After 18 months of gestation the Auburn International Farmers Market will debut Sunday at the Sound Transit Center Plaza in downtown Auburn.
According to Lilllie Brinker, the market manager, the event will feature not only organic and locally grown vegetables and fruit, but also will highlight local crafts, flowers and other produce.
“We’ll have everything from produce to crafts,” Brinker said. “Basically we’re asking our farmers to not use pesticides and be organic … And they must be local, meaning from Washington state.”
The farmers market, which runs Sundays from June 14 to Sept. 27, was initially the idea of Auburn City Councilmember Gill Peloza, Brinker said.
“Bill Peloza is the one who was instrumental in spearheading the whole thing,” Brinker said. “It was his brainchild.”
Initially, the farmers market was planned as a non-profit organization. But according to Brinker, the city eventually decided to become the main supporter of the market, along with funding assistance from the King County Conservation District.
The market will feature 40 stalls weekly, selling everything from produce to flowers to crafts to naturally raised beef.
“We’re bringing an old tradition back to this area,” Brinker said. “As the market manager I want to make it a very family oriented type of environment. I want to support and encourage different families and ethnic groups to come out. I want it to be something that represents the whole of Auburn, Algona and Pacific.
“Everyone has a hand in building this market up. It’s not just the manager. I’m pulling together all the elements to build this up,” she added. “My goal is to get everyone involved, from all the corners of the city.
To make the market a true community event, Brinker has solicited commitments from local businesses such as The Kitschen, which will feature produce purchased at the market in its fare, and Café Pacific, which will host a chef’s demonstration at the fair.
Other vendors for the opening day will include: The Euro Market, Mosby Brother’s Farms, Calhoun Family Fruit, Market Pasta, Happy Mountain Farm All-Natural Beef, Tiny’s Organic Produce, Spooner Farms and Lee’s Fresh Produce.
“We’re always recruiting vendors and volunteers, that’s always ongoing,” Brinker said.
Entertainment and education also will be featured at the market, with face painting courtesy of the Auburn Youth Council, a health presentation from the Auburn Library and performances by the Jet City Chorus.
“My goal is to have 3,000 people on opening day and to continue to have that type of crowd coming back to shop every Sunday,” Brinker said.
With current trends skewing toward buying healthier food produced closer to home, Brinker said the time is right for the farmers market.
“People want to shop locally,” she said. “And health and nutrition is important, people want to eat healthier. It’s a cycle in our lives, at one point everybody wanted fast and easy. Now it’s a health issue. It’s actually a good time for this to happen.”
Rosella Mosby from Mosby Brother’s Farms agreed.
This year the produce producers will sell their fruits and vegetables at both the Maple Valley and Auburn markets.
“We’re just trying to take part in our local community and exposure is always nice,” Mosby said. “It’s nice to be able to take part in something that is community based and educating the community on what is produced locally. My favorite thing is to also tell them how to prepare and cook it.”
“I think people are more aware of purchasing local and how important that is,” Mosby said. “And the quality and taste of the produce is better when it’s local also.”
“You get to have interaction with the grower,” Brinker added. “Everywhere else, you don’t know where the produce comes from. There is a lot of enthusiasm for this right now. They’ve been shopping at other markets, now they get to come shop at one in their own backyard.”
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Market opens
• What:
• When: Sunday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Opening ceremonies 8-11 a.m.). The market will run on consecutive Sundays through Sept. 27
• Where: Auburn Transit Center Plaza, 23 A St. SW, Auburn. Admission free.
• Information: 253-266-2726, www.auburnfarmersmarket.org.
