Expanded market welcomes new vendors

An expanded Millwood Farmers Market is set to open May 20, bringing fresh meat, fruits and vegetables back to summer shoppers for the third year.

There will be new vendors this year, and old favorites will return. Vendors include Arabesque Farms, Rocky Ridge Ranch, Tate’s Honey Farm, C&S Hydrohuts, Rustic Windmill, Greenwave Gardens Organic Farms and Thistledown Wools.

“We have more farmers, more produce this year,” said the Rev. Craig Goodwin, pastor of Millwood Presbyterian Church.

In addition to more vendors, the market will also be able to accept debit or credit cards for the first time. The market has also enrolled in the state’s electronic benefits transfer program for food stamp recipients. Those with EBT cards will be able to use their cards to purchase tokens that can only be spent on food items. Once again, WIC checks will also be accepted at the market.

Those who use food stamps will receive $1 tokens and those using credit/debit cards will get tokens worth $5. “You sort of create a market currency using tokens,” Goodwin said.

Those using $5 tokens will be able to receive change in cash, while any refunds of the $1 tokens will be credited back to the EBT cards. Tokens can also be saved and used on a future visit.

This year, the farmers market committee asked local students to submit designs, and the top winners’ work would be used in posters promoting the market. Ness Elementary first-grader Sadie Langford was awarded the elementary age group grand prize and Centennial Middle School sixth-grader Abigail Swanson was awarded the grand prize in the middle school/high school category.

Honorable mentions were given to Luryn Abrahamson, a senior at West Valley High School; Lily Arch, a second-grader at Pasadena Park Elementary; Reza Broten, a third-grader at Pasadena Park; and Sean Levinson, also a third-grader at Pasadena Park.

The nonprofit market will be open every Wednesday from May 20 to Sept. 30 from 3 to 7 p.m. in the Millwood Community Presbyterian Church parking lot at 3223 N. Marguerite Road.

The ongoing construction on Argonne Road has changed how most people will get to the market. From Argonne, drivers should turn west on Grace, then north on Marguerite Road to reach the church. Those approaching from the north can turn west on South Riverway, then south on Marguerite.

“We’re definitely concerned about letting people know how to access us,” said Goodwin. “We’ll have signs out directing people where to go. We hope they’ll take the extra two turns to get to us.”

There is also live music at the market many Wednesdays. Call 924-2350 for more information.