Big market…..and closing one hour early.!
The health of our soil and our own good health rely on local farms thriving! Family farms tend to use less chemicals (or none..as is in the case of many of our market’s farms!) and build healthy soils by growing sustainably. Healthier soils produce more nutrients in the crops grown and animals raised. Corporate factory farms do exactly the opposite. Saving land (and our cherished soils) from development means we need to support local family farms. Farmers Markets do this and foster a connection between the consumer and the farmer, a connection that is fast disappearing at the supermarket and with the new on-line shopping trend. American Farmland Trust is an organization which focuses on supporting family farms thereby saving farmland. Yes they are a national organisation but do good work here in the PNW. Check them out here: https://www.farmland.org/our-work/where-we-work/pacific-northwest They have just opened up their 2017 Farmers Market Celebration, you can cast your vote for your favorite farmers market (!) here: http://markets.farmland.org/ You can pick up their No Farms No Food bumper sticker at the Information Booth…free!
60 canopies are going up this weekend! Nine family farms are coming, with a gorgeous array of fresh veggies and fruits, meats and cheeses…even a baby calf! You’ll find all kinds of berries, cherries, pie cherries, green beans, salad greens, beets, carrots, zucchini, peas, fresh garlic…..scapes too. Pick up pastured meats for the BBQ and fresh seafood, including Chinook Salmon, Sole, Crab and Shrimp. TMK Creamery will be back with their cheddar and cheese curds and the wonderful aged goat’s cheese from Goldin Artisan Farmstead is back too!
Pick up delicious fresh salsa and guacamole from Romero’s Salsa…!
With the hot weather this weekend it’s a good idea to bring a cooler with you to store your purchases in the car. However we now sell bright green insulated shopping bags with zippers to help you keep things fresh, $6 at the Information Booth. Due to excessive heat warnings we will close one hour early at 1pm, any time the temps head towards 100 degrees you can expect this to happen!
Berries and black and red cherries, apricots this week too.
Live music is by Mark Seymour and in the Market Kitchen this week Chef Deborah is cooking up smoked pork chops with a cherry wine sauce. Yes, cherries are not just for sweets! A local author is coming to read her new book to the kids….it’s all about making a strawberry pie! Not seeing your favorite vendor? Check in with us at the Information Booth, some vendors are on an ‘every other’ week schedule, and some vendors have a different space allocation each week…..ask us, we can tell you! Stay cool, stay hydrated and stay shopping at the Market, where your dollar goes to keep small family farms viable…and thank you!