Welcome to the Dededo Farmers Market
The market hours are Saturday and Sunday mornings from the crack of dawn until around 10am, though the cache is accessible at any time.
Local markets have been a huge part of Guam's culture for a long time as a great place for both locals and tourists alike to enjoy the sights and flavors of the island and even bring some of it home. This market opened, after much anticipation, in December of 2016 and features vendors from the Farmer's Co-op as well as many vendors from the original Dededo Fleamarket, when it was by Dededo Payless.
When the market is open, you can find everything from fresh produce from local farmers, household goods, clothing, art from local artists, accessories, plants and saplings, and all kinds of delicious local dishes, from soups, baked goods, rice cakes, burgers, lumpia, empanada, fresh coconut, and tons of bbq that is freshly grilled in front of you. Like many other places, the market took a hit during Covid-19. In its heyday, the market was a packed and lively place with vendors nearly at every stall. Slowly but surely, vendors are coming back and right now it is at about 65% occupancy.
If you come on these weekend mornings it'll be tough to find the cache with so many muggles around, but honestly it's the best time to come so you can also enjoy the market. It's far enough away that you can try to be slick and quick! Then go browse the market and support the hardworking vendors who sell their wares every weekend, especially the lovely lady selling produce in stall 172. Say hi to her and tell her you found the geocache nearby! 😊 Who is she? If you'd like to know, you can read my sentimental ramblings below. Otherwise, thank you for visiting my very first cache!
~~~~About the Cache~~~~~
(Warning, sentiment that some might find too saccharine ahead, so totally optional reading. You've been cautioned!)
This is my first ever cache that I've hidden. It's simple and straightforward but has special significance.
I grew up here, in this fleamarket setting. My mother, in stall 172, has been selling her produce at local markets like this for more than 50 years. Some of my first memories come from our weekends selling at the old Harmon fleamarket. The stalls then were built-in wooden tables and shelves already affixed to the concrete structure and I remember clambering about them, making them my personal playground. Growing up, I used to hate selling at the market. As a kid, having your weekends taken away was basically the worst thing ever, and having to wake up at 3 or 4am and set up in the cold dark morning was just awful. But working in the ranch daily and at the market on the weekend was how I earned my allowance and eventually, I came to love the hustle and bustle of the market and even miss it when I'm not on island. Reflecting back, being raised in the market taught me so much - about hard work and the success it can bring, the true value of money, the importance of frugality, diligence, patience, and kindness. I could go on and wax poetic, but needless to say it's influenced me in ways I can better appreciate now.
Actually, I come from a family of farmers; it isn't just my mother who sells at this market. I have two aunties and my grandpa have other booths here as well. My Lola sold at one stall here, and at the markets before it, up until the day she couldn't. I hid this geocache not long after she passed away. She was such a fixture at the market that so many customers came up to express how much they'd miss her and her suman rice cakes.
This cache, my very first and probably only, is for her and my mom: the women who raised me in such a place that has helped shape who I am. I am so thankful.
So please, after you find the cache, stay a bit and enjoy this place as much as I do. Thanks for letting me ramble about its significance.
** A very huge thank you to blygoat for agreeing to maintain this cache for me! **
Congratulations to IslandKid671 and peskadot671 for the FTF!!