Ripe City: June eNews from Portland Farmers Market

Recipe by:
Cory Schreiber
The International Culinary School at the Art Institute of Portland

Northwest Market Opens
Thursday, June 7
3:00pm-7:00pm

Pioneer Courthouse Square Market Opens
Monday, June 18
10:00am-2:00pm

Mealtime Makeover
June 7, Buckman Market
4:00pm-6:00pm
Build your kitchen know how with market chef Kathryn Yeomans. This free series of classes takes place the first Thursday of each month. View the schedule

Meet the Market Open House
June 14, Northwest Market
Join us for an open house with market orientations and samples/giveaways from vendors, local restaurants and market sponsor Food Front Coop.

Kids Cook at the Market
June 16 & 30, PSU Market
Hands-on cooking classes taught by chefs that include a market tour and recipes.  Register here!

Bite Size Kids Cook
June 10, King Market
June 28, Buckman Market
Free drop-in cooking activity for children focusing on a simple recipe preparation using seasonal produce.

Senior Day
June 21, Northwest Market
Seniors are invited for a market tour, followed by a rousing game of fruit & veggie bingo, complete with market prizes.

Season Sponsors

  Northwest Market Sponsor

EverGreen Sponsor

Fresh Exchange Sponsors

Chef in the Market Sponsor

Ten Reasons to Make Shopping at a Farmers Market Part of Your Life

Recently,  I spoke at a conference on healthy aging for boomers called Enjoy the Journey. Most of the audience was already farmers market shoppers – but they learned some new tips and were eager for more with questions afterwards.  Here are ten reasons to make shopping at a farmers market part of your life.

Reason number…

1. It’s a community – Shopping for food can be a chore – or it can be a splendid, outdoor experience in a colorful friendly environment. Studies show that you’re 10 times more likely to have a meaningful conversation at a farmers market than at a regular grocery store. Come by yourself and make some new friends or make a day of it with family or friends. One Saturday I noticed a pair of white-haired ladies in the mid-morning watching the chef demonstration at our PSU Market, then I saw them shopping and later they were still there chatting and giggling into the afternoon over lunch.
2. Get to know the face behind your food – Remember when a family knew their butcher and their baker? At a farmers market you can get to know the people who grow, raise, bake, preserve and prepare your food. You can learn their names where they do their work and what life is like for them. And they get to know you too, remember you and your favorite choices.  Click here to read the rest of the Top 10!

What’s New at our Northwest Market

Thursday, June 7 marks the return of our Northwest Market held every Thursday through September 27, from 3pm to 7pm in the parking lot across from Trinity Episcopal Cathedral at NW 19th Avenue and NW Everett Street.We are thrilled to announce that this year Fresh Exchange will expand to our Northwest Market, meaning that shoppers eligible for SNAP benefits can now receive a dollar-for-dollar match up to $7 in market tokens to purchase fruit, vegetables, meat, bread, cheese and many baked goods.

New programs for Northwest Market shoppers include a Market Meet Up open house, a frequent shopper card with prize drawing each month, food sampling from local restaurants and Senior Days featuring market tours and fruit and veggie bingo.

We are also proud to welcome six new vendors to the Portland Farmers Market family – Ravenhill Farm, Rudio Creek Ranch, Happy Campers Gluten Free Baking, Marshall’s Haute Sauce, Portland Creamery and Serious Business Pastries. Click here for more information on our new programs and vendors.

Community Happenings

An organization that is dear to us, Farmworkers Housing Development Corporation (FHDC), is holding their annual “Harvesting Hope” fundraiser to recognize and celebrate the contributions of farmworkers to our communities. The event will be held Thursday, June 14th, 2012 at the Ecotrust Event Space in Portland.  Last year’s fundraiser raised nearly $26,000 to support FHDC’s educational programs and mission.  Click here to learn more and purchase tickets.

If you’ve been to our PSU or Buckman Markets, chances are you’ve seen Chef Greg Perrault with his awesomely 80′s hair perusing market stalls for the freshest local ingredients to grace the seasonally-inspired menu at his restaurant, June.  Chef Greg is deeply dedicated to purchasing from local farmers such as Square Peg Farm, Gathering Together Farm, Reister Farms and Viridian Farms.  On June 21, Portland Food Adventures will be holding a six-course dinner at June showcasing Greg’s talent and our region’s bounty.  Watch this video, then purchase your tickets to this special event!

2012 Market Schedule