When we opened for the season a few weeks ago, we knew this would be a very different year for Portland Farmers Market. We’ve expanded the footprint of our largest market at PSU, we’re adding two markets to our weekly farm-direct roster, and we are staring straight into the eyes of the meanest market monster: garbage. With founding support from the Office of the Mayor, we have undertaken a new effort to radically reduce the amount of waste that is generated at our markets. We have christened this campaign EverGreen and with it, we hope to move a giant step closer to creating a sustainable food system.

The EverGreen campaign will be introduced across all PFM locations over the next three years, beginning with the PSU Market in 2010. This season, we are asking customers to find an EverGreen waste station to recycle it, compost it, or waste it rather than seeking out the nearest garbage can on campus. The EverGreen stations are staffed by volunteer “garbage gatekeepers”, providing guidance to customers about how to shrink one’s personal waste footprint by ensuring that waste goes where it belongs.

Our goal for this year is to divert 50% of waste generated at the PSU Market to compost and recycling streams. By the third year of EverGreen, we will divert 90% of waste from all market locations to compost and recycling, redirecting more than ten tons of would-be garbage from the landfill over the course of each season. Of course, we need all sorts of help to make this happen. Vendors, volunteers, customers, civic partners, and government leaders are all being asked to pitch in and help us realize this (near) zero-waste vision. Do you want to join our fight against the trash monster and spread the garbage gospel to the masses? Please click here or email EverGreen Coordinator, Ryan McLaughlin for more information. (Stay tuned next week for more about Ryan, the newest member of our farmers market family.)

See you at the market!

The countdown to opening day continues with only one week left before we pull out the tents and ring the opening bell for our flagship market, the Portland Farmers Market at PSU, opening March 20. If you haven’t already heard, we will expand to include the block directly south of its existing location. The expansion will allow the more than 120 vendors and 10,000+ shoppers more space to shop for farm-fresh produce, baked goods, meats, cheeses, seafood and more. Although the Saturday PSU farmers’ market location will double in size, we will not double the number of vendor booths. Instead, vendor booths will line up along the perimeter of the South Park Blocks, eliminating the majority of the inner ring of vendors’ stalls (aka ‘mud row’) formerly packed into the previous market footprint.

If you want to do some advance reconnaissance to find your favorite farmer fast, we have provided a map of the vendor locations for opening day. The locations shift week by week as the season progresses. Look for these new vendors as you stroll through the market this season:

Farm. – Farm. is an exciting new produce venture in Oregon’s French Prairie region. Young farmers have come together, informed by the tried and true practices of the American family farmer.

15 Miles Farm – This local farm sells a variety of certified organic fruits and vegetables, and a large portion of their harvest is donated to local charities including the Oregon Food Bank.

Nut-Tricious Foods – Nut-Tricious Foods specializes in agave nectar-sweetened fresh nut and seed butter blends, including almond, cashew, hazelnut and walnut. Utilizing their unique and proprietary processes, they maintain the nut and seeds’ nutritional value and benefits. They will be at the market once a month as a product representative.

Oregon Kombucha – Oregon Kombucha creates kombucha - a naturally fermented tea beverage – from cultures grown in Portland using only four ingredients. Half of the tea used for brewing is sourced locally. They will be at the market once a month as a product representative.

Pasta del Sol – Pasta del Sol will be offering fresh pasta, including linguine, rigatoni, rotini and other assorted fresh and organic noodles.

Sassafrass Catering – Sassasfras will be selling their line of unique relishes, chutneys and preserves based on old-world Southern recipes. All of their products are created in small batches at the peak of the season, and they strive to buy their ingredients directly from local farmers.

Sexton Ranches – Sexton Ranches is a family owned ranch in Eastern Oregon that raises natural grass-fed and grass-finished lamb and beef, plus pastured poultry and eggs from pastured hens.

Upright Brewing Company – This small craft brewery specializes in French and Belgian-inspired farmhouse ales, which will be available in 750 ml bottles.

Via Chicago – Chicago-style pizza for real! Via Chicago makes the real thing four different ways, with the freshest local ingredients around.

See you at the market!

The applications are in for the upcoming Portland Farmers Market season and we are ecstatic to report receiving over 600 entries for our six market locations! We are most excited to report submissions from more than 25 new (to PFM) farms. That means there’s a good chance you will get to meet some new faces at the market this year. Stay tuned for hints on new vendors and products you can expect to see!

Mark your calendar now to greet the first day of spring with fellow food lovers on opening day at our flagship Saturday at PSU market. The market will be open 8:30am – 2:00pm every Saturday through December 18. (9:00am – 2:00pm in November & December.)

As long as you have that calendar open, please take note of opening dates and hours for our other markets. Find your favorite and join us to welcome the farmers back to the heart of the city. Or better yet, plan a trip to each location and discover the unique flavor every market has to offer.

Sunday at King Elementary School (NE 7th & NE Wygant)
May 2 – October 31
10:00am – 2:00pm

Monday at Pioneer Courthouse Square (SW 6th & SW Yamhill)
June 21 – October 25
10:00am – 2:00pm

Wednesday at Shemanski Park (SW Park & SW Salmon)
May 5 – October 27
10:00am – 2:00pm

Thursday at Hinson Church (SE 20th & SE Salmon)
May 6 – September 30
3:00pm – 7:00pm

Thursday at NW 23 (NW 23rd & NW Savier)
June 3 – September 30
3:00pm – 7:00pm

See you at the market!