Recently, Forestside Farms brought a box of chicks, Skokomish Valley Farms had live chickens, and Citrus and Cedar brought ducks. A few dogs made the rounds, collecting pets from anyone within reach, while two old friends caught up like they hadn’t seen each other in months. That’s Saturday at the market. Whether you live in Shelton, Belfair, Matlock, or on Harstine Island, there’s a market nearby.
Farmers markets support Washington’s small and diversified farms while keeping money circulating in our local economy. Nationwide, direct-to-consumer sales topped $3.3 billion in 2022, according to the USDA’s latest Census of Agriculture. At a time when many farmers face rising costs, that income can be a lifeline. That’s the idea behind Market-Ready Mason, a new USDA-funded program at MasonEDC that works to strengthen local markets, support producers, and improve food access across Mason County.
National Farmers Market Week celebrates one of the few remaining gathering spaces where community happens naturally. On Aug. 8, the Shelton Farmers Market hosts community partners and special programming from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Harstine Island and Belfair also hold markets that day. On Aug. 2, the Matlock Grange Market is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and the Belfair Public Market follows on Aug. 9 from noon to 5 p.m.
Local food is worth the time. I recently came home from one market with tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, carrots, microgreens, and a carton of farm-fresh eggs. They became a salad, roasted vegetables, a BLT, and shakshuka. But healthful food is only half the draw. The other half is spending an hour outside, greeting a vendor by name, and catching up with someone you haven’t seen in a while.
I hope you’ll visit a Mason County farmers market during National Farmers Market Week. Walk the tents with a friend, bring your dog, and support local agriculture. Every purchase is an investment in the farmers, neighbors, and community that make Mason County home.
Tess Ellison, Program Manager, Market-Ready Mason at MasonEDC.