Summer market society

An idea that sprouted “down under” and was transplanted thousands of miles away is bearing fruit in the form of the Liberty Lake Farmers’ Market.

The market opens Saturday for its sixth season in the parking lot of the Liberty Building, 1420 N. Meadowwood Lane. According to Holli Parker, market manager, that’s “one word, … two w’s.”

It will operate every Saturday through Sept. 29 in the library and floral shop parking lot from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Some 25 to 35 vendors are expected on opening day, when festivities will feature the unveiling of a sculpture by Harold Balazs.

Parker, who in “real life” is a first-grade teacher at Greenacres Elementary School, explained the origins of the market.

“My uncle, Jim Frank, was in New Zealand traveling at this little town in this farmers market,” Parker said. He called Parker’s mother, Susan Parker, and told her, “Listen, this town is about the same size as Liberty Lake, and I think we can make a farmers market work.”

Upon Frank’s return, the first market had eight vendors, “with the hope that it would get bigger,” Parker said.

And every year, the market has gotten a little bigger. “This year, we’ll have 30 to 40 vendors depending on the time of the year,” Parker said.

“In the beginning, you won’t have a lot of farmers, but you’ll have plants and crafters,” Parker said. “In the middle of the summer, your farmers start coming on.”

Parker gets help from her mother and Angela Pizelo, who works withMeals on Wheels and other groups “so the homebound can have fresh fruits and vegetables,” Parker said.

But the market is hardly only about food. Every week, a local musician will be featured. Library story time for children also is planned.

The market will showcase a variety of organizations throughout the season. “We have a lot of nonprofits presenting,” Parker said. Among them is Slowfood, a group that promotes “eating locally and eating at the family table. Slowing down,” Parker said.

The market is teaming with Friends of Pavillion Park to help sponsor a showing of Al Gore’s film on global warming, “An Inconvenient Truth,” this summer. “We’re going to have kind of an Eco-Friendly Day at the market, then show the movie at the park,” Parker said.

The market is free to the community except for vendors, Parker said. There is a $25 registration fee and $30 application fee.

“It’s good for the whole summer. It’s a one-time fee whether you are there once or for the whole summer,” Parker said.

“Right now, we are sponsored by Greenstone Corp. Eventually, we want to become self-sufficient,” she said.

To become more independent, Parker said, fees have been raised slightly. “We are applying for grants and hope to hear in the fall if they were successful,” she said.