JUNE 29, 2008 - Warmer weather for the past couple weeks has helped turn out a lot of produce we have been waiting for, such as potatoes, broccoli, onions, beets and carrots. In another couple weeks we will start to see the first tomatoes and peppers and the full bounty will be upon us in cauliflower, berries, peas, green beans, cucumbers and zuchini.

Now is the time to start stocking up on fresh produce for canning or freezing for the leaner months! It’s not official, but at least 95% of produce at the Chimacum Farmers’ Market is certified organic or grown organically. If price is a concern, click here to learn about the cost of local food, why it can be more expensive (but not always) and the impact of buying from farmers in your area. Buying your food at the farmers’ market is an investment in the future of our food on the peninsula and worth every cent.

This week we were joined by Big Quil Enterprises, Quilcene’s incredible 4H club and student-run oyster business, grilling shrimp and pan frying oysters.

The market will be open July 6th for the holiday weekend. Be sure to stop by the market during Hadlock Days on July 13th as we will have new vendors and your old favorites.

JUNE 22, 2008 - What a difference a week (and many hours of sun) will make! This week the market had 5 new vendors. Compass Rose Farm brought Icelandic wool in several natural tones, along with their herb and flower starts, Gogi berry bushes and Nicotiana plants. Wildwood Farm pleased the crowd with a bounty of heavenly fragrant peonies, perhaps 10 different jams, salad mix and red scallions. Tuna Dan brought whole salmon and fillets, all of which were “swimming yesterday”, as his sign states. Clint the Tarboo Valley Bee man showed off a beehive set up and took information from people interested in ordering colonies in Spring. Rosa’s Deli-Mex kept everyone in a good mood with her delicious tacos and tamales.

Next week the Quilcene 4H kids may be on hand, grilling local oysters and shrimp. We may also see a local man who makes rustic cedar furniture with wood from his property. Word has it that broccoli will be available, and hopefully our goat cheese, seafood and baked good vendors will bring more stock so late coming customers won’t go home empty handed. They all sold out or came very close this week. Ask your vendors about pre-orders for the upcoming week!

JUNE 15, 2008 - The glorious sunshine today came many days too late for several of our producers who sat this Sunday out due to lack of growth over the past week. Our cooler-than-usual Spring has remained a challenge for local growers and consumers. The market had fewer vendors today but the steady stream of customers kept the day worthwhile for most vendors. We are all hoping that the clouds stay away for a few days so that the long anticipated peas and carrots will spring forth and grow with gusto.

This week’s new vendors were Olympic Pastured Poultry with local, organic pastured chicken and Whiskey Hill Farm who brought raw goat’s milk and goat’s milk soaps, and plans to offer raw milk aged cheese in the future. Next week we will be graced by an appearance from Rosa and her famous taco truck, Tuna Dan the Fish Man from Forks with salmon and halibut, and hopefully our full roster of producers will return with their beautiful produce.

JUNE 8, 2008 - This week’s market was lighter in vendors and customers, due to somewhat foul weather preventing much crop growth from the previous week, and keeping customers inside on another “Junuary” afternoon. We were joined by a new vendor, Elwha Apiary, who brought their assortment of honeys and beeswax products. Next week we will be joined by Olympic Pastured Poultry and a native plants vendor. G&R Quality Seafood plans to serve fresh clam chowder, and Grange members will be flipping burgers. Rosa and her fabulous taco wagon have committed to being on hand in the near future. Soon enough the Chimacum Farmers’ Market will be a full fledged happening!

JUNE 1, 2008 - The first ever Chimacum Farmers’ Market was a raging success! Customers and vendors alike were amazed with the turn out and everyone plans to return next week. Vendors on June 1st included Old Tarboo Farm, Dharma Ridge Farm, The Farm Stand, BarDan Mountain Grown Produce, Red Dog Farm and Colinwood offering a variety of greens, herbs, flowers, radishes, potatoes and rhubarb. Plum Wild Farm, Leslie Richards, Tordoff Farm, Ferry Farm and Elk Meadows brought vegetable and herb plant starts and well established azaleas, dahlia tubers and flower baskets. G&R Quality Seafood had fresh oysters and clams, Princess Valiant was on hand vending coffee and chocolates, Mountain Spirit Herbal Co. brought a wide variety of tinctures and salves, and Sequim Lavender Co. kept the market smelling fragrant with their plants and sachets.

The Fruit Club was in attendance, as was Diane Johnson of Community Methodist Church with her weekly seed planting activity for children. Hadlock Building Supply has donated the seeds for the season and Roger Short has provided his magical dirt.

One of the highlights for everyone was Andy Mackie and his fellow musicians, including his students and children from the Chimacum Pi Program, playing a variety of stringed instruments in the round. Their music was like the icing on the cake, adding a pleasant down home air to the market.

Spring has not been kind to peninsula farmers.  As the season warms up we will see an even greater abundance of available products.  Feel free to ask farmers what they have coming in the next few weeks.  Eating local, in season food is one of the simplest joys and loaded with positive consequences.

When you come to the Chimacum Farmers’ Market please consider parking at the high school and using the crosswalk. Parking is very limited at the Grange and we try to save it for those who need to park more closely. Road parking can be dangerous with pedestrians crossing the highway. Parking in the road and jaywalking are both ticketable offenses so be wise and park in a safe area.