A year in farmers markets

Hi folks, It’s been quite some time since I have posted something new (I’m a bit overdue!).  I still owe you some posts about what I did during this growing season, which is now coming to an end.

I mentioned in some posts earlier this summer that I was doing some paid and volunteer work with a few farmers markets.  In this post, I’ll be sharing some photos from my various farmers market travels in 2014 and the work that I did at some of these markets.

The Portland Farmers Market

From May through September, I worked as a crew member for the Portland Farmers Market at their PSU, Northwest, and Pioneer Courthouse Square markets.  As part of the crew, I helped set up and tear down the market, staff the information booth, and administer the token program for EBT and debit/credit cards.  

I had a lot of fun and learned a lot through my work with PFM.  I saw a wide range of markets and learned about market management.  I liked connecting market customers with resources such as other farmers markets in the Portland area or markets that run a SNAP matching program.  I especially enjoyed working at the Northwest market on NW 19^th and Everett.  It’s a small market with great vendors and a lot of personality.

Through my work with Mercy Corps NW Refuge Gardens (here’s the link to my July post), I had the opportunity to work at PFM’s Shemanski Park market as a vendor.  In the early season we also took a group of Bhutanese families to PFM’s King market to learn about direct marketing.

Montavilla Farmers Market

I joined the board of the Montavilla Farmers Market (located at SE 76^th and Stark St) last winter.  As Outreach Chair, I re-organized our community tabling program and we have since had a number of different community groups come to the market.  I have also been doing some work on our Everybody Eats program, which provides matching funds to market customers who are using SNAP (food stamp) dollars.  We piloted a $10 match during the second half of the season and we saw an increase in SNAP shopper visits, more SNAP dollars being spent at the market, and more dollars for our local farm and food vendors.

Being on the board of a farmers market has been a great opportunity for me to learn some of the nuts and bolts of nonprofit governance.  I’m also so glad to be connected to the market’s board and staff, who are talented people who are very invested in the Montavilla neighborhood and in supporting local, sustainable food for all.

Grants Pass Farmers Market

In August, I took a weekend trip with some family to southern Oregon.  We stopped by the Grants Pass Farmers Market, where I worked as a vendor during my 2013 Rogue Farms Corps internship at Dancing Bear Farm.  I caught up with Steve Florin of DBF, met one of this year’s interns, and saw two of my RFC cohort buddies who are now farming together in Grants Pass at Middle Rogue Farm.  Keep up the great work!

Forest Grove Farmers Market

In September, I made a short visit out to the Forest Grove Farmers Market, a program of Adelante Mujeres (an organization whose mission is the empowerment of Latina women and their families).  You may recall that I was an intern with Adelante Mujeres and worked at the market in the summer of 2012 – another great experience!  It was nice to catch up briefly with the wonderful Adelante staff members.  I also got to see some of the produce sold to La Esperanza Distributor and CSA, a program I helped develop while I was an intern.

Hillsdale Farmers Market

My neighborhood market – one of the best in town.  I’m simply a customer here.

Lane County Farmers Market & Marketplace at Sprout!

At the end of September, I moved to Eugene to begin a Master of Nonprofit Management program at The University of Oregon.  It was sad to leave the markets in Portland, but thankfully there are two good markets near where I live.

The Lane County Farmers Market in Eugene hosts a great selection of local farms and is open most weeks of the year.  

The Marketplace at Sprout! in Springfield is a year-round market.  As a project of NEDCO, a local CDC, they have a variety of food business incubation programming including commercial kitchen space and small business training programs.

That’s all for now – Happy Thanksgiving.
ET