It's hard to imagine a nicer setting for an outdoor lunch than a bench in Shemanski Park, in Portland. Green groves, the art museum on one side and the Oregon history museum on the other—and a full spread of beautiful produce, meats, cheeses and ready-to-eats at the Farmers' Market.
From May to October, it's farmers' market time somewhere in Portland, every day but Tuesday and Friday, but twice on Wednesdays and Sundays. It's run by a non-profit that coordinates the markets with a network of about 200 vendors in Oregon and southwest Washington.
Portland Farmers Market says its goal is to help food producers thrive and expand, to help all residents have access to farm fresh food, and to help build communities around the markets. It's been doing that, and expanding the number of markets, since 1992. The 7 markets are spread around the city.
I wandered in on my way to the Portland Art Museum (a worthwhile visit, too!) and spent nearly an hour wandering, listening and sampling. It was too early for lunch, but I promised I'd return after the museum and before closing time for at least one of the delicious hot foods on offer.
A documentary film crew was interviewing some of the vendors and customers; one of the vendors wondered why they were concentrating on the most colorful displays. The answer: "They're sexier. There's not that much interest in a pile of potatoes!" I wasn't the only one to chime in, pointing out that in markets like this there are many more varieties of potatoes than you'll ever see in a supermarket. Still, the colors ARE gorgeous...
Of course, not all the vendors are in the veggie business; among the others were not only a vineyard specializing in wines from other fruits as well as grapes, but local meat producers.
Not to mention producers of grain products (yes, that's why the distiller is in with the bakeries!). The cookies and macarons looked lovely, but the real winner was the Pearl Bakery, a local favorite. As a pre-museum snack I had their small multi-grain roll, the best ever, even without butter.
At one end of the market, the hot-food stands offered a variety of cuisines from the Middle East, Mexico and Taiwan. It was tough, but the final winner in my lunch sweepstakes was baked-on-the-truck wood-fired pizza.
It's also a place to buy seedlings and seeds for your own garden; the display below had more varieties of small tomatoes, including heirloom varieties, than I've ever seen in one place outside a catalog...and tomatoes weren't all they had.
And the rest of the pictures are just because there's almost no way to have too many pictures of lovely vegetables, and almost no way I can limit my picks!
If you're heading to Portland, be sure to check the Portland Farmers Market website HERE before you make your lunch plans!
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