The Olympia Farmers Market hyper-local approach features gorgeous produce, top-notch baked goods, meat and fish, and artists with one-of-a kind wares. The season is now in full swing every Thursday through Sunday. The market is a fine place to enjoy lunch or a snack with friends. Then be sure to walk the covered aisles to reacquaint yourself with your favorite vendors. Along the way you are sure to discover who and what is new. There’s quite a bit!
News Vendors at Olympia Farmers Market
Wild Greens
Norah Montoya and Justin Johns are the hands and energy behind Wild Greens. They grow spectacular microgreens, which have 4 to 40% more nutrients than their adult counter parts. The small leaves are starts of broccoli, sunflowers, cilantro, peas, nasturtiums and others.
Packed with flavor, they can be eaten with about anything. People frequently ask Norah, “How can I use them?” Her reply is simple, “With anything.” Microgreens can be put onto pizza, sandwiches and salads. They go with eggs, on top of meat dishes or a vegetable side. Your children may eat them more easily than ‘grown-up’ vegetables.
Interestingly, the growing cycle for most of the microgreens is 13 days. Wild Greens grows them in a small amount of organic dirt. Watering is minimal. Each cycle produces about 4,600 ounces (287 pounds). That’s a lot of regular harvesting. To make their microgreens as affordable as possible to market shoppers, Wild Greens sells at its wholesale price. Norah’s favorite is the sunflower microgreen, which have a bit of a nutty taste. Discover the variety and pleasure of microgreens at the Olympia Farmers Market!
Nature’s Pace
It’s a culture of fermentation with Shen Vega, who brews ginger beer. The non-alcoholic drink comes in three flavors: original, hibiscus turmeric and grape rose. “It’s the best I ever had,” exclaimed a happy customer, who loves the original version. She appreciates the health benefits of a fermented beverage though she dislikes kombucha. Nature’s Pace’s powerful ginger brew works for her. Another customer told me he used to buy a bottle for walking around the market. He still does that, but also takes a case home. The glass bottles can be returned to Shen.
Odin’s Alchemy Brewing
Mead may be one of the oldest drinks on our planet. Al Chandler and Ryan Bally are Odin’s Alchemy Brewing, one of the few dedicated meaderies in the world. This lively pair can certainly brighten your day as you learn about this honeyed drink.
Odin’s has its own apiary and uses locally sourced fruit. “We cork, label and bottle all of it,” says Al. Treat yourself to a taste and imagine all the fun ways to use the mead. With names like Joli Rouge (autumn sweetness and spiced apple pie); Hades (tart-dry pomegranate and orange blossom); Hydra (refreshing combination of strawberry, blueberry, blackberry and raspberry); and Sleeping Giant (semi-sour with blueberry, lemon and mint), you might have a hard time selecting only one. Mead is alcoholic and samples are for adults only.
Handling Zen – Being rebranded as HZ Upcycled.
Cheyenne Reeves repurposes leather from couches and furniture, jackets and other clothing to fashion into stylish purses, bags and more. Everything is from second hand or otherwise recycled materials. Cheyenne has been crafting leather over the past two years. She and her young family live in a cabin in the woods on five acres in Yelm. HZ Upcycled allows her to have a business and be home with her children who are three and six.
Twisted Twigster
For gorgeous, functional art, meet Roman Averett. For over 20 years, he’s been using locally sourced wood to transform into cutting boards, shelves, utensils and other naturally unique pieces. He makes his own finishing products without using petroleum. All the wood is found, not cut down.
Don’t miss other new faces:
Natural Beginnings Garden : microgreens
Falling Up Farm: pasture-raised poultry
There is always fun, food, entertainment and fascinating people at the Olympia Farmers Market. Market hours are from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday through Sunday with plenty of free parking in back. General Manager Wren Green says the Market is always looking for new farmers to join the Market and encourages farms to apply online. Recently Wren has been partnering with local FFA groups to encourage youth interest in farming and to connect students to the community.
Events at the Olympia Farmers Market
Something interesting is always easy to find at the Olympia Farmers Market! Events center on themes related to farming, arts and seasonal foods. There is increasing attention on including youth, watch for details. Upcoming events:
Summer Celebration: Saturday, June 24
National Farmers Markets Week: August 6-12
Harvest Celebration: Saturday, October 28
Visit the Olympia Farmer Market’s website for more information. You can also follow on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter or via email with the newsletter sign-up.
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