Opening Day at the Port Townsend Farmers Market

The first Saturday in April kicked off Opening Day at the Port Townsend Farmers Market.

I’ve been to many farmers markets, but the Port Townsend market is a unique experience where each week you have the opportunity to interact with local farmers, artisans, and foragers while enjoying a strong sense of community around the farm-to-table culture.

The morning kicked off with a ribbon cutting by Port Townsend Mayor, Deborah Stinson, and Washington State Department of Agriculture Director, Derek Sandison. Both Stinson and Sandison echoed in their speeches the farm-to-table values The Resort at Port Ludlow & The Fireside seek in our food & beverage program – to provide the best, in-season ingredients from our local farmers, foragers, and artisans. Whether it is produce, seafood & meats, or hard cider/wine, Chef Dan and The Fireside team seek to provide a high-quality, local food experience.

After the ribbon cutting, the goat parade began. People of all ages were oohing and ahhing over the goats, especially the babies (who doesn’t love a baby goat?!), and as the goats made their loop throughout the market, thus was the beginning of the farmers market season.

I realized I came empty handed with no bag or basket to put my goodies in, so I stopped by the Port Townsend Farmers Market booth and I am proud to say I bought the first Port Townsend Farmers Market tote bag of the season!

One aspect of the Farmers Market I love so much are the personal connections you make with the different vendors. I was happy to see familiar faces at the booths from years past as I checked off my shopping list. From my produce list, to looking for a unique birthday present for my mother, to a last minute engagement party present – the farmers market provided everything I was looking for.

The Red Dog Farm booth is one of my favorites, and their market manager, Devon, is so kind and helpful. Last summer Devon told me about a potato I had never heard of, German butterballs, which are now a staple in my kitchen. It is the connection to the food and the farms that take what could be an ordinary shopping excursion to an elevated and memorable experience. The booth was packed full of beautiful produce and I was able to get green onions, potatoes, radishes, and carrots I needed for a soup I was making that afternoon.

Daily Bird Pottery is one of my mother’s favorites and as her birthday is coming up in a few weeks I scouted out some mugs, dishes, and bells she might be interested in. As I perused the pottery and thought about which item she would like the best, I listened to live music playing in the background, enhancing the shopping experience tenfold.

Next up was to find a last minute present for an engagement party I was attending later in the weekend. What is better than a bottle of Finnriver Artisan Sparking Cider? If you’ve never had it, I couldn’t recommend it more. Finnriver had a special, limited edition Golden Russet Sparking Cider that I knew my friends would love and I just couldn’t resist – I bought a bottle for myself as well.

As I was wrapping up my shopping for the morning, I found myself drawn to the Crust Pies booth. Offering both savory and sweet pies, I knew I had to end my outing with a special treat – the Curried Cauliflower (Aloo Gobi) pie. It was absolutely delicious and I enjoyed each and every bite of the flaky crust and tasty interior. I look forward to trying more of Crust Pies offerings in the weeks to come.

If you haven’t been to the Port Townsend Farmers Market, check it out. You won’t regret making the trip to the eclectic shopping experience. The Port Townsend Farmers Market is on Saturdays from 9am to 3pm from April to December.

Written by: Kaitlin Chester