Farmers market re-opening
Millwood church hosts annual event
As they prepare for Wednesday’s opening, organizers of the Millwood Farmers’ Market are excited about the expanded lineup of vendors, and the absence of detours and traffic congestion caused by last year’s Argonne Road construction.
“We never knew what to expect on market day,” Millwood Presbyterian Church Pastor Craig Goodwin, whose church hosts the market, said about the effect that the Argonne construction had last summer. “We’re excited to have normal traffic patterns.”
According to Goodwin, the market’s fourth season features “the strongest lineup of farmers” since it began three years ago. More than 30 vendors are committed for opening day.
Shoppers will find seasonal, locally grown fresh produce, breads and meats, as well as an increase in the availability of fresh farm eggs from previous years.
“The market provides a great place to get fresh natural food, gather with friends and speak with the farmer who actually grew your dinner,” said David McCullough, who sells grass-fed beef, eggs, and other home-grown products.
The market also features a number of artisan vendors selling handmade jewelry, soaps, handcrafted wool yarns, and candles, along with specialty items such as honey, unique sauces, salsas and jams.
Enhancing the marketplace ambience, a variety of local musicians perform throughout the summer. Opening day instrumentalist, singer/songwriter/composer Brad Keeler plans to perform.
New this season, local coffee roaster Roast House Coffee will sell a special blend of coffee called Pumpkin Patch. The name refers to Millwood’s new community garden on the corner of Argonne and Maringo Avenue. All proceeds from the sale of the new blend go to support the maintenance of the garden. One pound of coffee is $9.
For the second year, market organizers sponsored a poster contest among West Valley students. The winners’ work is featured on posters promoting the market. This year’s winning posters came from Josie Engeland, a Pasadena Park Elementary fourth-grader, and Abby Swanson, a Centennial Middle School seventh-grader.
Honorable mentions were given to Gage Taylor, a second-grader from Seth Woodard Elementary, and Evelyn Vanstralen, a third-grader from Pasadena Park.
The market accepts debit or credit cards, state WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) coupons and food stamps for food purchases. Shoppers can also use the electronic benefits transfer program for food stamp recipients. Those with EBT cards can use their cards to purchase tokens to buy food items.
The market became the center of a state Department of Revenue concern last year, which ruled churches hosting farmers markets across the state should be taxed as for-profit entities because of the commerce taking place in their parking lots. The recent signing into law of House Bill 2402 rescinded this tax. The new law takes effect next year. Last year, the tax cost Millwood Presbyterian $700.