Musings on Farmers Markets


I love farmers markets. I enjoy the winter markets, but I am very, very excited that spring is upon us, bringing with it a long stretch of glorious Saturday shopping opportunities. I am lucky to be living in the Portland Metro Area with its bounty of markets to choose from.

Today, March 15th, marked the opening of the Portland Farmers Market at PSU, and it was quite a lovely morning for browsing the 100 or so vendors that showed up to start off the season! It seemed off to a very busy start, as the paths were crowded with people enjoying the day and shopping. The fresh flowers were quite popular; there were splashes of yellow daffodils everywhere! 

I did not have as much time as I would have liked to spend, but I browsed the fresh herbs, vegetable starts, artisanal breads, jams, and fresh vegetables with anticipation. There will be more time next weekend. I did buy a jar of Early Wildflower Honey from the Raynblest Farm booth before moving on for the day. I am very excited to try it in my tea this evening!

What of locavores interested in farmers markets that don’t live in our fair city? I have found a couple of really cool tools to help you locate nearby farmers markets.

For Oregonians: Oregon Explorer offers a Farmers Market and Roadside Stands Finder for the entire state of Oregon! It is super neat, check it out!

For the United States: Local Harvest also has a map tool, but this one will help you locate farmers markets, CSAs, meat processors, restaurants, and other sources of sustainably grown food, just by entering your zip code.

Welcome to spring and a new season of farm-fresh produce ahead of us! 

What are my classmates saying about Farmers Markets? Check it out: 


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