Market celebrates three decades of goodness

By DAVE GUNTER

Feature correspondent

SANDPOINT – The day starts on the early side each Saturday at the Sandpoint Farmers Market, as vendors and customers alike set up or queue up for what has become a local tradition.

The market – which runs on Saturday mornings and Wednesday afternoons during the growing season – celebrates its 30th anniversary this coming Saturday. There have been a few changes and expansions along the way, but one thing has remained squarely intact – for fresh-grown food that has traveled scant minutes to market, this is still the place to be.

There’s a strong appeal to being able to talk to the person who grew your vegetables, the artisan who made that item you can’t do without, or the musician onstage providing the soundtrack for what, invariably, is a perfect way to send part of a Sandpoint day.

This Saturday, July 14, Sandpoint Farmers Market plans to party market style with a full schedule of events that begins with Star the Magician from 10 a.m.-noon, Muffy and the Riff Hangers playing from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. and face-painting, bubble-making, and other crafty fun for kids going on throughout the regular hours of 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

Emma Stanford, community outreach manager for the market, discussed some of the event’s history and the unique traits that make it tick.

Q: How many vendors participate in the market these days?

A: This year’s market hosts close to 100 vendors. Now that we’re in the full swing of summer, the market is teeming with many different types of vendors – be they farm, food, or craft related.

Q: Have any of them been involved since the beginning? Or nearly so?

We are lucky enough to host vendors dating back to the early days, yes. To name a few: Diane Green of Greentree Naturals; Tamie Martinsen and Larry Higgins of Sacred Earth Farm; Bill Lamson of Bill’s Garden; Sharon Gunter of the Basket Case; Mitch Rivkin and Colleen Mooney of Solstice Farms; and Herb and Merla Barberie of Herb’s Herbs and Garden Art in Clay have all seen many, many market years.

Q: What does the ‘pie’ look like in terms of the number growers, artisans, food vendors, etc.?

A: The market is made up of about 70 percent farm vendors, 15 percent craft vendors and 15 percent food vendors.

Q: How do you determine how many of each will be part of the mix?

A: The market accepts farmers within a 100-mile radius of Sandpoint. When it comes to craft and food vendors, we accept applications and the Farmers Market board subsequently evaluates whether the potential vendor would be a good fit. We welcomed several new food and craft vendors this year, adding even more choices to our already diverse market.

Q: When did the inclusion of vendors on Main Street become part of the market?

A: We block off the section of Main Street on Saturdays to accommodate the large number of unique craft vendors hosted each week. Along with adding an extra element of safety to the bustle of the market, the temporary closure of the street helps give a greater sense being a destination and allows the public much-needed space to enjoy their time perusing the booths.

Q: How important is live music to the overall feel of the event?

A: Live and local music is of tantamount importance to our market! We’re always striving to host new musicians, as well as including longtime they perform, we see all kinds of music lovers haul out the lawn chairs to listen. And, of course, we get a kick out of seeing the smiles and dance moves that live music inspires in market-going children!

Q: What’s the difference in size and vendor mix between Saturday and Wednesday?

A: Wednesdays are more intimate, but customers can still find all their produce, flowers, baked goods, and artisan goods. Each and every market has live music, which you can find listed on our website. On first and third Wednesdays, we host a story and craft session for kids from 3-4:30 p.m. On every last Wednesday of the month, we welcome a rotating organization that provides an educational activity for kids. This month, on July 27, the University of Idaho Extension office will be hosting a gardening/botanical activity. These are all free and open to the public.

Q: Any changes for 2018 we should know about?

2018 marked the hiring of two new managers: Kelli Burt as market manager and myself as community outreach manager. We are both happy to be on board and looking forward to making future additions to the market, such as adding a dollar-matching program to the SNAP benefits we already accept.

Q: What time do most vendors show up to set up their tables/booths?

A: Set-up time for vendors begins at 7:30 a.m. There is always an air of excitement during set-up time on Saturdays, no matter the weather.

Q: How early do customers start arriving to line up? Do they still have to wait for the bell to make their purchases?

A: Depending on the season, we have customers scoping their potential purchases as early as 7:30, but the 9 a.m. bell marks the hour that sales are permitted to begin.

Q: Does our market have its own vibe? How would you describe it?

A: Most definitely it has its own vibe! Despite being located in a somewhat remote area with a small population, our market buzzes with entrepreneurs that have worked hard to pursue dreams to make or farm their product and offer it to the public each year. Market has an undeniable energy that is impossible to ignore. It brings the community back year after year and you can feel it when you walk among the vendor booths or sit back and listen to the live music. We see our market as a celebration of our local town while being welcoming and inclusive to visitors.

The Sandpoint Farmers Market runs on Saturdays from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. and on Wednesdays from 3-6 p.m. at Farmin Park, located on Oak Street between Second and Third avenues.

For more information, visit the market online at sandpointfarmersmarket.com.