"
How much do you like garlic?" the man next to the cooler filled with an assortment of goat cheese asks me.
"A lot." I respond.
He tilts his head a little to the side "A lot?"
"Yeah, sometimes I dab a little behind my ears," I tell him, "I love garlic."
He hands me a taster spoon with a dollop of goat cheese and what appears to be a healthy dose of garlic. I take out my money, sold on taking this home with the loaf of organic bread I just got from
Marche Provisions Bakery.
"We just milked the goats on Wednesday." David
Lygren, of
Alsea Acre Goat Cheese informs me.
"You can't get a whole lot fresher than that." That's the point here at the Lane County Farmers' Market, local and fresh.
It's that time of year again, the local farmers' markets are in full swing. With a spectrum of colors and a bustle of people selecting the perfect bunch of organic carrots, or radishes. A sea of every hue of green unfolds from freshly harvested kale, cabbage and assorted lettuces. Homemade jam and jellies tempt shoppers with their vibrant colors and plentiful samples. Organic chocolate truffles, homemade tamales, the selection is as varied as Eugene's residents.
With the Saturday Market and its multitude of craft vendors going on across the street there is quite a diverse crowd. There are musicians playing on different corners as you walk through the maze of booths, a drum circle adds a rhythmic beat that seems to resonate through the crowd. With over 160 growers and producers Eugene's market,
www.lanecountyfarmersmarket.org/, is the biggest in the area with vendors ranging from baked goods to locally raised meat, organic vegetables to fresh picked flower bouquets. Eugene can trace the market back to 1915, which also makes it one of the earliest in this part of Oregon.
The market offers a nice break from the chain grocery stores that ship most of their fruits and vegetables in from other states as well as other countries. It also gives the buyer the opportunity to meet the people behind the food that they are consuming. Lygren lets me know that he takes care of the goats on the farm. There is a sense of pride as he says it. Many of these products are labors of love as the container of goat cheese says right on top, "Produced with LOVE in Oregon."
So far I'm having an organic mixed green salad with bread and goat cheese for dinner, not a bad start, and it's still early.
I spot a vendor I'm not familiar with and decide to try some of the apple crumb cake which I notice is from Redmond. "You come all the way from Redmond?" I ask.
"I drive up on Friday night." Sarah Yancey, who owns
Delish Bakery says. She tells me she has gotten "a positive response" since September of last year when she started selling her baked goods at the Lane County Farmers' Market, "It's been my most successful market." Which is ironic because she owns the Redmond and Sisters' Markets.
Many of the vendors have booths at several markets held around Oregon as well as
Alsea Acres, who also has a booth at the Corvallis market.
The Lane County Farmers market located on Oak and East Eighth in Eugene, opened on April 4, this year and will run through Nov. 14. The market is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays. The Tuesday market will run from May to October from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Thursdays from 12-7 p.m. during June-September. The Corvallis and Albany markets both opened on April 18, and will also run through November.
To find out about farmers' markets in your area go to, Oregon Farmers' Market Association at,
www.oregonfarmersmarkets.org/, or
www.locallygrown.org/, for information on Albany and Corvallis locations.
Sarah Yancey of
Delish Bakery shows off her Apple Crumble.
