Farm to Table Farmers Market staying fresh in 2016

Last week's Farm to Table Farmers Market season opener resembled a crowded Evergreen State Fair midway except better, because the mild breeze blowing in off Lake Tye helped temper the sunny heat.

The weekly market kicked off on Wednesday, June 22, at Monroe's Lake Tye Park, bringing with it more than 60 vendors featuring a selection of art, local produce, fresh cut flowers, jewelry, honey, handmade soap, baked goods and freshly roasted coffee. Several local nonprofits offered activities for kids, the Banner Days performed live music and there was a selection of food vendors.

The market takes place every Wednesday from 3-8 p.m. at the southwest end of Monroe's Lake Tye Park, and will run through Sept. 7. As it evolves over the season, Farm to Table Farmers Market founder Molly Daniels anticipates a larger and more diverse selection of fresh fruits and vegetables, and she is always looking to add more farms. She is currently in the process of wooing a gluten-free bakery, in hopes that they will attend the market.

A number of vendors have signed on for the entire season, Daniels said, while a portion will come and go, allowing the market added versatility.-á

"We have 40 vendors that are going to be here every week, and then the other 20 will be changing,GÇ¥ she said.

Founded last year, Daniels operates the market through her nonprofit, Poppy Seed Productions, with help from local volunteers and corporate sponsors. She wasn't sure how many people attended opening day, but described a "sea of peopleGÇ¥ at the market. Several vendors ran out of inventory, she said, and one local produce vendor had to replenish his stock three times before the day came to an end.-á

"It's been amazing,GÇ¥ Daniels said. "I would just like to say thank you to the community for supporting the market.GÇ¥

Daniels has implemented a new program for the 2016 season. Power of Produce (POP) is an incentive program designed to inspire kids age 3-12 to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables. Daniels got the idea from the Farmers Market Coalition, then tailored it to suit Monroe's needs. Participating youth were given a "Passport to Health,GÇ¥ filled with four opportunities to complete an activity and earn a stamp.

Once the passport had been filled, they were able to turn it in and receive market tokens worth $2 that could be spent on fresh produce, seeds or plants. -á -á

Several local nonprofit organizations offered the opportunity to receive a stamp, some with physical activities and others with a craft. The Monroe YMCA set up a Bosu ' a bouncy, rubber piece of exercise equipment used in gyms ' and several hula-hoops, allowing kids to jump off the Bosu and into the hoops. Other organizations that held activities included the Monroe Boys & Girls Club, the Monroe Christian School and Puget Sound Pediatric Dentistry.

Daniels asked for feedback about the POP program on Thursday, so she can modify the program to encourage more participation. The majority of the feedback was very positive; kids used their tokens to purchase raspberries, broccoli, strawberries and more. In future markets, Daniels plans to have signage that more clearly identifies POP activity booths to increase the program's ease of use.

"My kids loved it,GÇ¥ wrote local parent, Holly Hernandez, on Daniels' Facebook page. "They were so excited to use their own money to pick whatever they wanted. My daughter couldn't believe the whole bag of apricots were for her! So cute!GÇ¥

In addition to baked goods, handcrafted items and fresh fruits and vegetables, the market gave several emerging Sky Valley artists and entrepreneurs the opportunity to show off their wares, including Monroe artist Shelly Kochon. In addition to being an artist, Kochon operates a business called Nettle Nonsense, in which she and her husband, Chris, give plant walks to help clients become more familiar with their outdoor surroundings.

She has been an artist for as long as she can remember, she said.

"I was born with a pencil in hand,GÇ¥ Kochon said. "My mother said as soon as I could, I picked it up.GÇ¥

Her artwork, which she produces under the moniker, Grateful Heartist, is inspired by sacred geometry, nature and the universe around her. She uses colored pencils and high-quality Copic markers, a medium in which she is certified to teach. Copic markers are Japanese in origin, come in 358 colors and are totally blendable. The pens are refillable, with replaceable tips.-á -á -á

Kochon's art struck a chord with customer Illyeanna Wolfstorm, who purchased a piece for her 10-year-old daughter. Wolfstorm was previously acquainted with Kochon, having met her at the Sky Valley Education Center (SVEC), where her daughter was a student. Kochon was at the school tutoring a different young girl, and what Wolfstorm observed while seeing Kochon at work left her impressed.

She's an exceptionally gifted teacher, said Wolfstorm, somehow able to transform a student's ingrained belief that they can't do something into an attitude of "I can.GÇ¥

"I've seen her do it in seconds ' I've seen her do it over weeks,GÇ¥ Wolfstorm said. "She just unlocks their self-esteem and they explode into the creative human beings they are.GÇ¥

She was excited to see Kochon and chided her for not charging enough for her work. The piece of art her daughter selected was a framed Copic sketch called Libra, inspired by the zodiac sign. The interaction was especially meaningful after Wolfstorm explained she and her daughter had spent several months homeless, recently moving into a new apartment.

She slipped her daughter $20 to purchase the piece.

"She totally copied who you are in that piece of art,GÇ¥ Wolfstorm said. "This was an awesome find.GÇ¥-á

Pixie Dance Hoops founder Shannon Dey Zuanich was surrounded by a cluster of kids for much of the afternoon, all eager to try their hand at hula-hooping. Zuanich, a regular vendor at the Sunday Gold Bar Farmers Market, is a hoop dancer and instructor who also sells custom hand-made hula-hoops. She welcomed all passersby to grab a hoop and join in.

For more information about the Farm to Table Farmers Market, visit www.facebook.com/farmtotablemonroe. To help support the new Power of Produce program, click here. One $24 donation is enough to support one child throughout the entire 12-market series.