from “West Seattle 101” by Lori Hinton

Bring on the broccolini and wild seasonal greens. The West Seattle Farmers’ Market returns to the heart of the neighborhood every Sunday.

A little taste of country in the city, the Farmers’ Market features a family-friendly place to go for fresh produce – plus other fresh food, as well as flowers and plants – and casual conversation with the very farmers who grow the goods. You’ll find a wide variety of products from more than 35 Washington State farmers for sale every week.

Nibble on samples of fresh cherries or berries, grab a fresh-cut mum for mom, and see produce evolve into tempting dishes at the on-site cooking demos.Threre’s also live music and activities for kids.

Open on Sundays from 10 am till 2 pm, the West Seattle Farmers’ Market is located in The Junction on the southeast corner of 44th/Alaska. Look for the parking lot just behind the bus shelters on Alaska.

Fresh sheets listing the bounty of the week’s harvest are posted online every week (WSB note: We publish them too) so you can do meal-planning before you arrive. There’s even an option to receive a weekly e-mail fresh sheet to remind you. But feel free to be tempted with a spontaneous cinnamon roll or batch of fresh pasta, too.

Operating since 1999, the market is referred to by locals as West Seattle’s “newest best tradition.” Besides providing fresh, healthy foods and a fun Sunday pastime, the Farmers’ Market also gives back to the community by encouraging shoppers to explore the surround-
ing retail businesses and area restaurants. Wander across the street to sample CDs at the independent record store Easy Street or walk up to window-shop at Menashe & Sons Jewelry for a kind of karat you won’t see for sale at the market.

The market is also certified to accept electronic food stamps and WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program Coupons. And, at closing time, farmers donate leftover produce to neighborhood food banks — totaling thousands of pounds by season’s end.

The direct-sale of these Washington farmers’ produce also helps retain their livelihood. In fact, the Seattle -area farmers’ markets provide a living wage for more than 140 of our region’s small farmers.

All this means that you can really feel good about getting fresh at the Farmers’ Market each Sunday — fresh produce, that is.

IN SUMMARY:

Hours: Sundays, 10 am-2 pm
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Find more “West Seattle 101” stories on WSB by going here.

Buy the book at any of these West Seattle stores:
Alki Bike & Board
Barnes & Noble
Capers
Coastal Boutique
Easy Street Records
Square 1 Books

Also, online:
Adventure Press
Amazon.com
Basic Green Box