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July 31, 2009

Celebrate state farmers market week with a trip to your local King County farmers market

Farmers MarketIt’s no surprise that King County residents are fans of farm-fresh produce. With 39 farmers markets in King County – more than one quarter of all the farmers markets in Washington state – residents here have no trouble finding the finest, freshest in-season items.

Governor Chris Gregoire’s proclamation of Aug. 2-8 as “Washington State Farmers Market Week,” is a great reminder that now is the perfect time to visit the nearest farmers market.

“Farmers markets in mid-summer are brimming with fresh, local produce, including the year’s first apples, plus blueberries and raspberries, a tremendous variety of salad greens and more,” said King County Executive Kurt Triplett. “They’re an affordable way for people to get healthy, fresh food into their diet.”

Many farmers markets also offer farm-fresh eggs and meat, while some markets sell farmer grown and produced cheese, wine and other products. To find a farmers market, get recipes, find a farm, or sign up for the “What’s Fresh” e-mail, visit www.pugetsoundfresh.org.

Not only are farmers markets a great way to provide your family with fresh, healthy food, but they also help sustain local agriculture. Statewide, farmers markets reported $55 million sales in 2008, up from $38 million in 2006. Most of these dollars go directly to Washington family farmers.

Nearly 60,000 acres of King County’s richest agricultural land is either being actively farmed or in a protected preservation status. Agricultural land also has value as open space, and fish and wildlife habitat.

The Puget Sound Fresh program was started in 1998 with the goal of encouraging consumers, wholesalers and retailers to seek out locally grown products, and to provide funding and technical assistance to farmers markets.

Puget Sound Fresh was created by the King County Agriculture Commission and is supported through a partnership between King County, the Cascade Harvest Coalition and Snohomish County. For more information about King County farmers markets visit www.pugetsoundfresh.org or contact Karen Kinney at 206-263-6429.

Related information

Farmers Markets video

Puget Sound Fresh

Agriculture

King County Water and Land Resources