Cascade Farmers Market

So today I woke up surprised and excited to be seeing a sunrise. Then remembered, I’m not getting up earlier, the sun is rising later – shorter days, an ending summer season – aw bugger. Well, through trial and error, I have come to accept I cannot change the seasons and so, I intend to be left by the summer with a freezer full as much market food as I can to spite it. Come and celebrate the first season with your community on this last day of the market’s season!

For last week’s give-aways, Full Circle Farms, Martin Orchards, Tiny’s, and Sua Thao Florists made generous product donations to lucky market-goers. This week look for: Full Circle Farm; Indochinese Farmers Association; Martin Orchards; Neng Farm; Samish Bay; Sidhu Farm (I love their jellies); Sweet Success; Tiny’s Organic; La Pasta (must be magic cause only takes three minutes to cook); Little Prague Bakery (I heart them big time); Whidbey Island Ice Cream (good for whatever ails you); and ZAW Pizza. You could not possibly be disappointed.

This week we are joined at 3:15 by the multiple genre sounds of Eric Fridrich-vocals, Harmonica, Acoustic Guitar and at 4:45 an interactive dance installation “Dream City” by Stimulate Dance, livening up our city block to 5:15. Also, rounding out our final week’s performances are Graham Stockdale, Tap Dance and Tom Yoder, Trombone who will perform randomly from 4:00 – 6:30.

By the metrics of happy farmers, happy consumers, happy community, this has been a successful first season and we are in a celebratory mood for the last day, tomorrow, September 24. There are many, many, thank you’s, needing to be given to those behind the success. We will do so in a way more appropriate than mentioning their name on this blog but, to: The Blume Company; Pemco Insurance; The City of Seattle; South Lake Union Chamber of Commerce; Seattle Times; The Casdcade People’s Center; Pike Place Market; to the individuals who donated their time at the market and those who have supported the Steering Committee, thank you. Thank you for your time, your talent, your money, your space, your encouragement and your advice and direction; your partnerships and for trying to make this all as easy as possible. We look forward to seeing you at season two.

If you have suggestions and ideas for the market, want to be in the Steering Committee, want to donate money, time or space, or become a vendor next season, please let us know via [ www.cascadefarmersmarket.org ].

Kind regards,
Aaron

If you were wondering who will be selling foods and flowers this Thursday (Sept 17), well, look below!

Full Circle Farm: Beets, Carrots, Lettuce Summer Squash, Broccoli, Cucumbers, Currants, Greens, Turnips, Scallions, Blueberries, Raspberries

Indochinese Farmers Association : Huge bunches of blooming flowers, plus Basil, Spinach, Lettuce, Onions, Beets, Kohlrabi, Fava Beans

Martin Orchards : Peaches, Nectarines & Apricots

Neng Farm : Bountiful Flowers, Snow Peas, Onions, Beets

Samish Bay : Cheeses, Beef, Pork, Crackers

Sidhu Farm : Blueberries, Raspberries, Cauliflower, Broccoli

Sweet Success : A wide variety of natural Washington Honey available on a semi-weekly basis

Tiny’s Organic : Peaches, Nectarines, Pluots, Golden Delicious Apples, Dried Fruit

La Pasta : Delicious Pastas & Sauces

Little Prague Bakery: The best in sweet Pastries
(I buy from them every week at least once.)

Whidbey Island Ice Cream: Many delicious flavors in pints & bars

ZAW Pizza: Specialty take & bake made to order Pizzas with Market ingredients

Thank you all for your continued support of the market!
This Thursday:

Our craft market is expanding to help support the Cascade People’s Center.

Alice Gosti, an Italian born and raised choreographer/dancer, will be giving a solo, modern dance performance! Our friends, Tom and Graham are both returning to perform and will be joined by the excellent rope jumping OntheDouble (dutch)!

The Market bag-of-produce raffle continues, with drawings at 4 and 6 p.m. This week market bags are loaded with fantastic produce and flowers from our vendors! (See the image of our happy 6pm winner from last week!) At next week’s grand finale, we will be including donations from neighborhood businesses, with drawings every hour.

As always, we encourage you to say ‘hello’ at the information booth!

Kind Regards,
Aaron

We are working toward the grand finale of the Cascade Farmer’s Market’s first season, and with two weeks to go, the market is proving to be as memorable for the performance art as well as the food!

Today, the cornet will be serenading you while shopping, performed by, Warren Outten, jazz musician. If you don’t know what that is, this is your chance to find out! A member of the NW Tap Connection ( www.nwtapconnection.com ) will be showing me how it (dancing) is supposed to be done. And, returning to the market are both Graham Stockdale and Tom Yoder – totally, totally entertaining. Come for the food, stay for the good vibes!

Please remember, this week and next are the last of the Cascade Farmer’s Market. If you work, live, and or play in the neighborhood, please take advantage of it and better still, bring someone that hasn’t been before! In coming, (I know you know) you support a neighborhood asset, started by people in the neighborhood; local farmer’s businesses; and your own health, all conveniently in your neighborhood!

Please say hello to the people at the information tent and please say hello to me. My name is Aaron – I’ll be holding a camera!

Happy Shopping,

Aaron
CFM Steering Committee

Hello Readers! This is week five for the Cascade Farmer’s Market, marking a successful first month, by ‘new market’ standards, measured by the numbers of people showing up and the amount of goods bought (even when most people left town for the fourth of July). If you’ve been, we the CFM thank you and hope you are spreading the word to coworkers and friends. If you have not yet been, well, the weather tomorrow will be excellent, and you might as well get your groceries before the weekend gets hotter. When you go, be sure to talk to the people at the information booth to give your feedback, suggestions, complaints, volunteer to help at future markets (we need you) and to say ‘hi’ back.

We hope you will continue to check this website and to read our blog posts. The blog will give updates on previous markets and images, points of interest for future markets including vendor products, chef demonstrations, and other market events. We’ll blog about who we are and more importantly, who you are, and why you choose to shop at the conveniently located, market spporting local farmers. We’ll blog about how you can help support the market with your time or your muscle as well as your social networking (spread the word) and dollars.

For now, thanks for reading and happy shopping (Thursday, 3-7pm).
Aaron