Farmers Market on Wednesday only this year

By LISA BRITTON

Baker City Herald

The Baker City Farmers Market may look a little different this season as a result of the 2009 turnout for vendors.

In January, the board and vendors met and voted to drop the Saturday market, and instead have one market a week, on Wednesdays from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

The reason for dropping Saturday, says Ramon Lara, is that there just weren’t enough vendors signed up for the whole season.

“We weren’t getting the vendors to cover the cost of managing the market,” he said. “It wasn’t even close.”

However, that decision is up for discussion at the next board meeting, at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 17, at the Baker County Library, 2400 Resort St.

Though the agenda includes a few items, including vendor fees, “the big one is getting everybody to put in their two cents on Saturday market or no Saturday market,” Lara said.

All vendors — past, present and prospective — and the public are encouraged to attend.

“It’s a partnership between the customer and the vendor. The whole purpose of the market is to bring them together,” said Ramon Lara. “If (the customers) don’t tell us their concerns, there’s no way to pass that on to the vendors.”

The market location will still be Geiser-Pollman Park. The proposed season is June 16 to Sept. 29,with the possibility of indoor markets in October and November.

For more information about the market, or to inquire about being a vendor, call market manager Ellie Feeley at at 541-523-5481 or 541-893-3911.

The board of directors for the market are: Amy Young, Andi Sexton, Valerie Tachenko, Sheri Akers, Frank McCleary, Gerry Carter, Jenny Mowe Joseph, Laura Harryman and Carolyn Lara.