Although I have been busy with multiple tasks the past few days, I am taking this week’s update to talk about something specific.

2017 South Sound Farm Map

This past Sunday I tabled at the Farmers Market for a sort of Mother’s Day outreach event. I arrived at 10:30, and although it was raining on and off all morning, from the safety of my tent I watched young parents, grandparents, and toddlers alike pace contently from booth to booth, baked goods and apples in hand. Although the kids activities table beside me was way more trafficked, I was able to engage a few Market patrons in the information I had to offer. I was peddling free copies of the 2017 South Sound Farm Map, the Farm Guide that included all of the counties in Western Washington, Thurston Bountiful Byways brochures, OFM fridge magnets detailed with hours of operation, one-pagers about the Market’s EBT, WIC, and Senior programs, as well as a lineup of future OFM events and musical headliners.

As has been the case with any other event or gathering I have tabled for, there were just as many people who ventured towards the beautifully organized table overflowing with information to chat about the weather, ask where the bathroom is, or tell me a long-winded personal story. Ironically, those are the conversations I feel usually have more of a lasting impression.

One older who man came to grab a couple Farm Maps stopped briefly to tell me about all of the Farmers Markets he and his wife had been to around the country, which is why he is always on the lookout for me. While I initially played it off as a humble brag, when I politely inquired as to what his favorite market he’d ever been to was – his eyes lit up. He then went on to describe a Farmers Market he’d been to in Hawaii that was set up every Saturday morning in a Community College parking lot. Apparently, despite its seemingly mundane location, the market had dozens of booths with fresh produce and plants, specialty food tables, and restaurant vendors that served delicious, locally sourced dishes. No crafts. Only fresh, inspired food.

Clearly curious about this peculiar market that Olympia’s resident expert had raved about, when I got home I did some research.

Apple Bananas. Retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/photos/scotnelson/14574795065

The Market is Kapiʻolani Community College in Parking lot C every Saturday morning from 7:30 – 11 AM. (Much earlier than the 10 AM – 3 PM operating hours in Olympia.) It is run by the Hawaii Farm Bureau Federation, and includes nearly 70 different booths. As I read through the list of vendors I was amazed. Farm stands with bok choy, kale, tomatoes, herbs, chard, okra, taro root, pineapple, papaya, honey, and sweet potatoes were sprinkled through the list beside vendors serving fresh poke, Hawaiian street food, and locally harvested and brewed coffee. Oh, and apple bananas. Lots of apple bananas.

As I longed for the sweet warmth and life of the Hawaii Farmers Market, I thought back to my friend I had met that day, and how he really emphasized the cooperation between farmers and restaurant vendors, and the lack of crafts. While Olympia Farmers Market is pretty darn impressive as far as farmers markets go, I believe there is room for improvement. I have found there are almost as many craft booths that have nothing to do with food as there are local farms. And of course, the project that I am working on indicates that there is a lack of connection between the farmers and the restaurants. When it comes to the true essence of a farmers market – small, local, fresh food that brings a community of vendors and consumers together, OFM could take some notes from KCC Farmers Market’s book.