5 Reasons to Love the Portland Farmers Market
We appreciate the many farmers and artisan food vendors who make the Portland Farmers Market one of the very best in the country! Nothing beats the experience of open-air shopping, getting to know our local farmers and vendors, sampling new products, and bringing home the bounty of the season.
While there are countless reasons to love the Portland Farmers Market, here are our five favorites in celebration of Valentine’s Day.
1. Passionate Family Farmers
We love our hard-working, passionate Pacific Northwest farmers. Every week they bring you their fresh picked produce, grown on small family farms. At the market you can chat directly with the people who grow your food, ask for some cooking tips, and feel good about buying directly for the source, giving small farmers a fighting chance in today’s globalized economy. And let’s be honest, isn’t it nice to know where your food comes from? It’s an important part of supporting a sustainable food system.
2. Fresh is always in Season
When you shop at the farmers market, you get the freshest seasonal produce, at the peak of its flavors. No long-distance shipping. No sitting for weeks in storage. It’s fresh from the fields to you. Portland Farmers Market is open year-round, giving you the opportunity to stock up every Saturday with seasonal fruits and vegetables, including options that you might not see at your supermarket. Have fun discovering new vendors …shopping at the farmers market is an experience, not a chore.
3. Wonderful Winter Greens
In the winter, fresh-picked greens are a rock star at Portland Farmers Market. You’ll find arugula that’s sweeter and more delicate this time of year. Raw kale that tastes great in salads (pictured Gathering Together Farm), and microgreens to add a nutritional powerhouse to your meal. And while we’re at it… have you tried kalettes? This versatile vegetable, sold at Groundworks Organics, combines the sweet and nutty flavors of Brussels sprouts and kale. Try roasting kalettes in a hot oven, seasoned and drizzled with olive oil. Scrumptious!
4. Bacon, Sausage, Meats Galore!
It’s true, we’ve got awesome produce. But did you know we’ve got some amazing ranchers in our market, too? Deck Family Farm and Greenville Farms bring farm-direct meats, great for hearty winter casseroles, soups and sandwiches. Looking for a hot, protein packed meal at market? Try a gourmet sausage at Taste of Old Poland or a Buenos Dias breakfast plate, topped with chunks of bacon, at Verde Cocina (pictured).
5. Tasty Treats
There’s always something delicious to try at our market bakery stands. Fressen Artisan Bakery brings hearty German-style bread, artisan pretzels, pastries and Nutella croissants. Gabriels Bakery offers bagels, breads, pastries, and gluten-free options. For that extra special, almost too pretty to eat treat, indulge in the hand-crafted pastries at Mio’s Delectables (pictured).
Happy Valentine’s Day with love from the Portland Farmers Market! We look forward to seeing you on Saturdays, 9 am to 2 pm, all winter long, on the campus of Portland State University.
