One year ago, Hannah Gustafson created the Tiny Farmer’s Market in her front yard. What began as a lone stall selling jams outside Gustafson’s childhood home blossomed into a full-fledged community market with over thirty vendors, live music, free drinks and even more community on social media.
“I was unemployed,” Gustafson said. “I was not in a great head space and was feeling really discouraged by the political landscape and my community, I (didn’t) feel connected, and I felt like I needed to touch grass and meet my neighbors.”
Inspired by rural farm stands putting out produce at the end of driveways, Gustafson spread the word about her jam-making and free drinks.
“In those first three hours of the market, I met more people than I had living in that house for three years, and it sparked something inside of me,” Gustafson said. “I’m gonna keep doing this, I’m gonna be out here every single month. And people started to really resonate with it.”
Markets are abundantly available in Austin, with plenty of coffee and vintage clothing stalls. Gustafson makes clear that what sets Tiny Farmer’s Market apart from others remains in its commitment to community.
“The biggest thing was camaraderie, realizing that everybody else seemed to be craving the same thing.” Gustafson said. “Before this, I felt like I was so isolated and insular in my own life, and this made me realize that a lot of people feel that way. … I’ve learned that literally the tiniest things can truly make a difference.”
Kavita Kohli, a junior business major, attended the one year anniversary of Tiny Farmer’s Market.
“I like how it’s very local focused,” Kohli said. “I think some other markets are definitely more commercial, but this one literally feels like someone’s home.”
Gustafson highlights that community members may feel like they have to do a lot to make a difference alone, but when they work together, a significant difference can be made. This can be seen in the market’s goal of raising $20,000 to give back to the Austin community and prioritizing new and emerging artists in being able to become vendors.
One person who resonated with Gustafson and her mission was Xiomi Oviedo, owner of Please Stay Coffee. After seeing Tiny Farmer’s Market on TikTok a little over a month after its creation, Oviedo reached out to Gustafson to donate some pre-bottled lattes to the market, and quickly became one of its first vendors.
“Please Stay Coffee came from a community standpoint,” Oviedo said. “We actually started in our house inviting people in to build (a) community for ourselves. … Connecting with Hannah on that was really cool that we both have the same vision, … the alignment feels very organic for us.”
One year in, the Tiny Farmer’s Market has no intention to slow down. Gustafson has expanded the market to The Tiny Post, a monthly snail mail club that has reached over 30 countries worldwide.
“We’re all just girls trying to build community,” Oviedo said. “(Gustafson) is really doing something that is very powerful, and it still feels very intimate.”
