The Stevenson Farmers’ Market has moved to the Stevenson Waterfront!! A Big Thank You to the Port Of Skamania for graciously hosting the market’s new location! Market hours have been extended to 10am to 2pm. The Port of Skamania has done a tremendous amount of work making the Stevenson Waterfront the choice place to be during a warm summer day. The beautiful Columbia River is now the back drop of the Stevenson Farmers’ Market as it will be in the wide open grass west of Clark and Lewies Saloon.
The Stevenson Waterfront has ample parking for a stress free shopping experience. As always, the Stevenson Farmers’ Market pulls in local musicians, and visitors can enjoy their tunes while sitting at one of the picnic tables dabbled throughout.
A frequent sight at the market will be the picturesque Stern-Wheeler docked just down the path at the Skamania Landing. Follow the Port of Skamania’s new winding path along the river and visit our newest sponsor, Skunk Brothers Distillery, for a delicious tasting.
One of the newest vendors to join the Stevenson Farmers Market is Little Foot Early Learning Center who provides free and fun children’s’ activities — and with Teo Park being just across the walkway there will be an endless amount of possibilities for the whole family to comfortably spend the day.
The Power of Produce program will be continuing for the 4th year! This wonderful sponsor funded program provides children who attend the market with a $2 token to spend on produce of their choice each visit. The Stevenson Farmers’ Market also doubles the spending power of Women Infant and Children’s (WIC) and Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP) vouchers for additional food assistance for those who need it most. The Stevenson Farmers’ Market is a part of the Department of Health’s new branding of the SNAP Market Match Program where food stamp funds will be matched at the market up to $10. For every $10 withdrawn at the market using EBT an $10 additional will be awarded. These food assistance programs takes state funding and puts food in struggling people’s hands at the same time, that money for the food goes directly to the local farmers in the community instead of big agriculture corporations.
Supporting farmers markets strengthens local economy while increasing self-reliance. If 20% of the fruit, vegetables and meat consumed in the Columbia Gorge were purchased directly from a local farmer, $9.6 million would stay in the local economy. For every $100 spent at a farmers market $62 stays in the local economy and $99 stays in the state. Farmers get 72% more money when you buy direct. Three companies own 50% of the world’s seeds while only 4 retailers sell 50% of the nations groceries and four companies process 80% of the meat consumed in the nation. This means 98% of the food consumed in the Columbia Gorge is shipped in from other areas. The average vegetable travels more than 7 days and 1500 miles to sit on a shelf in the grocery store. Eating local requires almost no packaging and takes more vibrant.
The Stevenson Farmers’ Market is an association of independent local farmers and crafters operating under the 501c3 umbrella of Community Enrichment for Klickitat County (CEKC). Its mission is to enhance the quality of life in Skamania County by providing access to fresh, locally grown produce for all income levels, provide alternative marketing opportunities to local agricultural and cottage industries, foster food education, and social gathering/interaction within our community. The market’s services function to attract and retain visitors, promote exploration of our city and foster a sense of community friendliness.
