Saturday opens 26th farmers' market season

Tuesday, April 29th

By Patrick T. Rossetti

So here we are again, a week before we start yet another wonderful season of the Hillsboro Farmers’ Markets. Usually I would say it seems like just yesterday the markets ended for the year and here we are again about ready to start up. But this year, I’m thinking I must be in some sort of time warp. I could swear its still December. I stepped outside today to go get lunch and nearly froze my tuckus. I don’t know what the temperature was, but it felt as though it could snow at any minute.

With weather like this, I tend to have a much harder time believing that I’ll be outside come next Saturday morning, directing vendors to their spaces and getting the market all set up. If it wasn’t for all the phone calls from prospective vendors I wouldn’t believe that the markets would soon be starting.

Regardless of the weather, the market is indeed starting on May 3rd and May 11th for the Sunday Orenco Market. I’ve put in my requests for good warm weather for opening day, but I have to be honest, I have my doubts. I’m mentally preparing for snow, but praying for sunshine and blue skies. I just have a feeling that we’re not going to be so lucky. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.

The good news about the market is that we’ll be starting our 26th season with over 60 vendors. Most of these vendors are returning from last year, but we do have a few good new vendors that you’ll want to visit. Hopefully these vendors will hook you on their product and you’ll be returning week after week to stock up on more of what they’ve got. I know this is frequently the case with vendors like Grandma Chongas’ Salsa, Unger Farms, Jacobsmuhlen Meats, Cousin Kenny’s BBQ and even Jay Xiong with his beautiful fresh cut flowers.

This year, you can add to that list some home-made gourmet caramels by Indulge, Pear Pepper Jelly, Humus, Chutney and other delicious treats from Crabapple Company, Dried and flavored apple slices by Draper Girls Country Farm (I had the opportunity to try these last year and I have to say they are absolutely fantastic), Rhododendrons, Azalea’s, grasses and Day Lilies from Landscape Concepts and even packaged Marigold seeds from Moore’s Marigolds.

There are plenty of other new vendors and I hope that you’ll come down frequently enough to check them all out. There are a number of new crafters again this year as well and with Mothers Day fast approaching, it might be a really good time to come downtown, browse through all the vendors, stop in the shops downtown, stick around for some lunch and just make a nice relaxing day of it.

We’re all looking forward to a good year. We have some good special event days planned this year, you can always count on good music to listen to while shopping, we have a wonderful new poster this year by a local artist that you’ll want to add to your collection and with such a cold wet spring I’m guessing we’re going to have a really good summer as well. The tradition of the market is continuing and we’re grateful that you are a part of it again this season.

Mark May 3rd on your calendar so you don’t forget. Go ahead, go write it down, I’ll wait. And while you’re at it mark May 11th for the Sunday Orenco Market and June 10th for the Tuesday Marketplace. Did you write it down? Well, I’ll trust that you did. Till then, have a safe week, think Green and we’ll see you all down at the market.