A visit to the Argus Farm Stop can feel like you’ve stepped onto the set of the TV show Portlandia, but if you overhear conversations about “nice” cheeses and “lovely” tomatoes, have faith: the aura of food fetishism lessens with familiarity at this charming urban green market in a former gas station on W. Liberty at Second.
Decor is minimal: plank benches, ceramic roosters, old photos of farm families, dried flowers. Brightness comes from arrays of locally grown beets, carrots, and greens–glorious even in mid-December, thanks to the recent proliferation of hoop houses. More than seventy local farmers and producers consign their goods for sale at an 80/20 split with Argus, and excess veggies get donated to Food Gatherers or composted, explains produce manager Brian Barch, MSc. His wife, Laura Barch, MBA, is a cheery presence behind the espresso machine in the adjacent cafe area; they met hawking Roos Roast coffee at the Farmer’s Market. Their market contacts (and Roos beans) accompanied them to their new gig.
Laura raves about the recent weekly appearance of Cafe Japon’s French pastries at Argus: the custard-filled almond croissant is an attention-grabbing confection overflowing with cookie topping and flavor. Crust Bakery of Fenton provides workaday baked goods and bread. Though Crust’s tomato-parmesan focaccia is a visual twin to Zingerman’s, it’s doughier–just passable as a substitute.
With MBA hands-on owners Kathy Sample and Bill Brinkerhoff still nurturing their brainchild, a better system for sharing the profits may yet evolve than the hassle of bringing bar codes to the counter with every piece of produce you purchase. Meanwhile, seemingly every week brings a new special something. A fire pit appeared out front when the weather got cold, along with cayenne-spiced mocha to warm you from the inside out.
