Welcome to the Farmers Market 2015

Summer living, here we come. After a milder than usual winter and an early spring, it feels like we are jumping into summer a little ahead of schedule. Already, the apple blossoms have come and gone; the wildflowers have arrived in a profusion of color, while the drier hillsides have turned from dormant brown, to lush green and now to red as the wild grasses make their way through their annual life cycle. And finally, after a long break, the Farmers Market season has begun.  The weather has been favorable and many crops are weeks ahead of schedule.  Already, visitors to the Market have been able to find radishes, rhubarb, bok choy, salad mix, arugula, spinach, turnips, napa cabbage and asparagus. Over the coming weeks, expect to see the arrival of early carrots, baby beets, young garlic, spring onions plus much, much more.

Master Gardeners will be on hand at the Wenatchee Farmers Market, The Leavenworth Community Farmers Market and the Chelan Market and are happy to answer your garden related questions. This is a great chance to get some much needed advice on your home garden and to become familiar with the Chelan/Douglas Master Gardener Program and the classes and events they will be hosting throughout the summer.

Below, are the operating dates and times for four of our best local markets.  If you can’t make it to a market, Sage Mountain in Leavenworth and Rhubarb Market in Wenatchee make local, seasonal produce available year round to their customers and often honor special requests.

·         The Kittitas County Farmers Market in Ellensburg opened on May 2^nd and will be operating every Saturday from 9 AM -1 PM, May-October.

·         The Wenatchee Farmers Market opened for the season on Saturday May 9^th and runs from 8 AM-1 PM.

·         The Chelan Farmers Market will begin its market season on Thursday May 21^st from 4-7 PM.

·         The Leavenworth Community Farmers Market is slated to open on Thursday June 4^th from  4-8 PM. This season, they have added a kids-only vending booth beginning on Thursday, June 25^th and running through the rest of the market season.

And, if you have ever considered becoming a vendor at one of your local markets, don’t wait. Now is the time to contact them directly about special vendor days or hosting a regular booth. Whether you grow flowers, fruits or veggies, participating in your local market is a great way to meet your neighbors and join a community of like-minded gardeners. Happy Gardening!