What do you have going on next Wednesday afternoon?
Yesterday I stopped by the Wednesday Gig Harbor Farmers Market, downtown on the sunny waterfront in Skansie Brothers Park. From 12pm - 5pm you can find some very locally grown veggies, gorgeous flower bouquets (Gig Harbor Flower and Vegetable Farm and Morgan Creek Farm), as well as locally baked bread and salmon from Rolf, a local fisherman. I brought home some dinner--green beans, cucumbers, and zucchini (all picked day off) to accompany a real treat, smoked king salmon--and had a great time talking to the producers. I got to chat with Rolf of Rolf's Choice Salmon which totally inspired me to start a new section on the www.prideofpiercecounty.com website soon focused on getting to know our local producers.
Downtown Gig Harbor is a great place to walk around too, with fun shops, tasty dining options, a great view of the harbor, and there are even kayak rentals (down by the Anthony's).
In its 4th year of operation, the Wednesday market makes a great mid-week stop to stock up on some of the freshest goods around. Gig Harbor also has a bustling market on Saturdays at the Kimball Drive Park N Ride and a Sunday market out on the Key Peninsula. Visit them online for details - http://www.gigharborfarmersmarket.com/page5/page5.html
tomatillos and peppers
Rolf and a Bristol Bay Sockeye fillet 
Hear why straight from the mouths of those who make markets possible! Farmers, dedicated community members, and market staff hit the nail on the head about what makes farmers markets so unique in this footage from the grand opening of the South Tacoma Farmers Market in June 2010.
Created by local Tacoma resident, Adam J. Manley, and sponsored by the Pierce Conservation District (www.piercecountycd.org), this video is a first installment in our Pride of Pierce County "farm fresh" video series—soon to come, a visit at the new Gig Harbor Community Garden and a trip out to Terry’s Berries CSA. Find your closest farmers market and look for more videos (coming shortly!) on our homepage, www.prideofpiercecounty.com.
Today I skipped out of work a little early so that I could join in the festivities of National Farmers Market Week. It was an absolutely gorgeous day too; I would have to say it was mid 70s and clear skies when I arrived in downtown Tacoma at the Broadway market. The crowds were definitely out. Also, the local color was definitely out, i.e. the Save Our Sonics guy. There were many great things at the market today, including a survey about the market. Anyway, to the more interesting things (such as pictures).
As evidenced by some of the pictures (and as i mentioned above) the market was quite hoppin today so pardon some of the poor shots of the vendors. If you look closely enough you might notice that all of the vendors i've snapped photos of are all in Pierce County. Respectively they are: Spooner Farms, Sophia's Blueberry Farm, Terry's Berries, Zestful Gardens, and Sidhu Farms. Being a representative of Pride of Pierce County, I encourage you to support our fine farmers! There are more markets this week including Puyallup, Gig Harbor and Proctor. Go out and celebrate National Farmers Market Week!The South Tacoma Farmers Market is new this year and is located on S. 56th and Washington Street. A visit to the market on July 11th exhibited its vibrancy and support by local citizens. The market has a wonderful blend of vegetables, fruit, small fruit, meat, seafood, crafts, and prepared foods. Consumers state the love for this market and have been coming by the thousands to the market. Check out the video of the Laura Kelsay Edwards Director of the Tacoma Farmers Markets who explains this new market. More information can be found at: http://www.tacomafarmersmarket.com/Default.aspx
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A recent article in The News Tribune outlines just some of the reasons why farmers markets are good for Pierce County residents.
Check it out at: http://www.thenewstribune.com/2010/07/02/1249689/farmers-markets-good-for-people.html
