Emerson-Garfield Farmers' Market

Seeking Sponsors for Kids’ Activities

Posted on June 2, 2015June 2, 2015 by E-G Market

In partnership with Catholic Charities Spokane, the Emerson-Garfield Farmers’ Market is looking to launch a pilot program of kids’ activities called Kids Eating Right: Nutrition and Exercise for Life (or KERNEL for short).

KERNEL is a youth-oriented nutrition and exercise program that, if successful, will be hosted by several Spokane area farmers markets. It is designed to actively engage kids in learning about food, exercise and gardening. The proposed scheduled is for a 12-week program that has a different module each week. Each module is short in length, but focused on introducing youth to a lifestyle that includes nutrition and exercise.

The pilot program at Emerson-Garfield Farmers’ Market will start on July 10 of this year and run through September 25. We would assume a maximum of 20 participating children per week.

Each child would receive a booklet or passport with the 12-week KERNEL schedule. There would be a space for a sticker signifying completion of the module. Each child who completed 10 or more modules would receive a free, signed book at the end of the series.

Proposed modules would include:

Planting a seed pot
Basic composting
Yoga
Nutrition bingo
A concert with make-your-own instruments

The market is looking for sponsors to help make this happen. Sponsors could donate enough to cover the materials for one week’s activity (typically $50) or enough for several weeks. The total cost of the entire KERNEL program is anticipated to be $1000. All sponsors would receive ample promotion, including verbal and written recognition and logo/name visibility on a banner.

If you, your business or your organization is interested in sponsoring KERNEL — and helping to give many children a safe, fun, educational activity as a result — please get in touch with us at emerson.garfield@gmail.com or by calling (509) 720-7350. We have much more detailed info on the program that we can provide to prospective sponsors.

Market Poster Contest Winners for 2015

Posted on May 12, 2015 by E-G Market

The winners of this year’s Emerson-Garfield Farmers’ Market poster contest are August Nelson (grade 6, Trinity Catholic School) and Mason Brazill (grade 4, Spokane Public Montessori).

We’d like to give a special shout out to Trinity for putting in such an amazing showing. Over 70 students submitted drawings with dozens of creative takes on the food and fun of a farmers market — which naturally made it all the harder to choose!

August Nelson – Trinity Catholic School

Mason Brazill – Spokane Public Montessori

August and Mason will each receive $15 in tokens to spend at the opening market on Friday, June 5. Plus their drawings will be used for the print posters and handbills we use to promote the market throughout the season.

Many thanks to every student who entered! With enough time and resources we’d showcase every single drawing, because each one had something to recommend it.

Next year the contest returns to Audubon and Garfield Elementary, so get your crayons and markers ready!

WIC Clients and Seniors, We’re Now FMNP Authorized!

Posted on May 6, 2015 by E-G Market

Great news! The Emerson-Garfield Farmers’ Market has now been approved to take part in the federal Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) administered by the Washington State Department of Health. The FMNP vouchers allow seniors and WIC clients greater access to the healthy, locally grown fruit and veggies that our vendors offer.

This approval is something we’ve been seeking ever since the market launched mid-season in 2013, and a big thanks goes out to Catholic Charities Spokane and the Spokane Regional Health District for working so diligently on our behalf during the application process. Along with accepting EBT as payment, FMNP authorization is a big part of our mission to increase food access in Emerson-Garfield Neighborhood and Spokane at large.

To find out if you qualify for FMNP vouchers in Spokane, visit your local WIC office. This short FAQ blurb has a little more info.

General info on FMNP in Washington is here. Our fruit and veggie vendors who aren’t yet FMNP authorized are encouraged to follow that link and apply (it’s free!) for authorization to accept the vouchers.

Market Poster Contest 2015

Posted on April 26, 2015 by E-G Market

The Emerson-Garfield Farmers’ Market is holding its second annual poster contest for students in neighborhood schools. This year the schools that have been invited to take part are Trinity Catholic School and Spokane Public Montessori.

Students in grades 1–6 at these schools are asked to design a poster for the upcoming 2015 market season.

The poster should:

be in color on white 8.5″ x 11″ (US letter sized) paper; portrait or landscape style are both acceptable
contain the title: Emerson-Garfield Farmers’ Market — please make sure it’s properly spelled and punctuated!
illustrate the theme “neighborhood farmers market”

The deadline is Friday, May 8. Two winning entries — one from each school — will be selected and announced by Monday, May 11. Students are asked to submit only one (1) entry per individual.

The winning entries will printed as posters and flyers. They will be hung throughout the neighborhood and around Spokane prior to and during the 2015 market season to help promote the market. They will also be posted on Emerson-Garfield Neighborhood’s blog, Twitter and Facebook accounts.

The two winners and their parent(s) or guardian will be asked to be present at the opening market on Friday, June 5 to be acknowledged in person. They will each receive a similar amount ($15 each) of tokens to be spent at the market.

More info about the Emerson-Garfield Farmers’ Market is available here on this website or on our Facebook page.

Trinity and Montessori students, please check with your respective school office to see where you should submit your entries. We look forward to seeing what you create!

Vendors for 2015

Posted on March 25, 2015September 2, 2015 by E-G Market

Here’s our list of full- and part-season vendors for 2015.

Awesome Possum – Handmade all-natural lotion bars and lip balms*
Chattaroy Cheese Co. – Farmstead goat cheese
Common Crumb Bakery – A range of traditional breads and baked goods*
Country Buddies – Jams, salsas and more
Courtney’s Crafts for Costa Rica – Handmade jewelry, scrapbooks and more
The Farm Yard – Neighborhood-grown veggies, herbs and more
The Father’s Table – Neighborhood-grown veggies, herbs and starts
Food for All (aka Vinegar Flats) – Locally grown veggies and herbs
KC Creations – Beaded lanyards, leashes, earrings, photos and custom cards
Hierophant Meadery – Mead, honey, kombucha, syrups and more*
Jenkins Java – Cold- and hot-brewed coffee plus sodas*
JP – Seasonal vegetables
Mama Torrez Salsas – Authentic salsas, pico de gallo and chips
Mary Beauregard – Plastic canvas needlepoint
Morning Sun Bakery – Cinnamon rolls, muffins, cakes*
New Leaf Bakery – Baked goods, granola and nut bars
Orange Thyme – Natural balms, soaps, perfume oils, body butters and more
Petunia’s Marketplace – Flavored honey, candies, gourmet pasta and more
Post Street Plants – Flowers, vegetable plants and off-the-vine produce*
Riverfront Farm – Locally grown vegetables from Project Hope Spokane
R.P. Guerrero Farms – Organic fruit (cherries, peaches, nectarines, apples)*
Rufino Zisumbo – Chair massage*
The Scone Ranger – Sweet and savory scones
Simply Sweets – Confectionery including baklava and brittles
SnowBerry Ridge – Raw honey
Song Sparrow Farms – Locally grown vegetables*
Vladimir Kuzmenko – Fruits and vegetables from the Yakima area

Jenkins Java will be selling gallons and half-gallons of milk from Spokane’s Family Farm. Petunia’s will be attending on odd-numbered market days and will have meat from Ramstead Ranch.

[*] Indicates a new vendor for this season.