Winning Pie Recipes and More!

The Berries in Abundance event at the Port Townsend Farmers Market last Saturday was lots of fun. We hosted our first ever Pie Contest at market in addition to a chef demo by Arran Stark. With 14 amazing pies, our judges had their work cut out for them. Our special thanks go out to all of the bakers who participated in the first ever Berries in Abundance pie contest. Natalie Swope of White Lotus Farm won our home chef pie awards for the Most Beautiful, and Most Creative pie (see a photo of her pie above) and Sue Cook won the Best Tasting and Best Crust awards. Aldrich's baker Ananda, the Pastry Peddler, won our awards for the Most Beautiful, Creative and Best Tasting professionally baked pie with her key lime and berry tart. The Finistere team won our Best Crust award.

So many of you asked me how to get a slice of pie. With many of the pies baked in home kitchens, we were not able to share them with you. Instead, please enjoy the recipes for these winning pies here. 

From Our Vendors
 

Mystery Bay Farm: We'll have Florets (chevre with edible flowers) each Saturday. Why not add beauty to your plate?!

Meghan at Hopscotch Farm + Cannery has been busy in the kitchen and will be bringing her Blueberry Preserves with Lemon + Thyme to the Port Townsend Wednesday Farmers Market today.  She will also have some treats from the greenhouse, including basil, bell peppers, and chili peppers, as well as other delicious summer produce.  

POP Club

POP Club is today at the Port Townsend Wednesday Farmers Market from 2:30pm to 4:30pm. Tanya Barnett with 4-H is leading a plant identification activity and Chef Arran Stark will also be at market with a chef demonstration in celebration of World Breastfeeding Week. Kids and adults, come try some crudités prepared by Arran and kids, come guess what with Tanya.

On Sunday I, Amanda Milholland, am leading a special activity for kids as well as adults at the Chimacum Farmers Market in recognition of National Farmers Market Week. We will have a homemade “photo booth,” some silly props and chalkboards for you to share “I love my farmers market because…” You can take your own photo to share with friends and family or Amanda or Rod Just of A Fare Story will take your photo in celebration of our Jefferson County Farmers Markets. We will also have our love letter mailbox at market for your letters of appreciation to local farmers and market vendors. Visit the POP booth for more information.
POP Club activities are open to kids of all ages and POP registration is open to kids between the ages of five and 12 years old. Experience, learn, make with our POP Club.  After our weekly activity, registered kids get $2 for fresh produce.

World Breastfeeding Week

This Wednesday and Saturday Jefferson County Public Health and Jefferson Healthcare are joining the Port Townsend Farmers Markets to celebrate healthy food for healthy families. August 1 through 7 is World Breastfeeding Week. Visit Jefferson Healthcare and Jefferson County Public Health to learn why breast milk is the most nutritious first food. Jefferson County Public Health will also have WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program vouchers for qualifying families available at market. For more information on World Breastfeeding Week contact Jefferson County Public Health at 360.385.9400, or visit the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action or the World Health Organization.

National Farmers Market Week, August 5-11

National Farmers Market Week is the first full week of August. There are lots of good reasons to celebrate our local and national farmers markets. Here are a few of the benefits of farmers markets for farmers. 

• Farmers markets provide one of the only low-barrier entry points for new farmers, ranchers, and food entrepreneurs, allowing them to start small and test new products. According to the 2017 National Young Farmers Coalition survey, farmers markets and CSAs represented the marketing channel with the highest proportion of new and beginning farmers’ sales. This support is incredibly important, as there are currently 3.5 times as many U.S. farmers over the age of 65 as there are under 35.
• At a farmers market, 100% of your food dollar goes to your local farmer. Nationally, farmers and ranchers receive only 15 cents of every food dollar that consumers spend at traditional food outlets. (Thankfully, our community grocers like the Food Co-op and Chimacum Corner Farmstand provide farmers a greater return.)
• In 2015, direct to consumer revenue at farmers markets totaled $711 million.
• Studies have shown that all farms are significantly more likely to survive if they have local food sales as a part of their marketing portfolio.

Farmers Market also increase local food access for our communities, including people who have low incomes.

• In 2017 the Jefferson County Farmers Markets provided more than $12,500 in matching funds to shoppers who use SNAP/EBT as well as WIC and Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program vouchers at market. Combined with federal food assistance benefits, our matching programs helped shopper with low incomes bring home more than $32,000 in fresh, locally grown food last year.
• In 2017, 7,377 markets and direct-marketing farmers accepted SNAP/EBT, resulting in $22 million in SNAP spent at farmers markets nationally. That’s fresh food access and more money in the pocket of small farmers.

Upcoming Events

• Today, August 1, Port Townsend Farmers Market at the Jefferson Transit Haines Place Park and Ride, 2-6pm           
  • Jefferson Healthcare and Jefferson County Public Health celebrate World Breastfeeding Week
  • POP Club activity with 4-H
  • Chef demonstration with Jefferson Healthcare’s Executive Chef, Arran Stark
• Saturday, August 4, Port Townsend Farmers Market on Tyler Street, 9am-2pm
  • Jefferson Healthcare and Jefferson County Public Health celebrate World Breastfeeding Week, visit them in the Community Center grass
  • 10am-1:45pm Live music by the Chuck Easton Sextet
• Sunday, August 5th, Chimacum Farmers Market, Chimacum Corner Farmstand, 10am-2pm, kick off of National Farmers Market Week, August 5-11
  • "I love my farmers market" activity and love letters to local farmers
  • 11am Live music by Corinne Elysse

See you at the Market! Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. ~ Amanda

Thank you Arran Stark for a fantastic berry chef demo. Arran is at the PT Wednesday Farmers Market today with another chef demo. Come check it out!

Berries in Abundance this Weekend

We are celebrating local berries at the Port Townsend Saturday Farmers Market this weekend with our third annual Berries in Abundance day. Chef Arran Stark will start off our celebration with a cooking demo featuring local berries. Arran's cooking always takes its inspiration from what's fresh. He doesn't follow a recipe but instead leads us through cooking methodology. This means that you have to be at market to learn to make as well as taste the delicious dishes he whips up. Join us from 10 to 10:30am for Arran's demo at the main stage.

Following Arran, we are hosting our first ever Pie Contest. Local berry pies are welcome from both home bakers and professional chefs. We will have home and professional chef categories with awards and prizes for our winning pies. Sign uptoday to participate in the Pie Contest. Prizes include a baking essentials basket from the Food Co-op, a farmers market Flora bag filled with market goodies, Chimacum Corner Farmstand hat and more!

Find fresh blackberries, sylvan berries, marionberries, raspberries, currants, mullberries, strawberries and blueberries at market from Finnriver, Red Dog, Onatrue, Willow Wind, SpringRain, River Run, Serendipity Farms as well as from Amie's Garden. Also, our prepared food vendors are bringing lots of berry specials your way. Check out the "From Our Vendors" section for more details. 

BluJay Kombucha Joins the PT Wed Farmers Market

Last Wednesday BluJay Kombucha and Nadine's Kitchen joined the Port Townsend Wednesday Farmers Market. We are thrilled to have some supper yummy food and drinks to round out the farmers market. You may be familiar with BluJay, Andrew Hamm, from the Port Townsend Saturday Farmers Market. Now you have two days a week to enjoy a fresh glass of locally made kombucha at our Port Townsend Farmers Markets.
 

From Our Vendors

Barbarian Fine Cuisine: We are making a special burger for Berries in Abundance. Berries are wild, sweet and tangy just like this Barbarian woman: Red Sonja- Clark Farms burger, Mt Townsend Camembert, Red Dog Farm raspberry and balsamic glaze, grilled onions, Red Dog Farm greens on brioche bun.

Hopscotch Farm's Zucchini Bread + Butter Pickles are back! Come to the Wednesday market to check them out. Meghan will also have her preserves, relish, catsup, and dried herbs. 

Eaglemount Wine and Cidery will feature raspberries in their cider tasting this Saturday. They will have raspberry cider, raspberry ginger cider, sangria and areonia wines.

La Crepe de Quimper will be using Finnriver blueberries in both sweet and savory crepe options. Voila!

Sweet Lamb Baking is bringing strawberry shortcake to market to celebrate berry season! In addition to our seasonal sweet croissant with Finnriver blueberries. :)

Crust Bakery loves berry season. This week we have a very special Local Berry Pot Pie with Finnriver blueberries, Willow Wind sylvanberries and Spring Rain raspberries as well as our Strawberry Pop Tart with Onatrue Farm Strawberries made into jam, frosting and sprinkles. Have you had a Blueberry Canoe? With Finnriver Blues, of course, they are a few bites of wonderfulness. Come see what delicious Hand Pies we have, there are lots of choices right now!

Nadine's Kitchen will be at both the Port Townsend Wednesday and Saturday Farmers Markets this week. With so many festivals in the region during the summer months, a few of our prepared food vendors will be away from market this weekend. This gives us the opportunity to introduce Saturday Farmers Market patrons to Grace Love and Nadine's Kitchen. She will be participating in Saturday Markets when space allows as well as weekly at the Port Townsend Wednesday Farmers Market offering southern soul food, including farm-fresh greens. 
 

POP Club

POP Club is today at the Port Townsend Wednesday Farmers Market from 2:30pm to 4:30pm. The Port Townsend Public Library is leading Storytime and Amy Goetz of the Farmers Market is leading an exploration of carrots. Kids, come crunch on carrots and learn about how they grow. If you miss the carrot activity with Amy on Wednesday, you can check it out on Sunday at the Chimacum Farmers Market, or maybe you will enjoy it so much you will want to learn about carrots at both farmers market. Come play and learn with us!

POP Club activities are open to kids of all ages and POP registration is open to kids between the ages of five and 12 years old. Experience, learn, make with our POP Club.  After our weekly activity registered kids get $2 for fresh produce. Learn more at the market info booth.

Upcoming Events

• Today, July 25th Market, Port Townsend Wednesday Farmers Market, 2-6pm at the Jefferson Transit Haines Place Park and Ride
  • POP Club with the Port Townsend Public Library and Jefferson County Farmers Markets
• Saturday, July 28th Berries in Abundance at the Port Townsend Saturday Farmers Market, 9am-2pm, Tyler Street
  • 10-10:30am Chef demo with Arran Stark
  • 12pm Pie Contest. Register your pie here.
  • 10:30-11:45, 12:45-1:45 Live music by Harmonica Pocket
  • Lots of fresh berries and berry food to enjoy and bring home
• Week of August 1-5 is National Breastfeeding Week
  • Jefferson Healthcare and Jefferson County Public Health host activities at the Port Townsend Wednesday and Saturday Farmers Markets in honor of Breastfeeding Week
• Week of August 5-11 is National Farmers Market Week
  • "I love my farmers market" activity at all three Jefferson County Farmers Markets

See you at the Market! Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. ~ Amanda
 

Adding More Love to the Wednesday Farmers Market

We are pleased to welcome Grace Love with Nadine's Kitchen to the Port Townsend Wednesday Farmers Market today. Grace will be serving up Southern soul food, including locally grown ingredients from 3pm to 6pm at the Haines Place Park and Ride (the Wednesday Farmers Market Opens at 2pm but Grace will join us at 3). Nadine’s Kitchen will offer a unique Southern food menu that draws on Grace's own family food heritage. Using lots of locally sourced ingredients, Grace brings a diversity to our rich local food offerings. Nadine’s Kitchen is named for Grace's mother, who inspired her to carry on the legacy of her love-filled food. Grace will be serving up Southern fried chicken sliders on biscuits, collard greens, mac and cheese, and more.

Join us at market today for dinner and pick up ingredients for tomorrow's home-cooked dinner from local farms. We have everything from artichokes to zucchini in season and fresh at your local farmers market.

Berries in Abundance at the PT Saturday Farmers Market

Berries in Abundance, our celebration of local berries, is just around the corner on Saturday, July 28th at the Port Townsend Farmers Market on Tyler Street, 9-2pm. Mark your calendars and get your pie pan ready for this berry-filled event. Chef Arran Stark of Jefferson Healthcare will be leading a chef demo, many of our artisan food vendors will have special berries dishes and berries will be available for sale from local farms.

We are also hosting a local berry pie contest. Pie contest registration is open on our website: Sign up today to participate here. Prizes include a baking essentials basket from the Food Co-op, a farmers market Flora bag filled with market goodies, Chimacum Corner Farmstand hat and more!

From Our Vendors

 Hopscotch Farm's pickled beets and strawberry rhubarb preserves are back! Stop by the Port Townsend WednesdayFarmers Market to grab a jar or two and check out Meghan's fresh produce offerings as well. Today she will have salad mix, peas, basil, kale, and more!

Red Dog Farm is swimming in summer goodness! Basil, green beans, raspberries, zucchini, cucumbers, tomatoes, peas, sweet onions, and oh so much more!

This week Onatrue Farm will have a sale on field-grown slicing cucumbers. Pickelers are just around the corner.

POP Club

Last week veggies had a fashion show at the Port Townsend Wednesday Farmers Market with Tanya from 4-H and fruit met veggie in the blender at the Chimacum Farmers Market with Stephanie of the YMCA.

This week we have more fun in store for you with POP Club at the Port Townsend Wednesday and Chimacum Farmers Markets. Today at the Port Townsend Wednesday Farmers Market Stephanie with the YMCA is leading food and farming focused crossword puzzles, word search, and is offering a veggie sampling. On Sunday at the Chimacum Farmers Market the Organic Seed Alliance will be exploring how plants grow with a match the seed to the plant activity. Come play and learn with us!

POP Club activities are open to kids of all ages and POP registration is open to kids between the ages of five and 12 years old. Experience, learn, make with our POP Club partners.  After our weekly activity registered kids get $2 for fresh produce. Learn more at the market info booth.

Upcoming Events

• Today, July 18th Market, Port Townsend Wednesday Farmers Market, 2-6pm at the Jefferson Transit Haines Place Park and Ride
  • New vendor! Grace Love with Nadine's Kitchen
  • POP Club with the YMCA
• Saturday, July 21st, Port Townsend Saturday Farmers Market, 9am-2pm, Tyler Street
  • Live music by Intuitive Compass 10am-1:45pm
• Sunday, July 22nd, Chimacum Farmers Market, 10am-2pm, Chimacum Corner Farmstand
  • POP Club with the Organic Seed Alliance 10:30am-12:30pm
• Saturday, July 28th Berries in Abundance at the Port Townsend Saturday Farmers Market, 9am-2pm, Tyler Street
  • Pie contest. Register your pie here.
  • Chef demo with Arran Stark
  • Live music by Harmonica Pocket
  • Lots of fresh berries and berry food to enjoy and bring home
• Week of August 1-5 is National Farmers Market Week and National Breastfeeding Week
  • "I love my farmers market" activity at all three Jefferson County Farmers Markets
  • Jefferson Healthcare and Jefferson County Public Health host activities at the Port Townsend Wednesday and Saturday Farmers Markets in honor of Breastfeeding Week
  • POP Club and more!

See you at the Market! Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. ~ Amanda

Serendipity Farm has the first of the peppers. Get them while their hot (pun intended)!

Berries are Here!

Berry season has truly arrived. This week find strawberries, raspberries, red and white currants as well as the first of the blueberries and marionberries at market. While many grocery stores have berries available even in the early spring, local berries stand out from their Californian and even more distant cousins, which are picked under-ripe or green so they can make the trip to the produce section. Local berries travel no more than 30 miles to make it to your farmers market. Taste the difference! Local berries are so juicy, sweet and full of flavor.

Mark your calendar for our 3rd annual Berries in Abundance day on July 28th at the Port Townsend Saturday Farmers Market. Jefferson Healthcare Executive Chef, Arran Stark, will demonstrate fun, new ways to bring out the berry in your summer cooking.

We are also hosting our first ever pie contest. Berry and berry mixed with other fruit pies are welcome from both home and professional chefs. Please include local berries and other farm-fresh ingredients, such as flour from Nash's Farm or your own rendered lard. Ask Charlotte at One Straw Ranch if you need pointers on rendering lard. Sign up today to participate. Fabulous prizes will be awarded to the winning pie makers. Prizes include a baking essentials basket from The Food Co-op, a farmers market Flora bag filled with goodies from our vendors and more!

Diamond Day Bouquet Joins the Market

Caitlin Carnahan, Diamond Day Bouquet, joins the Port Townsend SaturdayFarmers Market this week. You may have met Caitlin last season when she participated in our late season Port Townsend Wednesday Farmers Market with her beautiful bouquets. This season she will be joining us at the Port Townsend Saturday Farmers Market for the summer and fall months with cut flowers.

Caitlin began her agricultural career as a vegetable farmer. After many years of growing vegetables, the flower portion of Caitlin's business stole her heart. Diamond Day Bouquet grows a wide variety of specialty cut flowers chosen for uniqueness, beauty and vase life. Caitlin deeply believes in sustainable growing practices. She grows beautiful blooms without the use of herbicides or pesticides. Thoughtfully arranged bouquets are Caitlin's specialty. She will also have single variety bunches of seasonal flowers.

Meet Caitlin this Saturday at the Port Townsend Farmers Market and bring home some seasonal blooms. She will have dahlias, nicotiana, bells of Ireland, gooseneck, foxglove, snapdragons, yarrow, stock and more!

4-H leads mystery veggie activity.

POP Club
 

We have been having so much fun with POP Club! Registration is still open for kids five to 12 years old and kids of all ages are welcome to participate in the activities each Wednesday and Sunday at the Port Townsend and Chimacum Farmers Markets. Registered kids get $2 for fresh produce each week you participate in POP Club.

Today at the Port Townsend Wednesday Farmers Market 4-H is leading a dress-up your food activity. Come accessorize fresh food with a variety of healthy add-ons. Also, have you tried fresh currants before? Come taste some.

On Sunday the YMCA will be leading a mystery activity at the Chimacum Farmers Market. Curious? Come see what Stephanie has planned.

From Our Vendors

In addition to her regular line-up of pickles, relish, and preserves, Meghan at Hopscotch Farm + Cannery will have snap peas, basil, Thai basil, salad mix, beets, kale, and fresh herbs at the Port Townsend Wednesday Farmers Market this week.

Short's Family Farm is offering a 10% off sale on New York strip steak on Sundayat the Chimacum Farmers Market.

Red Dog is ready to dazzle with our raspberries. Shiny jewels of fragrant flavor, our raspberries are abundant and delicious! We’re selling flats for all your canning, drying, jamming, freezing desires. Oh, and we have over 50 other seasonal produce items as well, includingthe first green beans of the season!

One Straw Ranch is happy to have a full inventory of beef back in stock this weekend! If you’ve been waiting for a Tenderloin, Flat Iron, or T-Bone steak to throw on the grill, stop by the booth and check out our selection. We only have so much cooler space so if you want to make sure we don’t run out of your favorite cut, let us know ahead of time and we’ll set it aside for you. Email us at:charlotte@onestrawranch.com or place an order through our online store at:www.onestrawranch.com.

Upcoming Events

• Today, July 11th Market, Port Townsend Wednesday Farmers Market, 2-6pm at the Jefferson Transit Haines Place Park and Ride
  • POP Club with 4-H
  • WIC Distribution
• Saturday, July 14, Port Townsend Saturday Farmers Market, 9am-2pm, Tyler Street
  • Live music Jim Capik10am-12pm and Key City Jazz 12pm-1:45pm
• Sunday, July 15th, Chimacum Farmers Market, 10am-2pm, Chimacum Corner Farmstand
  • POP Club with the YMCA 10:30am-12:30pm
• Saturday, July 28th Berries in Abundance at the Port TownsendSaturday Farmers Market, 9am-2pm, Tyler Street
  • Pie contest. Register your pie here.
  • Chef demo with Arran Stark
  • Live music by Harmonica Pocket
  • Lots of fresh berries and berry food to enjoy and bring home

See you at the Market! Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. ~ Amanda

SpringRain Farm and Orchard has a wide assortment of local berries. Also find berries of many types from other market farmers. Yum!

4th of July Market Open, 2-6 at Park and Ride

The Port Townsend Wednesday Farmers Market is open today, July 4th, 2-6pm at the Jefferson Transit Haines Place Park and Ride. What better way to celebrate Independence Day than with a fresh meal featuring food from the small, independent farms that participate in our weekly PT Wednesday Farmers Market. Actually, we are very interdependent! When you buy locally you support the small businesses that help our economy thrive with more local jobs and your money circulating longer in our community.

Today we will have fresh veggies, berries, peas, cucumbers, zucchini and summer squash, mushrooms, artisan cheese, smoked and fresh salmon, flowers, fruit wine and more from Midori, Finnriver, Onature, Serendipity, and Willow Wind Farms as well as Duckabush Mushrooms, Chimacum Valley Dairy and Hurricane Hills Winery.

New Vendor at the Saturday Market

Lacey Carnahan, Carnahan Woodworks, joins us this weekend as a new vendor at the Port Townsend Saturday Farmers Market. Lacey has been exploring wood as a medium for about ten years. She received a degree in sculpture from the University of Washington. Shortly afterwards she completed a cabinetmaking program through Seattle Central College. Lacey started Carnahan Woodworks in 2010 as an independent contractor doing small commission cabinets and furniture. After relocating to the beautiful Olympic Peninsula, she has become more interested in hand tools and harvesting her own lumber. Lacey runs Carnahan Woodworks out of her home shop off Center Road in Chimacum. Lacey focuses on small, beautiful and useful hand-crafted objects made almost exclusively from wood she harvests within about a 50 mile radius. Lacey is currently making small hand-carved stools and spoons and fine wooden lamps out of local maple, alder, elm, walnut, cherry, and apple wood. The stools and spoons are made entirely with traditional hand tools. Lacey is also the wood shop teacher at Chimacum High. She will join us for the months of July and August while on summer vacation from school.  Meet Lacey this Saturday and check out her beautiful work.

POP Club

Today at the Port Townsend Wednesday Farmers Market the Organic Seed Alliance (OSA) is leading a match the seed game. Kids, come be a seed explorer and match seed to the veggies they grow. OSA will also have germination baggies for you to take home to watch bean seeds sprout in your window.

On Sunday at the Chimacum Farmers Market the 4-H CedarTree Performers Club is hosting a youth-led gardening and cooking demo. Come to market to learn more and get active with POP Club!

From Our Vendors

Serendipity Farm tomatoes!

Red Dog Farm is bounteous in early summer goodness! Peas, raspberries, strawberries, basil, parsley, fennel bulb, broccoli, cabbage, fava beans and oh so much more. Come check us out this weekend!

Serendipity Farm has the first of the tomatoes at market. Visit Serendipity today at the PT Wednesday Farmers Market as well as on Saturday for fresh, heirloom tomatoes. Yum!

Boot Brawl hard cider is back! Stop by Eaglemount Winery and Cidery to pick some up!

Upcoming Events

• Today, July 4th Market, Port Townsend Wednesday Farmers Market, 2-6pm at the Jefferson Transit Haines Place Park and Ride
  • POP Club with OSA
  • Live Music by Anne-O and Her Band
• Saturday, July 7, Port Townsend Saturday Farmers Market, 9am-2pm, Tyler Street
  • Live music TBD 10am-1:45pm
• Sunday, July 8th, Chimacum Farmers Market, 10am-2pm, Chimacum Corner Farmstand
  • POP Club with 4-H, 10:30-12:30pm
• Saturday, July 28th Berries in Abundance at the Port Townsend Saturday Farmers Market, 9am-2pm, Tyler Street
  • Pie contest. Register your pie here.
  • Chef demo with Arran Stark
  • Lots of fresh berries and artisan berry food to enjoy and bring home

See you at the Market! Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. ~ Amanda

Raspberries are here! We also have lots of strawberries + red and white currants from SpringRain Farm and Orchard. There is always something new at market. Come see what it is this week.

Strawberries, Strawberries, Strawberries at Your Farmers Market

Have you tasted a fresh, local strawberry recently? They are truly at their prime. Great news! Many of our farm vendors will have fresh strawberries at market this week. There are a couple of different varieties at market. Try berries from more than one farm to experience the differences in flavor, texture and juiciness. There are so many great ways to enjoy strawberries: directly from the pint fresh at the farmers market, cut up on top of a salad, mixed in yogurt or ice cream, in iced tea, pie, tarts or strawberry short cake.

Strawberry Jam

While local strawberries are abundant now, we will miss them in the fall and winter months. This is a great time to preserve our local bounty by making some strawberry canned or freezer jam. If you are not a canner, you can also pick up jam from Hopscotch Farm + Cannery or SpringRain Farm and Orchard.

Ingredients

• 5 cups crushed strawberries (about 3 lbs)
• 1/4 cup lemon juice 
• 6 Tbsp pectin (I use Pomona's Universal Pectin, which is calcium rather than sugar activated. If you use this type you can adjust the sugar to taste.)
• 3 to 6 cups sugar or honey. (If using another variety of pectin, you will need to use more sugar.)
• 8 half pint glass canning jars with lids and bands.

Directions

1. Prepare boiling water canner. Heat jars in simmering water until ready for use. Do not boil.  Wash lids in warm soapy water and set bands aside.
2. Combine strawberries and lemon juice in a saucepan and cook at medium to high heat.
3. In a medium bowl combine the pectin and sugar. Gradually stir the pectin sugar mixture into the cooking fruit.
4. Bring mixture to a rolling boil over high heat. Boil hard 1 minute, stirring constantly.
5. Remove from heat. Skim foam if necessary.
6. Ladle hot jam into hot jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Apply and tighten band.
7. Process in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes. Remove jars from water and cool on the counter or a metal rack. Check lids for seal after 24 hours. Lid should not flex up and down when center is pressed.

Hopscotch Farm + Cannery at the Wednesday Market

The Port Townsend Wednesday Farmers Market is open today from 2-6pm. Hopscotch Farm + Cannery is one of our new Port Townsend Wednesday Farmers Market vendors this season. This multi-plot micro-farm grows heirloom produce. Business owner and farmer, Meghan Mix, also crafts artisan pickles, relish, salsa, and preserves. Based on a contemporary re-imagining of the Victory Garden model, the Hopscotch plots are located in unused open spaces in Jefferson County.

Meghan shares, "Hopscotch's mission is to weave together agricultural traditions, the craft of canning, and a sense of place in order to celebrate the abundance of the Olympic Peninsula."

Hopscotch uses sustainable and organic growing methods with the goal of creating a regenerative system that focuses on soil and environmental health as well as nutrient-dense produce. She employs a low till system with minimal mechanized equipment. Meghan also works to build soil fertility with the use of compost, organic amendments, mulch, drip irrigation, and winter cover crops.

Meghan has been working in the artisan food and farming sector for the past nine years (four of which have been in Jefferson County). She has farmed and created value-added products in Arizona, California, and Washington, and loves working in the dirt and in the kitchen! Learn more about Hopscotch in this Leader article.

Meghan has been busy canning! Today at the Port Townsend Wednesday Farmers Market she will have a fresh batch of strawberry rhubarb preserves with ginger. Additionally, Meghan will have pickles, zucchini relish, tomato catsup, beet relish with horseradish, and more. Meghan will not be at market on the 4th of July so get your burger toppings today for your holiday BBQ!

POP Club

Today at the Port Townsend Wednesday Farmers Market the Port Townsend Public Library is leading Storytime and our own Amy Goetz is hosting a scavenger hunt for kids participating in POP Club. On Sunday at the Chimacum Farmers Market the Jefferson County Library will also lead Storytime along with live music by Matt Sircely and a fun activity hosted by JCFM. Come play and learn with us!

From Our Vendors

Last Saturday, Fern of Tarboo Creek Honey sold her last jar of honey from her 2017 harvest. Tarboo Creek Honey is taking a market break between now and when their new harvest is ready. Fern will be back at market on August 25th with a new batch of honey. Fern writes, "Pat and I are extremely excited for this year's blend of nectars." You will have to wait until August to try Fern's delicious new batch of honey for yourself.

River Run Farm has radishes, lettuce, spinach and more. Find us at both of the Port Townsend Farmers Markets this season.

Good news! Bacon and pork sausage will be back this weekend at One Straw Ranch. Even if you haven’t been desperately awaiting the bacon, it’s a good weekend to stop by the One Straw booth. We’re giving away a bag of pork bones FREE with ANY purchase, while supplies last. Pork bones make a wonderful broth that can be substituted for beef or chicken broth in any recipe. If you don’t feel like making broth, your dog will love them. We can only fit so many coolers in the booth, so if you really want the free bones come early!

Upcoming Events

• Today, June 27th, Port Townsend Wednesday Farmers Market, 2-6pm at the Jefferson Transit Haines Place Park and Ride
  • POP Club with the Port Townsend Public Library and JCFM
• Saturday, July 30, Port Townsend Saturday Farmers Market, 9am-2pm, Tyler Street
  • Live music by Jon Doyle 10am-1:45pm
• Sunday, July 1st, Chimacum Farmers Market, 10am-2pm, Chimacum Corner Farmstand
  • POP Club with the Jefferson County Library and JCFM, 10:30-12:30pm
  • Live music by Matt Sircely
• Wednesday, July 4th Port Townsend Wednesday Farmers Market, 2-6pm at the Jefferson Transit Haines Place Park and Ride
  • POP Club with the Organic Seed Alliance
  • Live music by Anne-O and Her Band
• Saturday, July 28th Berries in Abundance at the Port Townsend Saturday Farmers Market, 9am-2pm, Tyler Street
  • Pie contest
  • Chef demo with Arran Stark
  • Lots of fresh berries and artisan berry food to enjoy and bring home

See you at the Market! Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. ~ Amanda

Strawberry munchers enjoy live music by Anne-O and Her Band at the Port Townsend Wednesday Farmers Market.

Summer Produce is Here!

Summer officially starts this week! Early season summer produce has made it to all three Jefferson County Farmers Markets. Look out for basil, zucchini, strawberries, broccoli, cucumber, rhubarb, crunchy carrots, beets and the first of the artichokes in addition to lettuce, spinach, chard, salad greens and more! These warm days call for fresh meals that can be prepared simply and enjoyed on the beach or in your back yard. Here are a couple of ideas:

• Basil pesto on salmon with a side salad
• Baked broccoli and carrots with carrot top pesto

Wednesday Market Today

The Port Townsend Wednesday Farmers Market is open today from 2-6pm. We have two returning vendors joining at market today, SpringRain Farm and Orchard and Onatrue Farm. SpringRain will have pasture-raised chicken, eggs, strawberries, micro-greens and cucumbers. Onatrue is bringing strawberries, oyster mushrooms, artichokes, basil, cabbage, kale, Swiss chard, new potatoes, cilantro, beets and collard greens. Yum!

We are thrilled to have live music from Anne-O and Her Band. OlyCAP will also be there registering qualifying seniors for Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) vouchers. They will share a booth with the farmers market so you can easily pick up and match your vouchers while also enjoying heartfelt and fun music from Anne-O and Her Band.

New Vendors

We have several new vendors at the Port Townsend Wednesday and Chimacum Farmers Markets this season. Check out our newsletter weekly for short vendor bios.

Hurricane Hills Winery, Jessie Newberg, has joined us this season at both the Port Townsend Wednesday and Chimacum Farmers Markets. Port Angeles-based Hurricane Hills Winery offers hand-crafted fruit wines using locally sourced and gleaned produce fermented in mountain spring water. Come try their unique and tasty flavors: Blackberry Beet, Rhubarb Rose, Blackberry wine crafted with Sequim Lavender, and Habanero Apple to name a few. Wine selection varies by season.

New to the Chimacum Farmers Market this season, Danica Jones brings us Honeyhoney Soap. Danica grew up in the area and cares deeply about supporting local businesses, as well as using natural and sustainably produced products. Honeyhoney Soap is handcrafted in small batches using raw honey from bees that are raised naturally at Danica’s small family apiary. Danica exclusively uses essential oils to scent her soaps, which tend to have lighter scent than lab created and chemically laden fragrance oils. Honeyhoney Soap is palm free, and is made using a blend of at least six nourishing and skin loving oils and butters. It is formulated to gently cleanse your skin with a luxurious lather while leaving it soft and moisturized. The colors Danica uses are all from botanicals, clays, and activated charcoal. She offers a rotation of around 20 soap varieties. Meet Danica at the Chimacum Farmers Market this Weekend and bring home a beautiful bar of Honeyhoney Soap.

WSU Master Gardeners at Chimacum Farmers Market

Every week the WSU Master Gardeners host a booth at the Chimacum Farmers Market on Sundays. This week Dianna Wiklund, WSU Food Preservation Specialist, will be at the Master Gardeners' booth. Visit Dianna with questions on food safety and preservation. Dianna can give you tips on preserving the local summer bounty so you can enjoy locally grown fruits and vegetables all winter long.  She has laboratory-tested recipes and updated techniques for safe canning and preserving of all kinds of foods. She will also test pressure gauges on your pressure cooker by donation. Pressure gauges should be checked annually to make sure they are reading accurately for safe canning of low acid foods.
 

POP Club

Prosper Yoga and 4-H will be at market today leading POP Club activities. On Sunday, the Organic Seed Alliance joins us at the Chimacum Farmers Market offering an investigation of locally grown plants. Registration is open all season for POP Club. Explore food, farming and new flavors with us today and this weekend in the POP Club booth. Visit the Market Info booth or yellow POP Club tent for more information.
 

VegRx Expanded

VegRx, JCFM’s fruit and vegetable prescription program, has expanded. In partnership with Jefferson Healthcare, 5210 and the Food Co-op, JCFM is providing families experiencing food insecurity 12-month $10 VegRx prescriptions. VegRx is redeemable at the Port Townsend and Chimacum Farmers Markets from April through mid-December and at the Food Co-op in Port Townsend during the months of January through March. This is a trial program.

Originally, a single team of Jefferson Healthcare pediatric provider champions was able to prescribe VegRx. We found that with a small team of provider champions we were not reaching as many people as we had hoped. Good news! Now all Jefferson Healthcare clinicians seeing children for their annual Well Child Check at the Port Townsend, Port Ludlow and Quilcene clinics may prescribe VegRx to families experiencing food insecurity while supplies last. Visit the market info booth or ask your doctor at your next Well Child check for more information about VegRx.

Many seniors have expressed interest in VegRx to their doctor and at the Market Info booth. While we are trialing this program our scope is limited to families. We may expand the program next market season if resources allow.

Upcoming Events

• Today, June 20th, Port Townsend Wednesday Farmers Market, 2-6pm at the Jefferson Transit Haines Place Park and Ride
  • POP Club with 4-H and Prosper Yoga
  • Senior FMNP distribution
  • Live music by Anne-O & her band
• Saturday, June 23, Port Townsend Saturday Farmers Market, 9am-2pm, Tyler Street
  • Live music by Kristin Myers 10am-1:45pm
• Sunday, June 24th, Chimacum Farmers Market, 10am-2pm, Chimacum Corner Farmstand
  • POP Club with the Organic Seed Alliance
  • WIC distribution

See you at the Market!

OlyCAP and WIC at Market! Come match your Farmers Market Nutrition Program vouchers at the Market Info Booth.

OlyCap and WIC at Market, POP Club and Buy Local for Dad

Father's Day Market

This Sunday is Father's Day. Does your father or a special father in your life like food? With all three of the Jefferson County Farmers Markets open, you have several opportunities this week to stock up for a delicious home-cooked meal in celebration of dad. Our Chimacum Farmers Market just so happens be on Father's Day. Take your dad, grandfather or a special father in your life to market this Sunday for a cup of coffee, fresh produce, northern Thai sausage, and more. 

What’s in Season
 

Strawberry season is here! Pie lovers, you are in luck, along with succulent strawberries, several of our local farmers have rhubarb, perfect for a summer pie, crisp or crumble. You can find fresh strawberries at market this week from Midori, Serendipity, SpringRain, Onatrue, Red Dog and Finnriver farms. Cucumber, zucchini, radishes, salad greens, head lettuce, carrots, spinach, broccoli and cabbage are all in season and available from our mixed produce farmers. Midori farm also has fresh beets at all three of our Jefferson County Farmers Markets. Read the “From our Vendors” section for more seasonal food updates.

WIC and OlyCAP at Market This Weekend

For many years the Jefferson County Farmers Markets have had a strong partnership with our Jefferson County Public Health Department, which operates our local Women Infants and Children (WIC) program. We are pleased to have WIC at market this Saturday for distribution of WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) vouchers to qualifying families.

For the first time ever, OlyCAP is also joining us this Saturday and Sunday, as well as Wednesday, June 20th to distribute Senior FMNP. We are SO excited to have OlyCAP at market! Senior FMNP offers seniors with low incomes $40 in market vouchers for fresh fruit, vegetables, fresh (not dry) herbs, as well as edible plant starts and honey. These vouchers can be used at any approved farmers market in Washington State, including all three of the Jefferson County Farmers Markets.  

WHO QUALIFIES
You qualify for Senior FMNP if you are 60 or older and your income is $22,459 annual or $1,872 monthly for one person or $30,451 annual or $2,358 monthly for two people.

MATCH AT THE MARKET BOOTH
The WIC and OlyCAP booths will be next to the farmers market info booth this week. Qualifying families and seniors, visit OlyCAP and WIC to get your FMNP vouchers. After you get your vouchers, stop by the market info booth before you shop. We match full packets of WIC and Senior FMNP with $20 in market tokens good for fresh food from any market farmer: produce, meat, eggs, fish, more! Visit the market booth for more information and to collect your match.

WHERE IS THE MARKET BOOTH
We are trying a new market booth location this week. Why, you may ask? Some of our vendors have given me feedback that parts of the market are more traveled than others. I hope to give you the opportunity to familiarize yourself with more of our market vendors by moving the market booth. Please find us towards the intersection of Clay and Tyler on the Pane d’Amore side of the street. Look for the chalk arrows on the road if you are having trouble finding us.

Wednesday Market Open

Have you had a chance to visit our new Wednesday Farmers Market location? Today is the day! We are pleased to bring you a great selection of local produce, fish, salad dressings, artisan cheese, pastries, wine and more at our mid-week food and farm market. Our Wednesday farmers market gives you the opportunity to eat fresh and local all week long. We had a great opening day on June 6th in our new location. Come see the market for yourself and pick up some groceries.

SAFETY NOTE
For your safety, please do not walk through the bus loop. While Jefferson Transit drivers use great caution when driving, the bus loop is not a safe walkway. There is a crosswalk through the middle of the bus loop. Please use the cross walk to enter the market.

POP Club

Today at POP Club Stephanie Brooks with the YMCA is leading veggie bingo. What is veggie bingo? Well, you are going to have to come to market to find out! On Sunday get to know your farmer. Stephanie is leading interviews with local market farmers and veggie tasting at the Chimacum Farmers Market.

POP Club registration is open! Kids who are five to 12 years old can register for POP Club at the market info booth on Wednesdays in Port Townsend and Sundays in Chimacum. Visit the market, try new foods, meet local farmers, learn about seasonal produce, play, and get $2 to purchase local fruit and veggies. Learn more at the market info booth. 

See you at the Market! Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday! ~ Amanda

Upcoming Events

• June 13, 2-6pm, Port Townsend Wednesday Farmers Market, Jefferson Transit Haines Place Park and Ride
  • POP Club activity veggie bingo with the YMCA
• June 16, 9am-2pm, Port Townsend Saturday Farmers Market, Tyler Street
  • WIC and Senior FMNP voucher distribution with Jefferson County Public Health and OlyCAP
• June 17, 10am-2pm, Chimacum Farmers Market, Chimacum Corner Farmstand
  • Senior FMNP distribution
  • POP Club farmer interviews and veggie tasting with the YMCA

From Our Vendors

It is toe ring time! The Chainmaker will happily help you find the proper size for your toe. For $6 you can get a sterling silver toe ring. Visit Shirley on Saturdays for a ring!

One Straw Ranch will have lots of pork in stock this weekend! Come on by the booth for a juicy Boston butt roast to make pulled pork sandwiches or some tender stir fry strips to cook up with some beautiful local produce for a quick meal. We still have to wait another week (or possibly two) for bacon and sausage, but good things are worth waiting for! See you at market!

We're in that fun in-between place with summer crops just starting and spring crops at an end. This week, SpringRain Farm will have strawberries, cucumbers, basil, and even some frying peppers! We are also bringing fresh, organic, pasture-raised chicken each week now that the summer is rolling. Our chickens are molting so we don't have very many chicken eggs, but the ducks are taking up the slack. We will have lots of duck eggs at market.

Hopscotch Farm + Cannery is excited to be at the Wednesday market this year. This week, Meghan is bringing fresh herbs and salad mix, as well as pickles, preserves, relish, and dried herbs.

At Mountain Spirit we harvest most of our herbs for our tinctures, salves and teas from our farm. Comfrey is in season! We us comfrey in many of our products, such as comfrey wild flower balm and renewal balm. Please come try our tester and give a warm hello to Page, our new Wednesday market apprentice.
 
New Chimacum Farmers Market vendor, Avant Gardenz will be offering a Herbal Honey Workshop at Goodness Tea next Tuesday, June 19th, right in time for the summer solstice! Sliding scale $20 *No One Turned Away*, 261043 US-101 Unit 3, Sequim, WA 98382, 11am-1pm. We will be infusing herbs and flowers in honey and discussing their medicinal properties. Everyone takes away a small jar of infused honey to share with family and friends. Please bring a small jar if you have one. Honey and an assortment of flavorful fresh herbs will be provided. The workshop will be a continuation of a DIY herbal medicine series, with new workshops each month featuring in-season medicinal herbs.

Photo by Katy McCoy, Chimacum Farmers Market 

The PT Wednesday Farmers Market Opens Today at our NEW Location

The Port Townsend Wednesday Farmers Market Opens Today!

The Port Townsend Wednesday Farmers Markets opens today! Join us at our new Wednesday market location, the Jefferson Transit Haines Place Park and Ride from 2 to 6pm. Our opening ceremony will take place at 2pm with a red ribbon cutting by the Port Townsend and Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce, Jefferson Transit Authority General Manager, Tammi Rubert, and Jefferson County Farmers Market Director, Amanda Milholland. Please join us in celebration!

FIND US
If you haven't been to the Park and Ride before, it is easy to find, at the corner of 12th/Haines Place and Landis Streets, next to the Safeway. Here is a map. The Park and Ride is accessible from all over Port Townsend as well as Jefferson County. Try transit to the farmers market. Wednesday Market regulars, our new location is also an easy walk or bike ride from uptown. Have you been to Kahi Tai Lagoon recently? There is a great trail right through the park to the Park and Ride. If you would prefer to drive we also have plenty of parking available.

POP CLUB
What is Power of Produce (POP) Club? The Jefferson County Farmers Markets have partnered with other local nonprofits to bring children fun and engaging weekly learning activities at the Port Townsend Wednesday and Chimacum Farmers Markets. Through play, food tastings, and hands-on activities, POP Club introduces children to where our food comes from, how it grows, and who grows it as well as fun ways to eat healthy and local. While club registration is restricted to children between the ages of five and 12, kids of all ages can participate in the activities. After participating in POP activities, registered POP kids get $2 weekly for fresh fruit and vegetables good at any of our county farmers markets. POP Club is sponsored by the First Federal Community Foundation, Port Townsend Chiropractic, and Chimacum Corner Farmstand. Kids, bring your parent or guardian, sign up for POP Club, and come play with your food with us!

We hosted our first day of POP Club at the opening day of the Chimacum Farmers Market, June 3. While it was a very rainy day, POP Club brought play to market. Kids, families and friends enjoyed live music by Harmonica Pocket, a special kid menu tasting featuring delicious roasted carrots with yummy Mystery Bay goat cheese prepared by Chef Dan Ratigan and team at the Fireside Restaurant at the Port Ludlow Inn, and fun food and farm stories by Martha Ashenfelter at the Jefferson County Library.

Kids, join us today for POP Club. Come see how plants work with the Organic Seed Alliance. They will lead flower dissection starting at 2:30pm. Following the Organic Seed Alliance, Chef Arran Stark of Jefferson Healthcare will fix up something yummy that is both kid and adult friendly using seasonal produce.

Read the upcoming events section below for more information about our opening day lineup as well as other upcoming market happenings. 

The following vendors will be joining us for our first Wednesday market:
Bob's Bakery
Cape Cleare Fishery
Chimacum Valley Dairy
Duckabush Mushrooms
Finnriver Farm
Golden Harvest
Hopscotch Farm + Cannery
Hurricane Hills Winery
Midori Farm
Mountain Spirit Herbal Company
Pane d'Amore Artisan Bakery
River Run Farm
Serendipity Farm
Willow Wind Farm

Joining us later in the season:
SpringRain Farm & Orchard
Onatrue Farm

See you at the Market! Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday! ~ Amanda

Upcoming Events

• June 6th, 2-6pm, Port Townsend Wednesday Farmers Market Opening at Jefferson Transit's Haines Place Park and Ride
  • 2pm Red ribbon cutting with the Port Townsend and Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce
  • 2:30-3:30pm POP kids dissect flowers with the Organic Seed Alliance
  • 3:30pm Chef demo with Arran Stark
  • Live music by Anne O and Her Band and POP Club registration
  • WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program voucher distribution with Jefferson County Public Health
• June 9, 9am-2pm, Port Townsend Saturday Farmers Market, Tyler Street
• June 10, 10am-2pm, Chimacum Farmers Market, Chimacum Corner Farmstand
  • POP Club activity make your own worm home with Amy, Jefferson County Farmers Markets
• June 13, 2-6pm, Port Townsend Wednesday Farmers Market, Jefferson Transit Haines Place Park and Ride
  • POP Club activity veggie bingo with the YMCA
• June 16, 9am-2pm, Port Townsend Saturday Farmers Market, Tyler Street
  • WIC and Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program voucher distribution with Jefferson County Public Health and OlyCAP

From Our Vendors

Red Dog Farm has new items popping up every week! Chards, broccolini and a variety of radishes are new this week. We also have an expanding selection of head lettuce, as well as arugula and rosemary. Other highlights are basil, cilantro and the last of the garlic scapes. See you Saturday and Sunday!

Photo by David Conklin, kid's activities at Artisan Food Festival

PT Wednesday and Chimacum Farmers Market Openings Around the Corner

Willow Wind Farm, Photo of Artisan Food Festival Market by David Conklin, http://www.conklinphoto.com/. Thank you, David!

The Port Townsend Wednesday and Chimacum Farmers Markets opening days are less than a week away! Starting this weekend, our market season is in full swing with our Saturday Farmers Market at its usual time and place, and our Chimacum Farmers Market opening this Sunday, June 3 at the Chimacum Corner Farmstand, 10am to 2pm. On June 6th, our Port Townsend Wednesday Farmers Market opens at its new location, the Jefferson Transit Haines Place Park and Ride, 2 to 6pm.

We have some new as well as fabulous returning vendors this season. New vendors at the Chimacum Farmers Market include: Northern Thai food vendor, Who Sells the Chicken Eggs?; Sweet Seed Flower Farm; Honeyhoney Soap; Duckabush Mushrooms; Hurricane Hills Winery; Sativa Valley Essentials; Jacobs' Fleece; Dietrich Farms; Scarlett Leather; Avantgardenz; and artist, Brendon Hohmann. We are pleased to offer you a variety of new products while continuing to bring you the fresh farm produce, meat and, soon, berries, from farms, including: Finnriver, Midori, Onatrue, Red Dog, and Egg and I Fuchsias. Don't forget the coffee and pastries! Java Gypsy Coffee House and Pane d'Amore Artisan Bakery will also be at market with yummy treats to start your Sunday on the sunny side.

With our new Haines Place Park and Ride location, our Wednesday Farmers Market can be easily accessed from anywhere in the county. Try transit to the farmers market or walk, bike, hop or drive to the new location of our mid-week farm and food market. We have plenty of parking and you can stroll from uptown through Kah Tai Lagoon to get to the market.

This season we have more vendors registered for the Port Townsend Wednesday Farmers Market than we have had in years! Here are 15 reasons to visit us on opening day: Mountain Spirit Herbal Company, Duckabush Mushrooms, SpringRain Farm & Orchard, Fiddlehead Creamery, Finnriver Farm, Serendipity Farm, Midori Farm, Hopscotch Farm + Cannery, Chimacum Valley Dairy, Bob's Bakery, River Run Farm, Cape Cleare Fishery, Golden Harvest, Onatrue Farm, and Hurricane Hills Winery. Do you need any more reasons? Here are a few more: We are hosting a red ribbon cutting with the Port Townsend and Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce as well as chef demonstration with Arran Stark at our opening day market.

Kids, registration for our new Power of Produce (POP) Club starts this Sunday at the Chimacum Farmers Market. This season we are hosting weekly POP Club activities at our Port Townsend Wednesday and Chimacum Farmers Markets in partnership with the YMCA, Organic Seed Alliance, Port Townsend Public and Jefferson County Libraries, 4-H, Red Dog Farm, Jefferson Healthcare and the Resort at Port Ludlow. Through play, food tastings, and hands-on activities, children will be introduced to where our food comes from, how it grows, and who grows it as well as fun ways to eat local. While club registration is restricted to children between the ages of five and 12, kids of all ages can participate in the activities. After participating in kids activities, registered POP kids will get $2 weekly for fresh fruit and vegetables good at any of our county farmers markets. Thank you First Federal Community Foundation, Port Townsend Chiropractic, and Chimacum Corner Farmstand for your POP sponsorships. Kids, bring your parent or guardian, sign up for POP Club, and come play with your food with us!

See you at the Market! ~ Amanda

Upcoming Events

• June 2, 9am-2pm, Port Townsend Farmers Market, Tyler St, 10am live music by Cheyenne Skye followed by the Port Townsend High School Band
• June 3rd, 10am-2pm, Chimacum Farmers Market Opening
  • The first day of POP Club, registration for kids 5-12 years old
  • 10:30am Storytime with the Jefferson County Library
  • 11:30am Live music with Harmonica Pocket
  • 12pm Kids' menu tasting with chef Dan Ratigan, Port Ludlow Resort and Fireside Restaurant. Dan will offer samples of a spread made with Mystery Bay goat cheese, fresh herbs, local vegetables and Red Dog Farm roasted carrots for dipping.
  • Red Dog tractors and farm-fresh food all day!
• June 6th, 2-6pm, Port Townsend Wednesday Farmers Market Opening at Jefferson Transit's Haines Place Park and Ride
  • Red ribbon cutting with the Port Townsend and Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce
  • POP Club registration and activities with the Organic Seed Alliance
  • Chef demo with Arran Stark

From Our Vendors

Mt. Townsend and Mystery Bay join forces in cheese making!

Mt. Mystery is back! This mixed milk (goat and cow), soft ripened cheese is made each spring when Mt. Townsend Creamery and Mystery Bay Farm team up. We made one, and only one, batch. Don't miss this decadent collaboration of our county's milk and cheese makers.
 

Red Dog Farm is excited to be at both the Port Townsend Saturday and Chimacum Farmers Markets this weekend! We’ll have radishes, carrots, basil, garlic, cilantro, kales and more! Our veggie plant starts are still on sale, plus lots of herb and flower starts to choose from as well.

Artisan Food Festival This Saturday

The 5th Annual Artisan Food Festival is this Saturday, May 26th, 9am to 3pm! Here in Jefferson County we have a unique diversity of local farms and food artisans. This weekend we will celebrate all of the artisan and farm food that our market has to offer, learn what to do with it from talented local chefs, as well as taste market food in new combinations and preparations. Kids, we will also make food art and play on the grass. We are open an extra hour for Artisan Food Festival, 9am-3pm. Join us for the day! More details about the event below.

Get your raffle tickets this Saturday for a room voucher at the Ravenscroft Inn, one of our uptown market neighbors and sponsors. Funds collected from the raffle will support our food assistance matching program, Gimme5. Locals, have you heard of a "staycation?" This is your chance to enter to win a relaxing night's stay at this beautiful bed and breakfast, and to support local food access for community members with low incomes. Come by the market booth to get your raffle ticket, $2 per ticket or $5 for three tickets. What a deal! The raffle drawing will take place on Saturday at Artisan Food Festival. You don't need to be present to win.
 

Farm Bill Fails

The House voted down the proposed 2019 farm bill last week. This bill would have resulted in significant cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as Food Stamps) affecting more than a million households.  It would also have eliminated the Women Infants and Children (WIC)/Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Assistance Program (FMNP). At the same time, it would have reduced spending on programs serving farmers such as the USDA's value-added producer grants, which have benefited local farms by providing matching funds to start value-added farm food production.

What does this mean for you and your farmers market? Market shoppers using SNAP will not see reductions in their federal-funded food assistance benefits through the Farm Bill in 2019. Shoppers who qualify for WIC and Senior FMNP will still be able to access these programs through the Jefferson County Public Health WIC office and OlyCAP, respectively. JCFM is committed to continuing our SNAP and FMNP matching programs next market season to ensure healthy, local food access for our community and to support local farms through farm-direct sales to shoppers utilizing SNAP, FMNP and our matching programs.
 

See you at the Market! ~ Amanda

PS Hey job seekers! Market sponsor, Aldrich's Market, is hiring a Produce Manager. Interested? Stop by Aldrich's for more information.

Special Food Happenings

Chef Demos
9:30am Tasty Teas with Denise Joy, Mountain Spirit Herbalist. Denise shares, "What a great time to be in the Northwest as so many of the herbal plants are ready for harvest. There is peppermint, comfrey, mullein leaves, thyme, oregano, lemon balm, late nettles, and many more. All of these herbs can be used for herbal tea, for flavor and for health benefits. I will be honored to show you simple ways to incorporate these herbs into tasty drinks for your friends and family."
10am Omelettes with Deb Taylor, Finistère featuring fresh market eggs and produce.
11:30am Chicken butchery with Arran Stark, Jefferson Healthcare featuring chicken from SpringRain Farm and Orchard.
12:30pm Salish Succotash and Salmon with Jesse Rose, Silverwater Restaurant featuring Cape Cleare salmon, locally sourced seaweed and fresh market produce.
Market Meal at Aldrich's: the chefs at Aldrich's will be shopping the farmers market on Saturday to purchase ingredients for a market meal. After the Artisan Food Festival Market, stop by Aldrich's to see what they cooked up with farm-fresh produce.

Throughout the Day

66 vendors: 15 artisan food vendors serving Northern Thai sausage, paella, salmon sandwiches, burgers, crab cakes, BBQ, raw and prepared shellfish, coconut ice cream, pies and pastries, coffee and more!; three artisan cider and wine makers; three cheese makers; 20 farms with fresh produce, meat, seafood, plants, tinctures, body care products and mushrooms; 20 arts vendors; massage with Oma, henna skin painting, and calligraphy. 

Kids Activities: Bag painting and vegtable print-making as well as bubbles on the Rec Center/Community Center grass with the YMCA and Port Townsend Farmers Market.  

From Our Vendors

In Celebration of Artisan Food Festival, Johnson and Gunstone Shellfish will serve raw oysters, barbecued oysters with your choice of toppings, and Asian-inspired steamed clams. They will also sell Manila clams by the pound as well as one or two varieties of oysters by the dozen.

In Celebration of Artisan Food Festival, Mt Townsend Creamery, Port Townsend Vineyards and Sweet Lamb Baking Company are joining forces to offer cheese, wine and home-made cracker pairings.

Barbarian Fine Cuisine celebrates one year this weekend at Artisan Food Festival! Our mission is to build community through real food. Our dishes bring together local foods from amazing small business owners that, through their everyday work and ethics, make our burgers taste so good. All we do is put these delicious flavors together. This Artisan Food Festival we are featuring One Straw Ranch and their incredibly tasty lamb with two recipes in addition to our vegetarian falafel burger. The Khan - lamb kafta burger, Mt Townsend jack, tzatziki, tomato, carrot and beet salad and organic greens on a Bell Street Bakery brioche bun. The Vlad - lamb kafta burger, Mt Townsend jack, mint pesto, grilled onions, tomato and organic greens on a Bell Street Bakery brioche bun. Khan (V) -  falafel burger, tzatziki, carrot and beet salad, tomato and organic greens on brioche bun. 

Red Dog Farm is bringing some new spring produce this week, including garlic scapes, baby carrots, cilantro, and the first of the kales. For plant starts, our 4-pack veggie sale continues, plus we have tomato starts on sale!

It is the LAST WEEK FOR FRESH RICOTTA from Mystery Bay Farm!  Yes, our season for fresh Ricotta has come to a close. Come and get your last bite of spring goodness.

Visiting vendor, Lioness Organics, joins us for Artisan Food Festival with handmade delicious drink mixes with nourishing mushroom extracts and other superfoods. We use only organic, non-GMO and fairly-traded ingredients, which are herbalist formulated. Mother and daughter foraging partners, we are lovers of fine food and practitioners of natural medicine. This is our offering to encourage health, which feeds our ability to follow our hearts, to live our dreams. Visit us this weekend only at the market.

Upcoming Events

• June 2, 9am-2pm, Port Townsend Farmers Market, Tyler St
• June 3rd, 10am-2pm, Chimacum Farmers Market Opening
  • The first day of the Power of Produce (POP) Club, registration for kids 5-12 years old
  • 10:30am Storytime with the Jefferson County Library
  • 11:30am Live music with Harmonica Pocket
  • 12pm Kids' menu tasting with chef Dan Ratigan, Port Ludlow Resort and Fireside Restaurant. Dan will be sampling a spread made with Mystery Bay goat cheese, fresh herbs, local vegetables and  Red Dog farm roasted carrots for dipping.
  • Red Dog tractors and farm-fresh food all day!
  • WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program check distribution at market
• June 6th, 2-6pm, Port Townsend Wednesday Farmers Market Opening at Jefferson Transit's Haines Place Park and Ride
  • Red ribbon cutting with the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce
  • POP Club registration and activities with the Organic Seed Alliance
  • Chef demo with Arran Stark
  • WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program check distribution at market

Rhododendron Festival Farmers Market

It is that time again! The Rhododendron Festival kicked off yesterday with the Trike Race and continues through the weekend with the Grand Parade as well as Cake Picnic on Saturday. The Port Townsend Farmers Market is also happening this Saturday, same time and same place as usual. While some of our vendors are taking the weekend off, we will have all the spring produce your heart desires, as well as artisan food, arts and crafts. River Run Farm is back at market this weekend with fresh spinach, salad greens, and more. Finnriver, Midori, Red Dog, SpringRain, Short's, and Onatrue farms as well as Duckabush Mushrooms, Cape Cleare, Amie's Garden, One Straw Ranch, and Johnson & Gunstone Shellfish will be at market for your fresh food shopping.

Those of you who love a good parade, you can have it all! Come by the market for your local veggies, cinnamon roll, hot or iced coffee AND watch the parade. You can even visit the market between parade floats to get something delicious to eat. The Cape Cleare Salmon Cart, Scoops Brats and Nuts, La Crepe de Quimper, Fiddlehead Creamery, Bob's Bagels, Sweet Lamb Baking Company, Java Gypsy, Barbarian Fine Cuisine, Port Townsend Coffee, Pane D'Amore, Eaglemount Wine and Cidery, Mt. Townsend Creamery,  Port Townsend Vineyards, Finnriver Cidery, and BluJay Kombucha will all be at market vending prepared and artisan foods.

If you are not a parade enthusiast, skip the parade and come shop the market for locally grown and artisan foods between 1 pm and 2 pm while the parade is taking place. Usually the market gets quiet around 1pm when the parade starts. Sneak into the market from the Clay and Tyler side to get your grocery shopping done with the sound of marching bands in the background.  

This and next weekend we will have a raffle for a room voucher at the Ravenscroft Inn, one of our uptown market neighbors and market sponsors. Funds collected from the raffle will support our food assistance matching program, Gimme5. Locals, have you heard of a "staycation?" This is your chance to enter to win a relaxing night's stay at this beautiful bed and breakfast and to support local food access for community members with low incomes. Come by the market booth to get your raffle ticket, $2 per ticket or $5 for three tickets. What a deal! The raffle drawing will take place during Artisan Food Festival, May 26th.

The 5th annual Artisan Food Festival is just two weekends away on May 26th, 9am to 3pm! Kids, the YMCA and Port Townsend Farmers Market will host activities on the Rec Center/Community Center grass during Artisan Food Festival. (Thank you Jefferson County Parks and Recreation for so beautifully maintaining our county parks, including the park next to the Port Townsend Farmers Market. You rock!) Do you like playing with your food? Well, we will have veggies, paints and kid-sized bags for your decoration. 

Adults, would you like to learn more about cooking with locally grown produce and making tasty teas? What we drink is an important and often overlooked part of our eating experience. On May 26th starting at 9:30am, Mountain Spirit Herbalist, Denise Joy, will demonstrate how to make tasty teas using tea blends as well as fresh, locally grown herbs. Starting at 10am, three talented local chefs will prepare dishes featuring seasonal produce. Deb Taylor of Finistère will kick off the cooking demonstrations with omelettes featuring local eggs and veggies.  Following Deb, chefs Arran Stark of Jefferson Healthcare and Jesse Rose of the Silverwater will host afternoon cooking demonstrations to inspire you in the kitchen. Mark your calendars for Artisan Food Festival!
 
See you at the Market! ~ Amanda

Upcoming Events

• May 12, 9am-2pm Rhody Farmers Market, Tyler Street, Live music by Tony & the Roundabouts 10am-1pm
• May 19th, 9am-2pm Rhody Festival Farmers Market on Tyler Street. Watch the parade and visit the Farmers Market for farm fresh and artisan food, arts and crafts
• May 26th, 9am-3pm, Artisan Food Festival at the Port Townsend Farmers Market:
  • 70+ local farm, artisan food and arts vendors
  • Chef demonstrations
  • Raw and prepared shellfish by Johnson & Gunstone Shellfish
  • Cheese and wine tasting with Mt. Townsend Creamery and Port Townsend Vineyards
  • Kid's activities-- vegetable print-making on bags
  • More!
• June 3rd, 10am-2pm, Chimacum Farmers Market Opening:
  • The first day of the Power of Produce (POP) Club, registration for kids 5-12 years old
  • Storytime with the Jefferson County Library and Red Dog tractors and farm-fresh food tasting with chef Dan Ratigan, Port Ludlow Resort and Fireside Restaurant
  • WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program check distribution at market
• June 6th, 2-6pm, Port Townsend Wednesday Farmers Market Opening at Jefferson Transit's Haines Place Park and Ride
  • Red ribbon cutting with the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce
  • POP Club registration and activities with the Organic Seed Alliance
  • Chef demo with Arran Stark
  • WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program check distribution at market

From Our Vendors

Red Dog Farm is bringing baby carrots this Saturday! We also have basil, a variety of radishes, bok choi, rhubarb, green onions, herbs, and loads of greens. Our vegetable plant start sale continues this week: Buy 2 veggie 4-packs and get 1 free!

River Run Farm is back at market starting this Saturday. They will also participate in the PT Wednesday and Chimacum Farmers Markets this season. This weekend visit River Run for spinach, lettuce mix, braising mix, rhubarb, and radishes. 

Photo by David Conklin. Feeling hungry? We have all of the farm-fresh and artisan food you need for Rhody Weekend. Cinnamon roll from Pane d'Amore Artisan Bakery. Yum!

Artisan Food Fest and Rhody Markets Just Around the Corner

Time to Celebrate Local!
 

We are one weekend away from the Rhododendron Festival Farmers Market and just three weekends from Artisan Food Festival. Just in time, the Salmon Cart is back at Market serving up Cape Cleare salmon sandwiches and fillets starting this weekend. New kombucha vendors, BluJay, attended their first market last weekend and, starting this weekend, Johnson & Gunstone Shellfish will serve raw shucked oysters at market in addition to selling shellfish for home consumption. On Saturday, farm vendors will have tables laden with spring radishes, turnips, asparagus, scrumptious and vibrant salad greens, fresh goat and cow milk cheese, eggs, flowers and so many other spring crops. It is time to celebrate local abundance and artisan food!

In our forests and yards rhododendrons, the heralds of the Rhododendron Festival, are in vivid bloom. In past years the Port Townsend Farmers Market has moved up a block to Polk Street on Rhody Festival Saturday. This year we will stay at our Tyler Street location for the May 19th Rhody Festival Farmers Market. Come to Market, stock up on farm-fresh food, grab a bite and stick around for the parade.

Mark your calendar for the 5th annual Artisan Food Festival, May 26, 9am-3pm at the Port Townsend Farmers Market. Mountain Spirit Herbalist, Denise Joy, as well as chefs Arran Stark of Jefferson Healthcare, Deb Taylor of Finistère, and Jesse Rose of the Silverwater, will host cooking demonstrations at the Artisan Food Festival Market. Denise will demonstrate delicious tea making while participating chefs will cook and provide samples of dishes featuring fresh market produce and other foods direct from market farmers. Mt. Townsend Creamery and Port Townsend Vineyards are joining forces to offer cheese and wine parings, and Johnson & Gunstone Shellfish will serve raw as well as prepared shellfish as special additions to this event. Stay tuned for more information as we get closer to Memorial Day weekend. 
 
See you at the Market! ~ Amanda
 

Meet Andrew Hamm, BluJay Kombucha

BluJay Kombucha joined the Port Townsend Saturday Farmers Market last Saturday. Owner, Andrew Hamm, grew up in Santa Cruz and found home in Port Townsend in 2000. Before starting his own business, he worked as a chef, sous chef and in various other positions within the food industry. Andrew had been making kombucha for his family and himself for the past seven years. "I'm a food person," explains Andrew. "I chose kombucha because I want to nourish people with food." Andrew appreciates kombucha for its digestive benefits as well as flavor.

Andrew's business name, BluJay, is from the names of his daughters, Jaden, 16 years old, and Levynblue, five years old. Jaden and Levynblue are part of what inspired Andrew to develop his home kombucha making into a small business. Like so many market vendors, Andrew sees operating a small business as an important part of building our local economy. He explained that for him vending at the market is one way he can help establish the kind of future he wants for his children, one in which local economies can sustain local residents and originality and creativity are part of the business landscape.

Say hi to Andrew and try BluJay Kombucha this weekend. You can find Andrew and maybe even meet Jaden and Levynblue this weekend in the middle row of the farmers market towards the Clay and Tyler Street intersection.   

Upcoming Events

• May 12, 9am-2pm Port Townsend Saturday Farmers Market
  • Live music by Combo Choro 10am-1:45pm
  • Collage-making in the PT Community Center with Local 2020 and Jefferson County's Earth Institute 9am-4pm
• May 19th, 9am-2pm Rhody Festival Farmers Market on Tyler Street. Watch the parade and visit the Farmers Market for farm fresh and artisan food, arts and crafts
• May 26th, 9am-3pm, Artisan Food Festival at the Port Townsend Farmers Market:
  • 70+ local farm, artisan food and arts vendors
  • Chef demonstrations
  • Raw and prepared shellfish by Johnson & Gunstone Shellfish
  • Cheese and wine tasting with Mt. Townsend Creamery and Port Townsend Vineyards
  • Kid's activities
  • More!
• June 3rd, 10am-2pm, Chimacum Farmers Market Opening:
  • The first day of the Power of Produce (POP) Club, registration for kids 5-12 years old
  • Storytime with the Jefferson County Library and Red Dog tractors and farm-fresh food tasting with chef Dan Ratigan, Port Ludlow Resort and Fireside Restaurant
  • WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program Check distribution at market
• June 6th, 2-6pm, Port Townsend Wednesday Farmers Market Opening at Jefferson Transit's Haines Place Park and Ride
  • Red ribbon cutting with the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce
  • POP Club registration and activities with the Organic Seed Alliance
  • Chef demo with Arran Stark
  • WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program Check distribution at market 

More about the Collage-Making Event

Local 2020 and Jefferson County's Earth Institute will co-host a free collage-making event on May 12th, just before Mother’s Day, from 9am to 4pm at the Port Townsend Community Center. Community members are encouraged to honor the Earth with cards, concerns, hopes and dreams through collective collage-making. Supplies will be provided but feel free to bring your own magazines or pictures to share. Largely a "silent" experience, reverence and inward awareness about our relationship to the Earth will be encouraged. Out in the lobby, information about Local 2020, its newest action group--the Sound Institute for Community Resilience--and the Earth Institute discussion courses will be available.  Questions? Call Judy at 385-5794.

SNAP Benefits at Risk
From the Farmers Market Coalition

The House Agriculture Committee passed the Farm Bill last week. If adopted, the bill will drastically reduce federal food assistance benefits available to families and individuals nationally by cutting SNAP benefits - totaling more than $20 billion over the next 10 years. At the same time, the bill would create new restrictions on SNAP eligibility.

Limiting SNAP based on employment status: 

The bill includes aggressive, broad new work requirements that would result in people losing SNAP eligibility, sometimes for years. The bill requires SNAP participants ages 18 - 59 who aren't disabled or raising a child under age 6 to prove - every month - that they're working at least 20 hours per week, participating at least 20 hours per week in a work program, or a combination of these. The required work hours would increase to 25 hours per week by 2026. Those who have not met the new requirements would face harsh sanctions: the first failure would mean a loss of SNAP benefits for one year; each subsequent failure would lock people out of the program for 3 years - these sanctions would apply to the entire household, including children, seniors and people with disabilities who aren't required to work. Congressional Budget Office estimates show that, of the expected number of people to lose SNAP (~1.2 million people a month), 62% would be adults ages 18-59 who live in households with children.

Thousands of Washingtonians now count on SNAP to help make ends meet when their jobs aren't enough. Yet workers would lose food assistance if they couldn't provide the paperwork needed to show they were working, if their employer cut their hours below 20 hours per week, or if they were temporarily out of work.
Learn more about the proposed Farm Bill here.

TAKE ACTION:

With members finishing a recess and returning to DC on Monday, it's a critical time for action. House leadership hopes to schedule a Farm Bill vote SOON - but only if there is enough support for it.  It's CRITICAL that Congress members hear from constituents now!

Spread the word! Call to Oppose SNAP cuts. (888) 398-8702

Tuesday, May 8th was a national call-in-day. However, it is not too late to call your representative to urge House members to oppose SNAP cuts in the Farm Bill.

Eat Greens, Ride Green and Spring Pesto

Eat Greens, Ride Green
Try Transit to the Wednesday Farmers Market
 

On April 17th the Jefferson Transit Authority Board approved the Jefferson County Farmers Market’s request to provide space at the Jefferson Transit Authority (JTA) Haines Place Park and Ride for the Port Townsend Wednesday Farmers Market. JCFM and JTA are happy to announce the move of the Port Townsend Wednesday Farmers Market to the Haines Place Park and Ride starting June 6, 2018, from 2 to 6 pm.

Last market season, JCFM began looking at the possibility of moving its mid-week market to a new location. The Port Townsend Wednesday Farmers Market provides an important gathering space for direct commerce between local farms and artisan food producers. While this market is much loved by participating vendors and our uptown community, it was not covering its cost of operation or reaching a wide local audience in its uptown location. Over the last three years, the Port Townsend Wednesday Farmers Market had an average of five to seven vendors weekly while at its height it had as many as 20 participating vendors.

JCFM conducted surveys last market season among market vendors, as well as among community members at the Port Townsend Wednesday Farmers Market, the Chimacum Farmers Market, the Food Co-op, the Haines Place Park and Ride and the neighboring Claridge Court apartments. While JCFM was considering various other locations, the Haines Place Park and Ride was the most popular alternative market location among community members and vendors alike.

The JCFM vendors and board hope that this move will foster a new mid-week farmers market shopper base while continuing to welcome our established market community. We identified the Haines Place Park and Ride as a possible location based on accessibility from all parts of Jefferson County, proximity to the Boat Haven, the densely populated Castle Hill neighborhood, Jefferson Healthcare and other neighbors.

The market day of the week is also a good fit for the Park and Ride location. The Port Townsend Food Bank is open on Wednesdays and Jefferson Transit provides transportation to and from the Park and Ride for many Food Bank customers. JCFM offers matching funds for shoppers when they use their Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card at market as well as for families who receive WIC and seniors who receive Farmers Market Nutrition Program vouchers distributed by OlyCAP. JCFM served approximately 500 people last market season through its Gimme5 and Fresh Bucks food assistance matching programs. However, some 4,400 Jefferson County residents qualify for federal food assistance through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). JCFM hopes to connect with more shoppers who qualify for EBT/SNAP and/or use the Port Townsend Food Bank at the new Wednesday Market location. 
 
JTA is pleased to provide a venue for the Port Townsend Wednesday Farmers Market. The market move will encourage transit use to the farmers market. The Haines Place Park and Ride is the hub from which Jefferson Transit buses travel all over the county. Both JCFM and JTA are hopeful that the market move will support increased use of the Port Townsend Wednesday Farmers Market by shoppers living in all parts of our county. 

General Manager Tammi Rubert welcomes the Wednesday Farmers Market to the Haines Place Park and Ride and stated, “JTA is honored to be working with the Jefferson County Farmers Markets. This partnership will help promote local growers, businesses, and public transportation. We are hoping that the convenient location at the Haines Place Park and Ride will make the Wednesday market easily accessible to the public."

In addition to moving the market, JCFM is offering a weekly kid’s club at the Port Townsend Wednesday and Chimacum Farmers Markets this season. The Power of Produce Club (POP Club) will educate children who are five to 12 years old about seasonal eating, local farming, nutrition and health through games, food sampling and activities. Children registered in POP Club will get $2 for fresh fruit and vegetables after they participate in weekly activities at the farmers market. Stay tuned for more information about the opening days of the Port Townsend Wednesday and Chimacum Farmers Markets in upcoming newsletters.

See you at the Market! ~ Amanda

From the PTFM to Your Kitchen
By Sasha Kaplan, JCFM Board member

We just experienced several blissful warm days here in the Pacific Northwest. Everywhere I looked neighbors were out gardening and planting. While it’s too early to plant some crops, I can’t help but dream about making pesto. Before we blink, maybe three months down the road, beautiful bunches of basil will be available at the PTFM, or perhaps in your garden, ready to turn into bright green silky-smooth basil pesto. Pesto just means “herb paste” in Italian. It can be made by combining various herbs and leafy vegetables. So while we’re waiting for basil to hit the farm stands at the market, we can still make pesto this spring or really year-round. Consider the carrot… carrot tops, that is.

Recently when I bought a couple bunches of carrots at the market, I was asked if I wanted my carrot tops removed. I said, “No, I plan to make carrot-top pesto!” The vendor said I was the third person that day to mention carrot-top pesto.

Basil days are yet to come this summer. So for now, try making some pesto with the greens of the season.  You can add flat leaf parsley leaves, spinach, arugula or green garlic, or use your imagination to make other kinds of pesto.

Carrot-top pesto:

This is a loose recipe, in that you can substitute your favorite nut or seed for the traditional, expensive pine nuts. Try toasted pumpkin seeds, raw cashews, or toasted almonds. And you can make the pesto with just carrot tops or mix in some parsley or other leafy green. If you use green garlic, you won’t need any fresh garlic cloves unless you really like to clear the room! This pesto is great spread on toast, as a sandwich spread, on fish or mixed into pasta. This recipe should yield about one heaping cup of pesto.

Ingredients:

Well-washed leaves of a bunch of carrots, stems removed
2 cloves of garlic
¼ cup toasted nuts or seeds
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
1-2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup grated parmesan, romano, or maybe soft goat cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

First puree the garlic in a food processor. Next add leaves, drizzle a little oil and add nuts or seeds. Add cheese, lemon juice, rest of the oil, and blend until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Enjoy, and see you at the Market! ~ Sasha

Upcoming Events

• Saturdays Weekly, 9am-2pm Port Townsend Farmers Market, Tyler Street
• May 5, 9am-2pm Port Townsend Saturday Farmers Market, live music from 10am-1:45pm by Kynan Shane
• May 12th, 9am-2pm Port Townsend Saturday Farmers Market and 9am-4pm free collage-making event in the PT Community Center with Local 2020 and Jefferson County's Earth Institute
• May 19th, 9am-2pm Rhody Festival Farmers Market on Tyler Street. Watch the parade and visit the Farmers Market for farm fresh and artisan food, arts and crafts
• May 26th, 9am-3pm, Artisan Food Festival at the Port Townsend Farmers Market: 70+ local farm, artisan food and arts vendors; chef demonstrations; raw and prepared shellfish by Johnson & Gunstone Shellfish, cheese and wine tasting with Mt. Townsend Creamery and Port Townsend Vineyards; kid's activities; more!
• June 3rd, 10am-2pm, Chimacum Farmers Market Opening and the first day of the Power of Produce (POP) Club. Stay tuned for more information about our new weekly kids club at the Port Townsend Wednesday and Chimacum Farmers Markets.
• June 6th, 2-6pm, Port Townsend Wednesday Farmers Market Opening this season at Jefferson Transit's Haines Place Park and Ride

From Our Vendors

 
Red Dog Farm is bringing our last full display of tulips this Saturday! Celebrate Mother’s Day early and bring your mom a bouquet of spring beauty. We have more peony-types, as well as parrots, lily, fringed, and more. Its been a wonderful tulip year- thanks for all your support!

If gardening is on your mind, consider planting a veggie garden. We have a large selection of seasonally appropriate vegetable, fruit, herb and flower plants ready to go in the ground! We also have some new veggies this week: arugula (finally!), radishes, green onions, and more!

BluJay Kombucha is joining us for their first market this Saturday with three flavors of kombucha. Visit Andrew Hamm for a night blooming jasmine, berry or ginger kombucha. 

One Straw Ranch has a new batch of beautiful wool yarn! Our flock of Romney sheep grow wool that is lustrous and durable with colors ranging from natural white through gorgeous shades of brown and gray. At small mills on Whidbey Island and in Oregon we have our un-dyed wool blended with bamboo or mohair and spun into yarn that works up wonderfully for outerwear such as socks, sweaters and gloves. The bamboo and mohair add even more sheen, durability and softness. We also have 100% wool yarn, wool roving for spinning, raw wool, and felting kits. Stop by and see how you might add local fiber to your next project!

Local 2020 and Jefferson County's Earth Institute will co-host a free collage-making event on May 12th, just before Mother’s Day, from 9am to 4pm at the Port Townsend Community Center. Community members are encouraged to honor the Earth with cards, concerns, hopes and dreams through collective collage-making. Supplies will be provided but feel free to bring your own magazines or pictures to share. Largely a "silent" experience, reverence and inward awareness about our relationship to the Earth will be encouraged. Out in the lobby, information about Local 2020, its newest Action Group - the Sound Institute for Community Resilience, and the Earth Institute discussion courses will be available.  Questions? Call Judy at 385-5794.

Taste Fresh Spring's Best at Your Local Farmers Market

By David Conklin

Last Saturday the first of the asparagus grown by SpringRain Farm and Orchard made it to market. Rhubarb, rabb, purple-sprouting broccoli, salad greens, leeks, carrots, beets, potatoes, fresh herbs, shiitake mushrooms, eggs, artisan cow and goat's milk cheese, pasture raised meat, and more are abundant and in season at the Port Townsend Farmers Market.

These precious, sunny spring days almost beg us to eat dinner outside, spread a blanket on the grass and enjoy the tastes of the season. Can you hear the first of the asparagus calling you to market? If you make it to market early, grab some asparagus. If you miss the asparagus, rabb is similarly tender and a great addition to a warm salad.

Warm salad? While there is still a chill in the air but the days are brilliantly sunny, it is the perfect time to combine raw and cooked veggies for a spring feast. On a bed of fresh salad greens, try adding baked asparagus or rabb, roasted herbed potatoes, soft goat cheese, a hard boiled egg or baked salmon. Voilà, you have a warm salad!

Baked Asparagus

Ingredients:
Fresh asparagus
Olive oil or another cooking oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional: fresh garlic and/or other fresh herbs
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Break off the tough ends of the asparagus or rabb. Place the asparagus/rabb on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, then toss to coat the asparagus/rabb completely. Spread the asparagus/rabb in a single layer and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Add garlic and fresh herbs as desired. Roast the asparagus for 25 minutes or until tender but still crisp. Enjoy as a side dish or on top of a salad.

VegRx Clarification

I am thrilled with the level of interest in our new fruit and vegetable prescription program, VegRx. Based on the number of phone calls received by Jefferson Healthcare and the great questions about the program at the Market Info Booth, it is clear that our community is ready for a program that responds to local food insecurity with a monthly prescription redeemable for nutritious, locally grown fruit and vegetables.

An important point of clarification is that JCFM, Jefferson Healthcare and the Food Co-op are in a trial phase with the VegRx program. This market season, we are working with a single team of provider champions who are able to prescribe VegRx. The Jefferson Healthcare Orca Pod, Drs. Mattern, Parker, Harris and PA Sarah Irick, can prescribe VegRx. The screening for need will happen during routine well-child check-ups. Proof of income status is not required.

Nationally, basic food assistance, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP/EBT, formerly food stamps) and the WIC and Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Assistance Programs (FMNP) are in a precarious state. The proposed 2019 Farm Bill if passed would cut SNAP by more than $213 billion over the next ten years, nearly 30%. It also calls for the elimination of WIC and Senior FMNP. If passed, the majority of households receiving SNAP would see reductions to their food assistance funds. At the same time, SNAP eligibility changes would cause at least 4 million people to loose their food benefits altogether. More than $260 billion in food purchasing benefits would be moved from individual households to the government. Instead of letting households that receive more than $90 a month continue to use their SNAP benefit to buy food at their local grocery store, the USDA would use about 20% of all remaining SNAP benefits, or $130 billion over ten years, to give qualifying households a box of non-perishable food products. If passed budget cuts would affect some 34 million people in 2019 — almost 90% of SNAP participants. Here in Jefferson County, these cuts would impact some 4,400 people who receive SNAP.

Budget cuts would also reduce the USDA budget for farm programs by some 25%, especially in the areas of crop insurance and conservation programs. Additionally, it would eliminate value-added producer grants, which have helped local farms including SpringRain Farm and Orchard and Finnriver Farm and Cidery with one-time investment for the development of infrastructure for value added food production. Read more here, here and here.

If the proposed budget is passed, reductions to USDA funding for basic food assistance may affect the amount of matching funds JCFM has available through our Fresh Bucks program. USDA funded Fresh Bucks are given to SNAP/EBT shoppers at the Port Townsend and Chimacum Farmers Markets as well as at farmers markets in Kitsap, Clallam, and Mason counties, when farmers market shoppers use their SNAP/EBT card to purchase food.

Regardless of the national budget, JCFM is committed to supporting locally grown food access through our Gimme5 program this and in future years. Local individuals and businesses fund Gimme5 and VegRx.

As grant and community support allows, JCFM hopes to grow the number of Jefferson Healthcare clinicians who are able to prescribe VegRx next season as well as the number of people served by this program. This trial period will give us an opportunity to modify the program for the best future success, begin to identify the level of community need, and fundraise to expand the program next season.

Community support is critical to the future of programs like VegRx and Gimme5. While we depend on congressional representatives to uphold programs like SNAP and FMNP, it is up to us-- you and me, our community-- to sustain and grow services like VegRx and Gimme5. Need for these programs may be even grater next and in future years, depending on our national budget outcome.

Contact Market Director, Amanda Milholland, with your VegRx questions or to make a donation to support community access to nutritious, locally grown food.

See you at the Market! ~ Amanda

Upcoming Events

• Saturdays Weekly, 9am-2pm Port Townsend Farmers Market, Tyler Street
• April 21, 10am-1:45pm Homemade Music at the Port Townsend Farmers Market
• May 26th, 9am-3pm, Artisan Food Festival at the Port Townsend Farmers Market: 70+ local farm, artisan food and arts vendors; chef demonstrations; raw and prepared shellfish by Johnson & Gunstone Shellfish, cheese and wine tasting with Mt. Townsend Creamery and Port Townsend Vineyards; kid's activities; more!
• June 3rd, 10am-2pm, Chimacum Farmers Market Opening and the first day of the Power of Produce (POP) Club. Stay tuned for more information about our new weekly kids club at the Port Townsend Wednesday and Chimacum Farmers Markets.
• June 6th, 2-6pm, Port Townsend Wednesday Farmers Market Opening this season at the Haines Place Park and Ride  

From Our Vendors

Red Dog Farm is bringing tomato and basil starts this Saturday! Additionally, we will have 60 varieties of other vegetable, flower and herb starts to fill your garden. The tulip parade continues with some of the most popular varieties- flaming parrot, salmon parrot and red peony types, plus a wide array of colors, shapes and sizes. For produce- greens and roots are the highlights for this perfect salad season.

VegRx, Fresh Food For Everyone

Farm-Direct Food For Everyone
JCFM's New VegRx Program Increases Local Food Access
 

Jessica comes to the Port Townsend Farmers Market booth every week with her two children, Troy and Sarah, ages four and seven. As she hands market staff her Electronic Benefits Card (EBT, formerly known as Food Stamps), Jessica does some quick math in her head. How much can she spend today to ensure that she gets the food she needs while keeping enough money to make it to the end of the month? The federal food assistance benefits she receives through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) are an essential part of Jessica's monthly food budget. Even with these benefits, Jessica worries each month that she and her family will run out of money for food before she gets her next paycheck or the funds on her EBT card are renewed. For Jessica, the Jefferson County Farmers Markets' food assistance matching programs, Gimme5 and Fresh Bucks, make a huge difference. When she spends $20 on her EBT card, market staff give Jessica an additional $8 for fresh produce and $5 for any food from local farms; a total of $13 in matching, or $33 including her EBT purchase. These extra dollars mean that Jessica can bring home all of the fresh produce she and her family will eat for the week. Instead of feeling stressed about her meager food budget, Jessica and her family can munch on fresh carrots, support local farms, and visit with friends at the market. Jessica is a fictional person. However, her story mirrors that of many of the 500 plus market shoppers who benefit from JCFM's food assistance matching programs.

Supporting local food access is part of the JCFM mission. We do this at the Port Townsend and Chimacum Farmers Markets through our community-funded Gimme5 and USDA grant-funded Fresh Bucks programs. This year we are expanding local food access through a fruit and vegetable prescription program, VegRx. In partnership with Jefferson Healthcare, the Jefferson County Public Health 5210 campaign and the Food Coop, JCFM is piloting VegRx this market season at all three of our local farmers markets.

Fruit and vegetable prescription programs are being developing nationally by farmers markets and medical care providers as a strategy to respond to community food access and health needs through diet. While the Jefferson County Farmers Markets’ VegRx program is the first prescription program on the Olympic Peninsula, some farmers markets in the Seattle area are trialing similar programs. Farmers markets, healthcare providers, and participants find that these programs help participants link diet to health, support local food security, as well as build local economies through farm-direct sales.

Jefferson County VegRx partners aim to connect more families and individuals to nutritious, locally grown fresh fruit and vegetables. Families who self-identify as food insecure when filling out their intake survey for their Well Child Check with their Jefferson Healthcare primary care provider will be offered a 12-month VegRx prescription by participating providers. This prescription is redeemable and refilled monthly at the Port Townsend and Chimacum Farmers Markets for $10 a month. In December, the closing month of the Port Townsend Farmers Market, VegRx recipients will be given a three-month prescription redeemable for fresh fruit and vegetables at the Port Townsend Food Co-op during the market off-season, January-March. VegRx market tokens can purchase fresh fruit, vegetables, fresh herbs and mushrooms.

Andrea Stafford, Marketing Manager at The Food Co-op, writes, “As part of The Food Co-op's cooperative spirit, it is our mission to support organizations and community leaders that are improving food access to all. This partnership just makes sense, and we couldn’t be happier to be a part of it. Not only does it get fresh healthy food into people’s hands, but it supports the idea that food is medicine and that what we eat essentially influences our health in very profound ways.”

“We know that a diet made up of at least ½ fruits and vegetables decreases the risk of diabetes, heart disease, strokes, and cancers, so I’d much rather write a prescription for fruits and vegetables to prevent illness than write a prescription for pills after an illness has occurred," says Dr. Molly Parker, Jefferson Healthcare. "What a great opportunity!”

“I’m excited about this project because it’s one system change that will make it easier for people to make healthy choices,” wrote Karen Obermeyer, Jefferson County Public Health.
 
VegRx will connect more people in our community to the Port Townsend and Chimacum Farmers Markets for the first time. While at market, VegRx recipients who qualify for SNAP and/or WIC/ Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program vouchers will also be able to get these federal food assistance dollars matched through Gimme5 and Fresh Bucks. Together, these three programs are strengthening local, nutritious food access, supporting farms, and fostering a healthy community as well as local economy.

After trialing the program this season, VegRx partners hope to expand its scope in 2019 to include more Jefferson Healthcare providers and serve more individuals and families. Community support will be essential for the future expansion and continuation of VegRx. Visit the JCFM website or Contact Market Director, Amanda Milholland, to learn more about VegRx. JCFM welcomes tax-deductible donations to this program.

See you at the Market! ~ Amanda

Photos by David Conklin.

Upcoming events:

• Saturdays Weekly, 9am-2pm Port Townsend Farmers Market, Tyler Street
• April 21, 10am-12pm music by Douglas Francisco, 12-1:45pm music by Micaela Kingslight
• May 26th, 9am-3pm, Artisan Food Festival at the Port Townsend Farmers Market
• June 3rd, 10am-2pm, Chimacum Farmers Market Opening and the first day of the Power of Produce Club. Stay tuned for more information about our new weekly kids club at the Port Townsend Wednesday and Chimacum Farmers Markets.
• June 6th, 2-6pm, Port Townsend Wednesday Farmers Market Opening

From Our Vendors
 

Onatrue Farm will be at the Market Saturday, with fresh radishes, mustard greens, kale, spinach, carrots, collards, dry beans and oyster mushrooms.

Red Dog Farm will have buckets of peony and lily tulips, as well as long-stemmed tulips of all colors. Our plant starts are taking off; we have a almost 60 different varieties of veggies, herbs and flowers to choose from. And of course, all the tender green things: salad mix, raab, chives and more!

Did you know that Red Dog Farm offers a low-income CSA box at 50% off? To apply, simply fill out Low Income CSA Form. No one turned away! CSA information: April through December, Sign up for just a month or for all 9 months. Weekly share cost ranges from $20- 30 per week (before discount). For more information and to sign up: www.reddogfarm.net/csa. Red Dog Farm accepts donations towards our low-income CSA fund. All donations will be matched 100% by Red Dog Farm. Click here to make a donation: Low Income Donation.

One Straw Ranch: Do you want to give a special treat to the wild birds that are valiantly gracing us with their spring songs despite the continuing gray and gloomy weather? One Straw Ranch has Wild Bird Suet Cakes that will make your feathered friends feel your appreciation! New to the OSR lineup this year, they are made from small-batch rendered suet and lard from our own grass-fed beef and pastured pigs, grain raised in Sequim, and a sprinkling of bird seed. Not only do the birds love these, but using our own suet and lard helps to keep our operation sustainable as we attempt to make useful all the odd bits left over from an animal after we enjoy the T-bones and chops.  The suet cakes will fit in a standard wire suet cake feeder, or you can feed them directly out of the container if you have a sheltered place where they won’t blow away in the wind when empty. This week One Straw Ranch is offering Wild Bird Suet Cakes at a special introductory price of $3.50.

In Bloom!

“April showers bring May flowers.” Here in Jefferson County the saying could be changed to March showers bring April flowers and April showers bring even more flowers in May. I guess that version is a mouthful. The Port Townsend Farmers Market is in bloom! Our season opening was last Saturday, April 7th. While the forecast called for gale winds, the day was mostly clear and relatively calm highlighted by the cheery gathering of friends, goats, farmers, artists, chefs, farm-direct food and bright budding hyacinths, tulips, daffodils, as well as other spring blossoms. Spring colors burst forth in the tender salad greens, rabb, purple broccoli, and micro greens, as well as the faces of friends and family brought back together for our weekly farmers market.

Thank you for helping us kick off the season with your great company! The forecasted wind and rain did not keep people home from market. By noon our wonderful volunteer, Joy Balstad, Branch Manager, Kitsap Bank Port Townsend, counted some 2,300 market visitors! While we closed market early after the wind snapped a couple of canopy legs, the first day of the season was a success thanks to you, our community.

See you at the Market! ~ Amanda

This week's photos by David Conklin. Thank you, David!

Upcoming events:

• Saturdays Weekly, 9am-2pm Port Townsend Farmers Market, Tyler Street
• May 26th, 9am-3pm, Artisan Food Festival at the Port Townsend Farmers Market
• June 3rd, 10am-2pm, Chimacum Farmers Market Opening and the first day of the Power of Produce Club. Stay tuned for more information about our new weekly kids club at the Port Townsend Wednesday and Chimacum Farmers Markets.
• June 6th, 2-6pm, Port Townsend Wednesday Farmers Market Opening

Shout out to Chefs Featuring Local

A couple of our market sponsors are serving locally sourced food on their weekly menus. Chef Dan Ratigan at the Fireside Restaurant at the Port Ludlow Resort is cooking up Farm to Plate Suppers on Wednesday nights. These tasty meals feature locally grown food from Spring Rain, Red Dog, Mystery Bay, Finnriver Farm and Cidery, Dharmah Ridge Farm as well as other local farms. Learn more at their website. Farm Supper reservations can be made by calling (360)437-7412.

The Aldrich's Market is supporting locally grown in a new way. Their deli team will shop at the Port Townsend Farmers Market on Saturday mornings, then returning to the store to prepare “Market Meals.”  The idea is to do this every market Saturday. Support these businesses in their use of local food and in turn support local farms.

From Our Vendors

Mountain Spirit: What a great exciting 1st market! We still have 50% off on selected massage and body oils. Look for our dried nettles and many other fabulous herbs this week. Plant sale coming soon! Make sure to check out our flyer about our new uptown consulting office.

Red Dog Farm will be back with even more varieties of tulips, including oranges, pinks, purples, and reds, with longer stems! We also will have plenty of salad mix and other veggies. There will be some new varieties of veggie, flower and herb plants. See you Saturday!

One Straw Ranch has new items to celebrate the new season! Check out our wild bird suet feeders, beautiful yarn, and luxurious soap. This week's special is lamb stew meat. Perfect for a slow braise, it will be a tender, tasty, and nutritious addition to your weekly meals. We'll have recipes for a Moroccan inspired dish as well as a more savory stew. Try some lamb stew meat this week at 10% off!

This week's photos by David Conklin. Thank you, David!

Opening Day This Saturday!

April 7, 9am-2pm, Tyler St.

Spring has sprung and Market season has begun! The Port Townsend Farmers Market opens this Saturday! Join us from 9am-2pm uptown on Tyler Street to celebrate our 26th season. More than 60 farm, artisan food and arts vendors will be at market this weekend with farm-direct, fresh spring salad greens, kale rabb, purple sprouting broccoli, other mixed vegetables, plant starts, pasture raised meat and eggs, shellfish, fish, fresh and aged cow and goat cheese, cider, wine, artisan prepared food, as well as arts and crafts. Come to Market at 9am for the opening ceremony and goat parade.

Opening Day Event Schedule:

• 9am, the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce and Port Townsend Mayor, Deborah Stinson, as well as Hospital Commissioner, Jill Buhler, and County Commissioners, Kate Dean and Kathleen Kler, open the market season with a red ribbon cutting
• 9:10am, goat parade with baby goats from Harmony’s Way and Mystery Bay Farms. Come in animal costumes for a chance to win a $20 Flora Market token.
• 9am-2pm, farmers market with 60+ local farm, artisan food and arts vendors
• 10am, Chef demo with Jefferson Healthcare's Executive Chef, Arran Stark
• 11:30-1:45, live music by George Radebaugh

See you at the Market! ~ Amanda

From Our Vendors

Serendipity Farm welcomes spring, our customers, our market friends, and fellow farmers back to the Farmers Market. We are starting off the season with fresh greens, salad mix, leeks and Jerusalem artichokes. We will also have parsnips, a fresh new batch of salad dressing (please return the bottles you have been saving all winter for a discount), our pesto, yayas energy bars, eggs, perennial plants, veggie starts, herb starts, reusable produce bags (made on the farm), spring bouquets, and good cheer. We look forward to seeing all of you again.

Midori Farm will be at market with a small amount of fresh veggies, an abundance of organic garden seedlings, as well as lots of sauerkrauts and kimchis. 

It’s Farmer’s Market Again! Mountain Spirit is offering a springtime discount of 50% off on selected massage and body oils. Look for our plant sales coming in the next few weeks and make sure to check out our flyer about our new uptown consulting office.

Chimacum Valley Dairy is delighted to be back vending for the 2018 market season. Our bucklings and doelings will be back at the farm during the Goat Parade, but we will have cheese! We will have a variety of our raw, naturally rinded cheeses, aged from 3 months to 2 years. We look forward to another great season. Thank you for supporting our small, family farm ~ Amy Rose, Bruce & Esther

At SpringRain Farm, we are excited to be back at the market!  We have a special treat for folks--fresh, organic, pasture-raised duck. We decided to take advantage of the warm spring and raise a super early batch of wonderfully fat and tasty ducks. We will also have a lot of delicious eggs with us; despite the industrial complex's best efforts to hide it from you, eggs are a seasonal product.  Since the days are getting longer, we have lots of chicken and duck eggs ready for you to pick up and enjoy. Now is the time for frittatas and omelettes to take advantage of the seasonal bounty. Finally, we will have lots of microgreens and mixed salad greens for your spring tonic. 

Finnriver Cidery is excited for market season and pleased to share our Spring botanical cider, Honey Meadow, featuring Sequim honey and local herbs and roots— including organic chamomile, Midori Farm burdock root, as well as Finnriver dandelion root and lemon balm. An earthy, Spring tonic to share with some Mystery Bay Chèvre and a local green salad! Our seasonal ciders for 2018 have been artfully updated with paintings by Anna Daeuble and design work by Sarah Peller.

Spring at Mystery Bay Farm means fresh chèvre, fresh ricotta, fresh yogurt and fresh cajeta! This is our 10th Spring! Come celebrate with us, and a few of our goats, this Saturday.

New vendor, Johnson & Gunstone Shellfish will have a variety of fresh, locally harvested clams and oysters for sale every week from our 5th generation family farm. The varieties will change slightly from week to week, and may eventually include other types of shellfish such as Dungeness crab, mussels, geoducks, etc. We will also have oyster shucking knives and hand-crafted shucking boards for sale. Additionally, we will have heat and water-resistant packaging with gel ice available for customer transport. We look forward to providing Port Townsend with delicious, local seafood!

Salt Creek Studio: I'm looking forward to seeing you at the 2018 Port Townsend Farmers Markets! We've had a great winter installing handmade tile back splashes in kitchens and baths, experimenting with new techniques, and developing a handful of new wares we hope you'll enjoy. Matt and I are merging wood and tile in the form of wooden boxes with tile inlay, so keep an eye out! I'll also be introducing tile address numbers and will have new framed tile murals as the season continues. If you're building new or remodeling, be sure to stop by the Salt Creek Studio booth to talk custom tile design for your space! See you Saturday! ~Maria Logan

Poet calligrapher Lindsey Wayland will be delivering calligraphy at the Port Townsend Farmers Market this year. Her mission is to connect you to your community via the written word. She believes a letter is the most generous gift you can give someone and that handwriting and letters are very important to cultivate as our world becomes more and more high tech. Visit Lindsey to join her Community Supported Letters. Members receive a seasonally-curated box of beautiful letter-writing supplies. Order a hand-calligraphed letter with a vintage stamp. Watch her calligraph letter orders; the art of calligraphy is mesmerizing as the ink flows. While at market, ask Lindsey about her upcoming classes or purchase custom stationery. 

Red Dog Farm is so excited to be back at market and to see everyone again! We are bringing our favorite spring goodies, including tulips, salad mix, carrots, potatoes, raab and plant starts. Hope to see you Saturday!

One Straw Ranch is looking forward to another great market season! Quail eggs are on special this week for $3.50 per dozen. Quail eggs are not only adorable, they're also tasty and nutritious! Boil them for 4 minutes and they're perfect for a chef salad made with the freshest local greens, cheese and salad dressing. Pair with fresh bread and you have a quick tasty meal -- all available at the Port Townsend Farmers Market! We are also fully stocked with pork, lamb and beef. Perhaps you'll want to pick up a pack of bacon to fry up and crumble on the salad, too.

Max from Onatrue Farm will be back at market this season. As many of you know, Max has been battling cancer. He shares, " I am doing pretty good with two helpers planting instead of one. I am feeling stronger with each week that passes. Am I cancer free? I am in the process of testing. So far everything is looking great. I am very optimistic. I have a big test (PET scan) in mid-April, which will be more conclusive as to whether or not I need additional treatment or if I can focus on farming." Max will have fresh dug, sweet overwintered carrots and heirloom Gilfeather turnips, a few heads of fresh-cut over wintered cabbage, plus bunches of kale, collards and mustard greens. He will also have red and white onions plus Dutch shallots, seed potatoes to plant in your own garden, and dry beans and lentils for planting, eating or both!

Market 1 Week Away!

Only one more week until the opening of the Port Townsend Farmers Market! Our new and returning vendors are excited to welcome you with early spring produce, cheese, meat, cider, wine, bread, pies, cookies, coffee, delicious prepared food, fish, shell fish, flowers, and a variety of arts and crafts. Check out the event line up at the bottom of this email for more information.

Partners Frank Rick and Wakinda Blankenship will help us kick off the market season as new vendors. They and their business, the Heartwood Center for Spiritual Pursuits, recently relocated from Lake Stevens, WA to Port Townsend. They look forward to building community as well as sharing their art and culture with us. Wakinda, a Native American from the Monacan Tribe of western Virginia, is a Reiki Master and Medicine Woman. Frank, born and raised in the Seattle area, is a drum maker and artist. Together, they will bring hand-made drums, fans, walking sticks, as well as other art to market. Frank builds each of these pieces by hand drawing from years of study with Native American teachers as well as his background in woodworking.  While Frank is not Native American himself, he has been "walking the Red Road" for 20 some years. The term, "walking the Red Road," refers to intentionally living a life of truth, humility, respect, friendship, and spirituality in line with Native American teachings.

In 2016, Frank and Wakinda joined forces to start the Heartwood Center for Spiritual Pursuits to share healing and spiritual practice as well as drum and other art making with their community. The natural world of the Olympic Peninsula drew them to Port Townsend. They love camping in the nearby forests and mountains. Frank was familiar with Port Townsend from participating in the Rhody Run in his youth as well as paddling in the Canoe Journey, which stops on the Port Townsend shore. 

Visit the Heartwood Center booth to meet Wakinda and Frank, learn about the 2018 Canoe Journey, and enjoy Frank's flute music. While you're at their booth, check out Frank's detailed hand work. 

Opening Day:

• 9am, the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce and Port Townsend Mayor, Deborah Stinson, as well as Hospital Commissioner, Jill Buhler, and County Commissioners, Kate Dean and Kathleen Kler, open the market season with a red ribbon cutting
• 9:10am, goat parade with baby goats from Harmony’s Way and Mystery Bay Farms. Come in animal costumes for a chance to win a $20 Flora Market token.
• 9am-2pm, farmers market with 70+ local farm, artisan food and arts vendors
• 10am, Chef demo with Jefferson Healthcare's Executive Chef, Arran Stark
• 11:30-1:45, live music by George Rezendes

See you at the Market! ~ Amanda

Who Sells the Chicken Eggs? & Opening Day 2 Weeks Away!

Opening day of the 26th Port Townsend Farmers Market season is now only two weeks away! Mark your calendar for the grand season opening of the Port Townsend Farmers Market on April 7th from 9am-2pm, uptown on Tyler Street. If you needed a new reason to get excited for Market opening, I have one for you. It is in the form of a question: Who Sells the Chicken Eggs?

Husband and wife team, Cameron Roberts and Junchay Junpo (Plai) are joining us as new vendors this season. Their business name might make you think they are raising chickens: “Who sells the chicken eggs?” They are not vending chickens or eggs; rather they are hand-making Northern Thai sausage using pork from Nash’s Farm. “Who sells the chicken eggs?,” has a dual meaning. First it is a Thai tongue twister: “Kai Kai Kai Gai?” Because Thai is a tonal language, to the American ears it sounds like we are repeating the same word numerous times. The question is also a roundabout way of asking, “Where is your food sourced?” Cameron, a Port Townsend native, and Plai, from a small village in Northern Thailand, chose the name to spark conversation and share their value of having a personal connection with their food.

Plai and Cameron met in Plai’s home village, a remote town of 30 some homes in Northern Thailand, near the Burmese border. She was studying to become a teacher at the school where Port Townsend High School teacher, Robbie Roberts, took students on exchange through the Expedition Club. Cameron, Mr. Roberts son, joined the first Expedition Club trip to Thailand in 2003.

Cameron shares, “At first I went to Thailand to get away. A vacation or an adventure… Time goes on and soon that what-you-are-to-become starts sneaking up on the who-you-are. That same ‘adventure’ or ‘escape’ became what defined my habits and who I could relate to. The separation ceased to exist.” Plai’s small village became Cameron's second home, a place where he would live, teach, and, eventually, fall in love.

Growing up in a small, isolated village, Plai hand-made her own clothing and cooked for her family with ingredients exclusively from their farm. Her life took a sharp turn when she and Cameron fell in love, got married, and moved to Washington State. “I started cooking.” She explains, “Food is very important in Thai culture. It's how you ask how someone is doing: ‘have you eaten yet?’ We eat family-style and share conversation, stories, experiences and flavors.” 

Cameron and Plai are excited to share a piece of their culture with us through food at the Port Townsend and Chimacum Farmers Markets this season. They will serve Northern Thai-style sausage featuring Nash’s pork as well as Thai herbs and spices. Your support of their business will help them further share in cultural exchange as they plan to give back 50% of their profits to the Port Townsend EXPEDITION CLUB. Meet Plai and Cameron and try their truly delicious, unique food on April 7th at the Opening Day Port Townsend Farmers Market. Learn more about them and their business here.

Opening Day:

• 9am, the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce and Port Townsend Mayor, Deborah Stinson, open the market season with a red ribbon cutting
• 9:10am, goat parade with baby goats from Harmony’s Way and Mystery Bay Farms. Come in animal costumes for a chance to win a $20 Flora Market token.
• 9am-2pm, farmers market with 70+ local farm, artisan food and arts vendors
• 10am, Chef demo with Jefferson Healthcare's Executive Chef, Arran Stark
• 11:30-1:45, live music

See you at the Market! ~ Amanda