Farmer Noemi from Farm D’ICI sports a face mask while showing off her pickling cucumbers at the Oregon City Farmers Market.
We’re celebrating National Farmers Market Week! This annual celebration highlights the important role that farmers markets play across our nation and here in Clackamas County. This year, markets have embraced the challenge of providing services to local communities during a global pandemic, ensuring that local farmers have an outlet for their agricultural products and shoppers have a safe place to get fresh and healthy food.
Why Should I Celebrate Farmers Markets?
The Farmers Market Coalition shares these observations. The highlighted links provide some supporting documentation.
- Farmers markets are essential businesses. The COVID 19 pandemic made it clear that local food systems with short supply chains are resilient and dependable in making food available to their communities.
- Farmers Market organizations are local food heroes. When the pandemic hit, everyone had to scramble to accommodate the changing requirements to keep customers safe. Market operators were some of the first to implement innovative strategies to change their operations around public health protocols.
- Farmers Markets are safe. Emerging research supports conventional wisdom in that outdoor marketplaces like farmers markets are often safer than alternative indoor retailers due to unlimited air circulation, sunlight, the flexibility to enforce social distancing by spreading out vendors and products, and the innovative strategies market operators have implemented.
Where Can I Find Farmers Markets in Clackamas County?
Farmers markets are essential! Celebrate National Farmers Market Week!
National Farmers Market week is an ideal time to visit your local market! Markets can be found Wednesday through Sunday at different locations throughout our District service area. Make a visit to your local market – you’ll be glad you did!
- Canby Farmers Market – Saturday
- Lake Oswego Farmers Market – Saturday
- Milwaukie Sunday Farmers Market – Sunday
- Molalla Farmers Market – Thursday
- Mount Hood Farmers Market – Friday
- Oregon City Year-Round Farmers Market – Saturday
- Redland Grange Farmers Market -Sunday
- West Linn Farmers Market – Wednesday
- Estacada Farmers Market – Saturday
- Happy Valley Farmers Market – Saturday
- Hoodland Farmers Market – Sunday
- Wilsonville Farmers Market – Thursday
Why Does the District Support Farmers Markets?
Tom and Marian Sawtell manage the Molalla Farmers Market.
Farmers markets provide valuable points of sale for local agricultural producers, increasing their economic success. Financially successful farmers have an increased ability to conserve water and soil resources and to maintain healthy habitat. Success also helps them keep their land in agricultural production now and into the future. That’s good for the farm, native wildlife, water quality, and you!
Additionally, farmers markets are well-positioned to provide food, farm, and natural resource education to adults and children. Learning about the value of nutritious, fresh, and healthy whole foods is good for public health, our agricultural producers, and our environment.