From Portland Farmers Market:

King Market kicks off its third season on Sunday, May 1. The market will be open Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., near the intersection of NE 7th Avenue and Wygant Street, in the parking lot adjacent to King School Park. This market will be open until Sunday, October 30, 2011.
New King Market vendors for 2011 include:
• Eatin’ Alive, a bicycle-powered mobile vending station that believes in harnessing raw energy in both transport and cooking. A Portland-based company, they use all organic, locally grown produce to create seasonal, freshly prepared raw snacks such as: seed and nut pates, wild crafted pesto, garden wraps, a variety of prepared salads, and delicious sweet treats.
• Good Natured Gardens, a small, family run vegetable and herb farm located on Sauvie Island that grows a wide variety of heirloom produce and seedlings using organic methods to ensure the highest quality.
• KCK Farms, a family owned and operated nursery in the heart of Oregon’s Willamette Valley offering fresh cut peonies, bare root, containerized trees and perennials.
• Trailhead Coffee Roasters, the bike-based Portland coffee roaster featuring coffees produced by women farmers and served from Trailhead’s rolling bike cafe.

In addition to shopping for farm-fresh produce, baked goods, meats, cheeses, seafood and other specialty foods, there will be a lot going on each Sunday! Here’s a taste of what market-goers can find at King Market:
• Get Growing: every Sunday in May. A booth hosted by Multnomah County Master Gardeners will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. where shoppers can bring plant starts purchased from market vendors to have them potted into container gardens free of charge, plus get free gardening advice from the Masters! This year will feature a promotional card for plant starts purchased during Get Growing King: buy $15 worth of plant starts from market vendors and enter to win fabulous plant and market prizes. Cards may be picked up at the info booth or from any nursery stock vendors. The drawing will be held at the end of the market on May 29. Winners will be contact by phone or email and need not be present to win.

• Bite Size Kids Cook at the Market: the last* Sunday of each month (May 29, June 19*, July 31, August 28, September 25). Kids can cultivate their culinary skills and experience a cornucopia of farm-fresh foods though these free drop-in classes. Each month will center on a featured ingredient: radishes (May); greens (June); berries (July); summer squash (August); and tomatoes (September).

Fresh Exchange at King Farmers Market

Back at the King market is Fresh Exchange. Designed to increase access to farm-direct fresh fruits and vegetables for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants while supporting local food producers, Fresh Exchange funds a dollar-to-dollar match (up to $5) for all SNAP funds redeemed at both King and Buckman Portland Farmers Markets.
Fresh Exchange funds can be used to purchase fruit, vegetables, meat, bread, cheese and some baked goods. Funds can also be used to purchase seeds and edible plant starts. Using Fresh Exchange tokens serves both the individual or family in need by providing fresh food, and the local farmer by putting money directly into their pocket.

Formerly called Foodshare Fund Northeast, Fresh Exchange Northeast launched at the beginning of the 2009 season at the King Market. It is a program of the 501(c)(3) nonprofit Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods, dedicated to the livability of Portland’s inner North and Northeast neighborhoods.

Since the inception of the Fresh Exchange program, more than $30,000 has been distributed to neighbors in need. These funds have ultimately been directed into the hands of our region’s food producers, contributing to the success of our local food economy and fostering healthier communities. For 2011, season sponsor Dave’s Killer Bread has committed to donating 25% of profits from booth sales at the markets to Fresh Exchange.

Returning Vendors:

Farmers
• Aichele Farms, Stanfield, OR,
• Alsea Acre Alpines, Alsea, OR – alseaacre.com
• Ancient Heritage Dairy, Scio, OR – ancientheritagedairy.com
• Blue Heron Herbary, Portland, OR – blueheronherbary.com
• C & K’s Flower Garden, Molalla, OR
• Deck Family Farm, Junction City, OR – deckfamilyfarm.com
• DeNoble’s, Tillamook, OR
• Draper Girls’ Country Farm, Mt Hood – drapergirlscountryfarm.com
• Gala Springs Farm, Boardman, OR
• Gee Creek Farm, Ridgefield, OR – geecreekfarm.com
• Good Natured Gardens, Portland, OR – goodnaturedgardens.com
• Groundwork Organics, Junction City, OR – groundworkorganics.com
• KCK Farms, Amity, OR – kckfarms.com
• Liepold Farms, Boring, OR – liepoldfarms.com
• Linda Brand Crab, Chinook, OR – lindabrandcrab.com
• Nature’s Fountain Farm, Albany, OR
• Philleos Premium Pak, Eltopia, WA
• Pine Mountain Ranch, Bend, OR – pmrbuffalo.com
• Sprig & Sprout, Portland, OR
• Sun Gold Farm, LLC, Forest Grove, OR – sungoldfarm.com
• Tamiyasu Orchards Inc, Hood River, OR
• Winter Green Farm, Noti, OR – wintergreenfarm.com
• Winters Farms, Troutdale, OR

Food Producers and Artisans
• Black Sheep Bakery, Portland, OR – BlackSheepBakery.com
• Dave’s Killer Bread, Milwaukie, OR – daveskillerbread.com
• Eatin’ Alive, Portland, OR – eatinalivepdx.com
• Grand Central Bakery, Portland, OR – grandcentralbakery.com
• Jacobs Creamery, Chehalis, WA – jacobscreamery.com
• Missionary Chocolates LLC, Portland, OR – MissionaryChocolates.com
• Nut-Tritious Foods, Vancouver, WA – nut-tritiousfoods.com
• Sol Pops, LLC, Portland, OR – solpops.com
• Tastebud, Portland, OR – tastebudfarm.com
• Trailhead Coffee Roasters, Portland, OR – trailheadcoffeeroasters.com
• TWIST Wine Company/ Basket Case Wine, Pacific City, OR – twistwine.com
• Unbound Pickling, Portland, OR – unboundpickling.com
• Wag Eggs, Aurora, OR

Prepared Food Vendors
• C’est Si Bon!, Portland, OR – cestsibonpdx.com
• Enchanted Sun Breakfast Burritos, Portland, OR
• Hacienda CDC, Portland, OR – haciendacdc.org