Farmer’s Market this Saturday, Rain or Shine –or Both!

Jennifer Pietsch, novice farmer, enjoys a goat nuzzle.

Opening Day this Saturday, May 7

The Orcas Island Farmer’s Market starts this Saturday at the Eastsound Village Green.

And if it rains, will the Market go indoors?

“Oh heavens no!” said new Market Manager Jennifer Pietsch.

Even though it’s been “so wet — and hard for everybody to get their garden in,” the farmers are ready with lettuce, bok choi, broccoli, cauliflower peppers, tomatoes and flower starts for the 2011 growing season, Pietsch says.

This Saturday there will be a Mother’s Day Project at the Funhouse booth, where children (of all ages) can put nasturtium starts into pots and decorate. Librarian Nita Couchman will read aloud to children.

As well as farmers, food vendors will be returning to the Market this year:

• Bill Patterson of Chimayo (his sausages form the “turf” part of the market’s  “surf and turf” menu);
• Rob Kirby of Local Goods, whose oysters are the “surf” in the “surf and turf” combination,;
• James and Eric Ferraris with Soul Flour’s organic wood-fired pizza;
• Holly Dennis of Harmony Chai.

Local chefs Lisa Nakamura of Allium, Kyle Nicholson from The Bluff at Friday Harbor House and Abigael Burrill of Doe Bay Café will give food demonstrations at the Farmer’s Market this year, showing how to incorporate local “exotic” foods (such as fava bean sprouts and green garlic) into mealtime recipes.

Since becoming Market Manager this year, Pietsch has tightened up some of the Market policies, such as defining the “transformation” process to ensure that only locally-produced food, menu items or crafted items are sold at the Market. “You’re meeting the person who made the product,” says Pietsch.

In addition to the farmers, craftspeople and food vendors, musicians, politicians, campaigners and dogs – on leashes of course! – are all welcome at the market, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. each Saturday.

Arrangements have been made with vendors to park away from North Beach Road. ”We want to be good business neighbors and leave parking for the customers,” says Pietsch.

There are still openings for spaces at the Farmer’s Market; it traditionally starts slow. It will run through to the first weekend of October at the Village Green; sharing space with the Bite of Orcas on Memorial Day Weekend, the Historic Days Fair on July 2 and the Library Fair on August 13.

Pietsch, who with her husband and three sons live at the Orcas Moon Alpacas Farm, jumped at the chance to manage the Farmer’s Market. She has degrees in Hotel Administration, Facilities Design, and Business Administration, and is pursuing a teaching certificate. Her family has visited Orcas for years, starting with her husband and his grandfather who both attended Camp Norwester on Lopez Island.

After living in Oahu and Chicago, the Pietsch’s decided to “buy the farm” and moved to Oras three years ago, picking up dogs, donkeys, chickens, bees, a rabbit and alpacas along the way.

“Who would not want to be in charge of the Farmer’s Market?” asks Jennifer. “People plan their trips to the island around Saturday Markets, and it’s a fantastic community service, connecting people to the island, products and producers to the community and keeping money circulating amongst our neighbors.”

The Market will also honor the EBT (electronic benefit transfer or “food stamp”) cards. Those wanting to use the cards can locate Pietsch who will call in their card and get “market dollars” within the program limits. The WIC program for nutrition for “Women, Infants and Children” starts in June at the Farmer’s Market.

The Farmers Market Association holds a two-year contract with the County and pays for the use of the Village Green. It has applied for a grant from the county’s  Lodging Tax Facilities (LTAC) Grant Progam, but for this year, having lost county funding, the Market is sustained by the booth costs to farmers and other vendors:

• $450 for the full season
• $240 for eight contiguous weeks
• $ 35 for drop-in  booths

Non-profits such as the WSU Master Gardeners are given a 50% discount on the rates.

In October, the Farmer’s Market will move into the Odd Fellows Hall. Presentations on how to store products through the winter will be given in the fall, before the final market of the season, on the Saturday before Thanksgiving.

For more information, Pietsch can be contacted at 317-8342. The Orcas Island Farmer’s Market Association website is at www.orcasislandfarmersmarket.org