The Farmers’ Market Season Begins

Tulips at the Portland Farmers' Market

I attended my first farmers’ market of the season yesterday in the park blocks in downtown Portland next to Portland State University.  The Portland Farmers’ Market is one of the areas finest markets and is open most of the year.  My market, the Beaverton Farmers’ Market opens on Mother’s Day weekend and once it gets going I don’t have the opportunity to visit other Saturday markets in the greater Portland area. I love to see what other vendors are growing and selling.  Each market has a character all its own and caters to the personality of the neighborhood it serves.

The market was full of flower booths bursting at the seams with gorgeous bouquets of spring flowers, especially tulips.

I was tempted to bury my face in a big bunch of lilac blooms.  I do love them so!

I think these are parrot tulips. Aren’t their ruffly edges pretty, and what about those gorgeous colors!

Music students from the University often entertain market shoppers.

When the juggler added a 5th ball we all cheered!

You will find Mexican food with scrumptious grilled veggies in all the local markets, but I’ve never seen a cook top like this. Cabbage heads were quartered and cooked until barely tender and well browned, then chopped and added to a huge plate of sauteed vegetables.  Aren’t you  drooling just looking at it?

This is one of my favorite booths at the PSU market. Chop sells the best  salami, sausage and pates that you could imagine and I always buy some when I visit this market.  They have 3 downtown locations, but unfortunately not one is out in the boondocks where I live. So this is a real treat for me.

Yesterday I chose chicken liver bourbon mousse pate and a baguette from a neighboring booth.  Both were near perfection.

I can almost taste the pie I’ll be making this week.

I love to discover a new variety of one of my favorite vegetables.  I’m thinking kale salad.

I hope you have enjoyed a little look at one of our fantastic farmers’ markets.   Once my market starts in two weeks I will regularly post about the produce and prepared foods you can find there, lots of great recipes, news from vendors, entertainment, special events, and more.  This year the Beaverton Farmers’ Market celebrates its 25th year in business and there will be a lot of special goings on.  This will be my 12th year there as a vendor so I guess I could be called one of the market’s old timers.  It’s been a great experience for me and I look forward to seeing my customers and vendor friends for another season.  If you come to visit please be sure to stop by The Bavarian Nut Company to say hello.

In addition to my blog posts  I will share recipes, photos, information, my weekly shopping list and lots of fun market news on the Wives with Knives Facebook page.  Please click on the “like” button on the Wives with Knives link  on the above right so you won’t miss any of it. Or click here to go directly to Wives with Knives and link up there.  Many thanks.

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Tagged as: Beaverton Farmer's Market, Farmer's Markets