off-season, we have other events that help us keep up with the farm including our Pumpkin Days celebration, Holiday Market, Easter Egg Hunts, and Farm Fest, just to name a few.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
Establishing relationships is the most important. If you want farmers, bakers, artists, etc. to trust your vision they need to feel like you have their interests in mind as well.
Contact Info:
- Email: jwylie@slco.org
- Website: https://slco.org/wheeler-farm/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wheelerhistoricfarm/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wheelerfarmslco
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1rFaeJi3sUTuX9qo7PYvJw
