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!