Cedar Mill Farmers Market opens May 11
By Megan Bruce
Our very own local market begins its 15th year on Saturday, May 11! If you’re a CMFM regular come see old friends and meet our new vendors; if you’ve never visited the market before, there’s no better time to check it out. The market will be held from 8 am-1 pm in the parking lot of the Sunset Mall on SW Cornell Road just west of Murray (look for the signs and banners). Plenty of free parking.
Again this season, kids visiting the market are treated to free face painting and balloon creations provided by teen volunteers. Live music for Opening Day will be provided by Carly Baer, whose whimsical covers and wonderful originals have made her a market favorite.
After you get warmed up dancing, you can cool off with a tropical shaved ice from Blazin’ Grill & Chill, where you can also get some awesome authentic Guamanian Island BBQ. The Loaded Potato, new to CMFM, is another yummy lunch option. They specialize in baked potatoes loaded with your choice of locally sourced meats, cheese, or veggies. They also offer delicious vegan and vegetarian options.
Early produce will include: Rhubarb, Asparagus, Radishes, Spinach, Cilantro, Kale, Collard Greens, Italian Kale, and eggs. Next week we will add:
Green and Red Chard, Lettuces, and Baby Dill. Plenty of veggie and flower starts, too.
 If you’re still looking for a special Mother’s Day gift you’re sure to find something she’ll love from one of our many talented craft vendors. Among the products you’ll find one-of-a-kind handcrafted jewelry, glassware, artwork and more. If mom’s a gardener you can get starter plants and planter boxes to put them in. Or you can bring her down and treat her to a revitalizing massage from Vitality Enterprises’ Donald Toomin (yourhealthwellbeing.com). And be sure to get some lovely flowers from our favorite grower Vanessa’s Garden.
Farmers markets make eating locally a fun, easy, and delicious option for everybody (we do accept SNAP cards); they’re also a terrific way to connect with your community. That’s what locals Leilani Esping and Rhonnda Edmiston were thinking in 1999 when they started the Cedar Mill Farmers Market. It began in the parking lot in front of the library with just four vendors, and now the market has a steady base of about 30-40 weekly vendors and about 3 dozen rotating part-time vendors. When Leilani moved from the area in about 2003 (she’s since moved back), Rhonnda and Dina Gross stepped up to share the volunteer market-managing duties for a couple of years until one of them “was wise enough to pursue other interests,” as Dina puts it.
As the market moved into its current location next to Bandito Taco (across from Sunset Park) and experienced a tremendous growth spurt, Dina took over as sole manager. Within a couple of years, Dina gained sponsorship from the Tualatin Hills Parks & Recreation District, which provides organizational and material assistance. This year I, Megan Bruce, am transitioning in as market manager, with lots of help from Dina and other dedicated volunteers. (And you can volunteer too—we’re always looking for help!)
Keep up with what’s happening by liking the market on Facebook, taking a look at our website (cmfmarket.org), and signing up for the weekly e-news (send email to eatfarmlove@gmail.com and enter “e-news” in the subject line).
You won’t want to miss a thing in the market’s fabulous fifteenth season! The Opening Day weather forecast couldn’t be better so come on down for fun in the sun, grab some breakfast or lunch, and pick up some fresh veggies and locally crafted foods this Saturday and every Saturday through October.
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