Arlington Farmers' Market On The Radio... WHAT!

Hi Friends! This past Thursday the lovely people at KSER 90.7 invited the Snohomish County Health Department as well as the Arlington Farmers' Market into the studio to talk about farmers' markets and healthy communities. Big thank you to all those who were involved with the interview and helping us to share it with our community!

The Beauty I See in You...

In my previous life I worked in an awesome dental office not far from my home in Arlington. I worked with a really, really, rad bunch of people who were all very skilled and totally committed to fantastic patient care. While I was working there we did a team building workshop where I learned about something called "bridging". Bridging is an opportunity to clearly tell another person (err... gigantic community of people) what they really mean to you.  WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH THE FARMERS MARKET!???

I'll tell you... Arlington... I (the Arlington farmers market) am going to bridge with you.

Here is how it goes. Two people (in this case one community and one group of volunteers) clear some time in their busy schedules (how about national farmers market week?) to sit down alone together. Then take some time to think about the answer to two questions.

1. What beauty do I see in you?
2. What do I want to be for you?

Take your time...I will go first.

Arlington, the beauty I see in you is your charming downtown, your fun shops, and their dedicated owners. The beauty I see in you is your dedication to the education and safety of the children in our community. The beauty I see in you is your unwavering interest in having fun! The beauty I see in you is your ability to grow food. The beauty I see in you is your friendly neighbors. The beauty I see in you is your knowledgeable city employees and local politicians of pure gold.

Heartbeet Farm, Photo Credit Misty Mountains Farm

What I (the Arlington farmers market) want to be for you is a community meeting place. I want to incubate your micro business and encourage your young entrepreneurs! I want to bring the FRESHEST local food from all over Snohomish and Skagit County to a convenient spot for you to pick up and bring  home to your family. I want to help you to maintain a relationship with your farmers so that you always know who is growing your healthy, safe food. I want to support the cultivation of heritage and heirloom varieties of our favorite foods so we can all spoil our selves rotten with the taste of real food but not pay a premium for it! What I want to be for you is a resource, a place to pick up food storage tips to stretch your grocery dollar. A place to learn about foods we have forgotten how to cook, or when to best preserve. I want to be a piece of the Arlington puzzle.

Happy national farmers market week friends! Do you see beauty in the market? What do you want us to be for you?

Farmers Market Week... What Is That About?

Did you know an estimated 150 farmers markets operate across the Evergreen State? The popularity of farmers markets continues to increase as consumers get passionate over nutritious foods, including fresh, locally grown produce, meats, cheeses and specialty food products.

To recognize strong consumer and farmer support for the markets, Governor Jay Inslee, the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) and the Washington State Farmers Market Association (WSFMA) are celebrating Farmers Market Week in Washington from Aug. 4-10.

“Washington’s vibrant farmers markets are great social and economic resources to so many communities across the state, providing access to quality foods and showcasing what makes local agriculture special,” Gov. Inslee said. “I encourage all Washingtonians to take part in Farmers Market Week and enjoy our fine Washington grown products.”

 “Agriculture is a primary cornerstone of our economy and farmers markets support local and regional food systems that sustain many family farms, strengthen communities and bring consumers and farmers together,” WSDA Director Bud Hover said.

“If you haven’t been to a farmers market lately, come see what they are all about,” Karen Kinney, executive director of the WSFMA, said. “We continue to get national recognition for the quality of our state’s farmers markets. Right now the farm tables are overflowing with fresh food. It doesn’t get better than this.”

The Arlington farmers market has been recognized by American Farmland Trust as the 2012 "best small market" on the national stage as well as this year being included in the 2013 list of Top 100 celebrated markets in America. Please join us to celebrate national farmers market week!