Some Ballard Farmers Market Success Stories

Autumn Martin with her Hot Cakes at Ballard Farmers Market back in 2009. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

In the People’s Republic of Ballard, and especially at your Ballard Farmers Market, we know great, local food and drink. So it is no wonder your Ballard Farmers Market has been home to, and indeed a launching pad for, many now very familiar and celebrated names in the local food and beverage industry. And as I continue my personal countdown to retirement from this blog, today I celebrate just a fraction of the extraordinary folks with whom we have shared the street over the years, and the success they have so deservedly achieved.

Like Chef Autumn Martin of Hot Cakes, now with her own storefront just a block up from the Market. Most days, there is a line out the door there to eat her delicious chocolatey creations, but did you know Hot Cakes got its start right here on the street at your Ballard Farmers Market? Yep. We couldn’t be more proud of you, Autumn. And just look at all of the press, from all over the world, she’s getting!

Veraci Pizza co-owner Marshall Jett being interviewed by Food Network Canada. Photo copyright 2010 by Zachary D. Lyons.

This photo is from 2010, when a camera crew from Food Network Canada arrived at your Ballard Farmers Market to feature Veraci Pizza on their street food show, Eat Street. You probably see Veraci’s mobile pizza ovens all of town — heck, all over the Northwest. Besides their storefront on Market Street, they have a depot on 15th Avenue on Crown Hill will dozens of the trailers. You will also find them in Spokane, in Oregon and in Idaho. But did you know that they got their humble beginnings right here with us many years ago? Back then, they just had one, and then two trailers. Wow. We just love a great success story!

Kimchi, Krauts & more from Firefly Kitchens at Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

Firefly Kitchens got its start in a shared kitchen space in Frelard in 2010, introducing Seattle to what has now become one of the biggest trends in food: fermentation. They gathered up local veggies from area farmers and allowed them to naturally ferment with delicious and nutritious results. We liked them so much, we directed them to the Good Food Awards in San Francisco in January 2011, and low and behold they won! And they’ve been winning ever since! And while you can now find their products at finer grocery stores throughout the area, the finest grocery store for them is still right here at your Ballard Farmers Market!

Farhad from Tall Grass Bakery at Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

Yes, we all still miss us some Farhad, who retired from Tall Grass Bakery last September. So I thought I’d pay homage to him one more time whilst also reminding all y’all that Tall Grass Bakery also got its start with us, way back when your Ballard Farmers Market was wedged into the Fremont Sunday Market at 34th & Fremont, before Fremont was redeveloped and the Market moved to Ballard in 2000. They, too, shared a kitchen with another bakery back in the late 1990s. Now, they make some of the best bread in Seattle out of their storefront on 24th Avenue NW and bring it to you here at your Ballard Farmers Market, as well as other markets and restaurants all over King County.

Market Master Judy Kirkhuff with Nash & Patty Huber of Nash’s Organic Produce at Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

In 2008, American Farmland Trust gave Nash Huber of Nash’s Organic Produce in Dungeness their annual, national Steward Of The Land Award. It is just one of many awards Nash has won over the years for the hundreds of acres and many farms he has not only kept in farm production in Clallam County, but that he has rejuvenated, rebuilding the soils, working with the local climate, and developing his own varieties of seeds that would thrive there. The result is a farm that is at its peak of production all winter long while many other local farmers are home reading seed catalogs or vacationing in Mexico. And like Bob Meyer, whom I saluted yesterday, Nash, too, has pioneered organic agriculture in Washington and helped many an up-and-coming farmer along the way!

Don Hilario Alvarez holding hot chile peppers at Alvarez Organic Farms. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

Today, it is hard to imagine a farmers market around Seattle in August and September without the dozens of varieties of organic peppers from Mabton’s Alvarez Organic Farms (currently prepping their soil for the 2015 growing season!). Don Hilario Alvarez, the farm’s patriarch, is a classic American success story — a true example of an immigrant who pulled himself up by his own bootstraps, scrimping, saving and investing, until he became one of the most admired organic farmers in the nation. Way back in 2004, ATTRAnews, the newsletter of the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service, celebrated him in a feature story in their issue about Latino farmers.

Roger Wechsler of Samish Bay Cheese. Photo copyright 2009 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Back in 2010, Seattle was host to the American Cheese Society Awards, and frankly, our Market vendors mopped up the floor with its competition. And the winningest of all of your Ballard Farmers Market’s cheese makers was Samish Bay Cheese, taking home four separate awards. Stop by and take a tasting tour on any Sunday right here, and you will understand why!

Janelle & Jerry Stokesberry of Stokesberry Sustainable Farm support I-522. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Ever wonder what makes the Seahawks and the Sounders play so well? We like to believe it is because they eat eggs and chickens from Stokesberry Sustainable Farm. Need I say more?

Tacos from Los Chilangos. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Oscar Mendez comes from a family of great Mexican cooks, and our markets are proud to have fostered them. Now, Oscar’s Los Chilangos lays claim to being the only mobile taco stand sourcing its animal protein locally. He get it directly from local, sustainable and humane farmers, fishers and ranchers right here at your Ballard Farmers Market. He gets rockfish from Wilson Fish, beef and pork from Olsen Farms, and eggs from Stokesberry Sustainable Farm. Best of all, his food is wonderful!

Brent Charnley, winemaker at Lopez Island Vineyards, hold the new release of his Wave Crest White table wine. Photo copyright 2013 by Zachary D. Lyons.

And I round out this tribute to the achievements of the many vendors we quite frankly consider our family… heck, our children… with neither the last nor the least of our award-winning, storefront opening, international media starring market heroes. This is Brent Charnley from LIV (a.k.a., Lopez Island Vineyards). One of our state’s oldest wineries, the fact that it is certified organic makes it even more unique. Rarer still, it is located in the Puget Sound Appellation, Washington’s coolest, dampest wine-grape growing region, producing many Germanic varieties of grapes, and a few French, that just simply won’t grow elsewhere in Washington. And the list of awards their wines have won over the years is, frankly, almost embarrassing. Stop by for a taste to find out for yourself, and then take a great bottle, or three, home this Sunday!

Super Bowl Sunday, February 1st: We’re Open! Go Hawks!

The 12th Sheep from Glendale Shepherd at Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

Few things have ever closed your Ballard Farmers Market. Well, only two things, actually: Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. So open we will be this most epic of Super Bowl Sundays. That means you can visit your favorite vendors today to pick up your weekly groceries and a few last minute goodies for your Big Game party before kickoff at 3:30 p.m. For instance, the 12th Sheep from Glendale Shepherd brings with it the first sheep’s milk yogurt of 2015. Woohoo! (And can I get a “Go Hawks!” whilst sounding like a sheep, good people of Ballard? Let it out, loud and proud!)

#12 Super Bowl Cheese Plate from Samish Bay Cheese. Photo courtesy Samish Bay Cheese.

Samish Bay Cheese is offering a special Super Bowl Cheese Plate for you today at your Ballard Farmers Market: #12 Fresh Cheese Plate, $12: (Choose two of the cheeses listed below), or Double Your Pleasure 
Family Size Fresh Cheese Plate, $24
(Larger portions than the #12 plate: 
Choose three of the following, while supplies last): Ladysmith, Aged Ladysmith, Chive Ladysmith, Arugula Ladysmith, Queso Jalapeño, Queso Diablo, or Queso Seco.

Whole smoked side of King salmon from Wilson Fish at Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

Some of the biggest 12s amongst our Seahawks crazy vendors are the folks from Wilson Fish. There is no place they’d rather be on Sunday than watching the Hawks play… well, except right here at your Ballard Farmers Market, where they hook you up with fish while listening to the game on the radio. Why not honor their commitment and sacrifice by serving your Big Game party guests one of their sides of smoked King salmon!

Eaglemount Red Wine defies gravityat Ballard Farmers Market! Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

Some local wine and cider from Eaglemount Wine & Cider will certainly endear you to your hosts when you show up to their house to watch Seattle pummel New England today.

Sweet potato chips from Lyall Farms at Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

How’s about some yummy sweet potato chips from Lyall Farms? What a delicious, healthy and local way to par-tay today, wouldn’t you say?

Baba ghanoush from Uncle Eyal’s. Photo courtesy Uncle Eyal’s.

Uncle Eyal’s has stocked up on all of their great dips and sauces today at your Ballard Farmers Market. So grab some mint sauce, some hummus or some baba ghanoush for an awesome game day spread!

Olive fougasse from Tall Grass Bakeryat Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

Some of this olive fougasse or fougasse loaf from Ballard’s own Tall Grass Bakery will go quite nicely with any of those spreads, though I could eat one on my own all by itself! (So you’d better get three.)

Spicy fermented pickles from Britt’s Pickles. Photo courtesy Britt’s.

Some naturally-barrel fermented pickles from Britt’s Pickles are also great additions to your party spread. And you can’t rock sausage much harder than with their various krauts.

Fresh sausages from Sea Breeze Farmat Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

And if you need those sausages still, Sea Breeze Farm will have a healthy supply of their farm-fresh links today in a wonderful variety of flavors.

Growlers and growler coolers from Soda Jerk Fresh Soda at Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

For the kids, an alternative to booze and a mixer for cocktails, grab a growler or three of fresh soda from Soda Jerk Soda.

The 12th Brownie from Nuflours Gluten-Free Bakeryat Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

Looking for gluten-free goodies? Stop by Nuflours Gluten-free Bakery for these gluten-free 12th brownies!

Blooming succulents from Phocas Farmsat Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

And last, but by no means least, we welcome back Phocas Farms to your Ballard Farmers Market for 2015. Jimmy returns with a great variety of succulents at a perfect time of year to get them in the ground, so they will thrive all summer. And if we’re lucky, he may also have a few packets of local saffron, too!

There is plenty more local deliciousness waiting for you today at your Ballard Farmers Market. Just check What’s Fresh Now! for a more complete accounting of what is in season right now.

Sunday, December 28th: Happy New Year! 2015 – Can You Believe It?!?

Bottle-fermented hard ciders from Finnriver Farm & Cidery at Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

Nothing says, “It’s time to par-tay!” like the prospect of new calendars! Am I right, people? This coming Wednesday night, we’re going to eat expensive, rich foods, drink irresponsibly, watch stuff get blown up and kiss perfect strangers in the strangest of all our annual celebrations — the celebration of new calendars. Woohoo! And we’ll need a cork to pop at midnight, folks. I suggest a bottle or three of this bottle-fermented hard cider from Finnriver Farm & Cidery. Its natural effervescence will tickle your nose and please your palate!

Chicken (top) and duck eggs from Stokesberry Sustainable Farm at Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

Then, on Thursday, after we’ve hung our shiny new calendars in our favorite calendar spot, we will dig out our favorite stretchy clothes, make a huge breakfast, and spend the rest of the day sitting around, watching football, dog shows or Rick Steves marathons on TV, or maybe going for a nice walk, while we make grand pronouncements of resolutions for the new calendar year. We can’t help you with your list of resolutions (beyond your commitment to eating more local food!), but we can help you with that big breakfast! For that, stop by Stokesberry Sustainable Farm for some of their eggs. These are the eggs that the Seahawks eat, and they’ll have lots of them today!

Whole smoked side of King salmon from Wilson Fish at Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

But back to that New Year’s Eve party. Your Ballard Farmers Market has everything you’ll need for it. And if we don’t have it, you don’t need it! Like how about whole sides of smoked local king salmon from Wilson Fish? This is the smoked salmon of my dreams! And it’ll make your party the best ever.

Growlers and growler coolers from Soda Jerk Fresh Soda at Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

Soda Jerk Sodas’s fresh sodas will keep your teetotallers and designated drivers happy, and their syrups and sodas make for great mixers for the rest of your guests!

Seastack cheese from Mt Townsend Creamery at Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

Some nice Seastack cheese from Mt. Townsend Creamery will suit your guests just fine, either on its own or on a nice cracker or a slice of crusty bread.

Keta Ikura from Loki Fish at Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

And try a nice dollop of ikura from Loki Fish on top of your Seastack, or as a delicious, salty accent to any number of apps and dishes. Loki makes their ikura from the eggs of local keta salmon, and they are delish!

Nut Crunch from Pete’s Perfect Toffee at Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

And don’t forget to indulge that sweet tooth one more time before those resolutions kick in with some of this nut crunch from Pete’s Perfect Toffee! Or some of their fudge, brittle or other great toffees.

Beef rib chop from Sea Breeze Farm at Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

Before you head to that late night party, treat yourself and your sweetie to one of these Flintstones-sized beef rib chops from Sea Breeze Farm. Or maybe some nice duck breasts. And grab some of their awesome pates and sausages for your party, too!

Cannoli cream puffs from Little Prague European Bakery at Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

Finish off your pre-party dinner with some sweets for the sweet in the form of these cannoli cream puffs from Little Prague European Bakery.

Fresh kombucha from CommuniTea at Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

But come New Year’s Day, let the recovery begin! Start with a bottle or two of our local kombucha from CommuniTea Kombucha. It will give you a boost of energy, fill your belly with lots of friendly little critters, and it just plain tastes great, too!

Sheep’s milk yogurt from Glendale Shepherd. Photo courtesy Glendale Shepherd.

Some lovely sheep’s milk yogurt from Glendale Shepherd will also make your body happy in the new year. It is a nice dose of healthy protein full of live cultures that will get the pipes moving again!

Kraut and kimchi brine from Britt’s Pickles at Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

And a shot a day of one of these delicious kimchi and sauerkraut brines from Britt’s Pickles is just what the doctor ordered. See, when their krauts and kimchis are finished fermenting, and they pull them out of their crocks to pack them in jars for sale, the bottom of the crocks are full of the juices produced by the fermentation process, complete with all the flavors of the finished products. Plus, these brines are full of lots of living beneficial bacteria that will cure what ails you!

Paglia e Fieno fettuccine from Pasteria Lucchese. at Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

Don’t forget the long life noodles for a healthy new year! For that, we recommend fresh pasta from Pasteria Lucchese, like this fettuccine, some of their pappardelle or some tagliatelle.

Braising mix from Colinwood Farm at Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

And then there is roughage. We’ve spent the last month eating simple carbs and protein. Reintroducing ourselves to leafy greens will be an excellent career move! Stop by Colinwood Farm for a couple bags of their great braising mix! You’ll thank me later.

There is plenty more local deliciousness waiting for you today at your Ballard Farmers Market. Just check What’s Fresh Now! for a more complete accounting of what is in season right now.

Sunday, November 30th: It’s Buy Direct From The Producer At Your Ballard Farmers Market Sunday!

Coffee brewers from Daily Bird Pottery at Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

We’ve survived the insanity of “Forego Being Thankful & Let’s Go Shopping Thursday,” “Black Friday,” and “Small Business Saturday.” Now, it’s time for “Buy Local Direct From The Producer At Your Ballard Farmers Market Sunday!” Your Ballard Farmers Market is loaded with locally-made, unique gifts that will be treasured by that special someone on your list. Plus, we’ve got lots of great food and beverage perfect for your holiday festivities. And best of all, it all comes with the face of a real person — a neighbor — behind it, and you know that your hard-earned dollars are going right back into our local economy, instead of onto some distant corporate spreadsheet.

For instance, check out these naked clay coffee brewers from Daily Bird Pottery from Port Townsend. Naked clay has been used for centuries in culinary traditions from Mexico to India. The minerals in the clay help to mellow the bitterness in many foods and beverages, like coffee. If you’ve got a hardcore coffee aficionado on your list, they will love one of these!

Hand-knitted clothing from Suzanne de la Torre at Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

Are you looking for truly one-of-a-kind, stunning, hand-knit articles of clothing for you-know-who… or maybe for just you? Then stop by Suzanne de la Torre at your Ballard Farmers Market and take a gander at this year’s styles, made right here in Seattle. Suzy’s creations always brighten up the Market, and they will brighten up someone special’s holidays, too!

Whole smoked side of King salmon from Wilson Fish at Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

I imagine you can find a party somewhere on your calendar that calls for a whole side of smoked king salmon from Wilson Fish. The finest smoked king you’ll ever taste, it is moist and delicious, and it is caught off the Washington coast! Of course, no one will judge you harshly if you just bring the whole side home and eat it yourself.

Fresh holiday wreaths from Alm Hill Gardens (Growing Washington) at Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

We’re finally past Thanksgiving, and now it is appropriate to deck the halls for the rest of the holiday season. A terrific start can be made with one (or six) of these fresh holiday wreaths from Alm Hill Gardens (a.k.a., Growing Washington). They make these wreaths fresh each week using a wide variety of native pine, cedar, fir and spruce branches mixed with holly, pussy willow and whatever else they might find on the farm. They are wonderfully fragrant, and while most folks think they need to go up outdoors, I like bringing mine indoors, sprucing up my living room and making it smell great! Oh, they have fresh garlands, too!

Shaving kit from Brown Butterfly Aromatherapy at Ballard Farmers Market. Copyright Zachary D. Lyons.

It’s time again to play that annual game of, “What the heck should we get for dad this year?” I recommend one of these old school shaving kits from Brown Butterfly Aromatherapy. The shaving soap is refreshing and soothing to one’s skin, and you don’t have to deal with wasteful shaving cream cans filled with questionable gas. Plus, you are investing in a local business, instead of Gillette. They also have a lineup of bar soaps that come in a nice variety of scents. And while many soap makers cater to women, this is soap designed with men in mind! (That said, Brown Butterfly also makes spa kits for mom.)

Awarding-winning sheep cheese from Glendale Shepherd. Photo copyright 2014 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Don’t show up at your friends’ party empty handed. Bring some of this award-winning aged sheep cheese from Glendale Shepherd on Whidbey Island. Their Island Brebis and Saratoga Passage cheeses are at their prime right now. Saratoga Passage is a deep, creamy cheese that will tantalize your tastebuds, and the slightly drier, sharper Island Brebis is the winner of a 2014 Good Food Award. Make sure you get enough for yourself, too!

Baba ghanoush from Uncle Eyal’s. Photo courtesy Uncle Eyal’s.

And you’ll need plenty of dips and sauces this holiday season. Lucky for you, Uncle Eyal’s has returned this week with their wonderful Israeli-style dips and sauces, from this great baba ghanoush, to hummus made with local chickpeas, to garlic mint sauce that is to die for, and more!

Truffles from Soulever Chocolates. Photo copyright 2014 by Zachary D. Lyons.

Also returning this week: Soulever Chocolates. Their chocolates are predominantly organic, low glycemic, and dairy, gluten, and soy free, and they use local ingredients where they can. These are well-suited for folks with dietary restrictions (such as paleo, vegan or diabetic). They are also well-suited for the holidays! Enjoy!

There is plenty more local deliciousness waiting for you today at your Ballard Farmers Market. Just check What’s Fresh Now! for a more complete accounting of what is in season right now.