The Pacific Northwest has got it going on.

Following the lead of my brave role models/fellow classmates researching Farmers’ Market, I devoted a few mornings of my vacation back home to scoping out FM scene in my home & native land: the great & the beautiful Pacific Northwest. 

BELLINGHAM, WA
My hometown, Bellingham, WA, a.k.a. Slow Food’s Fourth Corner Convivium, is about 30 miles south of the Canadian border.  We are not just a bunch of soy guzzling, Birkenstock wearing, pseudo nature lovers either. Bellingham’s residents are activly working on creative Farmers’ Market-friendly projects encouraging community participation and thoughtful consumption.  The University town with just under 75,000 residents hosts 2 farmers markets, in two different locations a week.  The stands are stocked full of colorful beets, carrots, herbs, berries, cherries, and artisinal bread. 

Bellingham is also the home of some wonderful community outreach projects like Sustainable Connections (http://www.sustainableconnections.org).  Sustainable Connections works to promote local products by informing Bellinghammers why it is delicious & important to consume locally.  “Eat Fresh, Buy Local” stickers in stores around the town identify locally grown fruit & veggies.  Sustainable Connections recently published the “Buy Fresh Farm Map,” a guide for consumers to visit and purchase directly from nearby farms (downloadable from their website). This group, in cooperation with the Community Food Coop, local farms, and restaurants, organizes other community events to promote local foods and consumer awareness. The annual “Harvest Dinner” held once a year at the Saturday FM has an open wine bar and a scrumptious menu. “Eat Local Week"is a week long event with cooking classes, community snacking sessions, and organized dinners at restaurants featuring local ingredients.

PORTLAND, OR
I traveled just south of the Washington State border to Portland, OR to visit a few of the many Saturday Farmers’ Markets.  Portland is a well-organized bicycle-friendly city filled with outdoor enthusiasts, foodies, and great public transportation.  The Hollywood FM and Portland State University (PSU) FM were my two favorite (and the only two I visited).  Both markets were packed full of delicious fruit, veggies, meats, wine, cheese, and ready-to-eat foods.  Vendors were enthusiastic and well-prepared to answer both my foodie and activist-style questions.  Farmers stressed the importance of the FMs for their economic survival, for many it was their only point of sale.  Vendors were happy to share recipes, growing tips, and many were ready & willing to discuss benefits & concerns with the current Farmers’ Market model.