Here’s why vendors are excited for Bellingham Farmers Market’s 30th season
The Bellingham Farmers Market began its new season on Saturday, April 2, with a speech from Mayor Seth Fleetwood and the return of the cabbage toss.
“(The cabbage toss) started when the market square was built,” Market Director Lora Liegel said in a telephone interview. “To signify the start of harvest and the passing to a new generation by tossing the cabbage to a young person.”
COVID-19 stopped the cabbage toss, but it was back to mark the 30th anniversary of the market. Vendors new and old were excited to be participating in the celebration.
Andy Thorp, owner of Hammer and Hand Woodworking, and Brandon Parham, owner of pH8 Vertical Farm, are two new vendors to the Saturday markets in 2022. Thorp and Parham have joined the market to spread awareness of their businesses and advance in new ways.
“Participating in the farmers market has really allowed me to explore new areas of my business,” Thorp said in a telephone interview. “I’m transitioning the focus into something different that I don’t normally do and part of that was having an outlet to reach customers and interact with different buyers, being in the farmers market was a way to do that.”
Thorp said he’s moving from doing mostly cabinetry and mill work to focusing on small orders that he makes, then sells.
Parham said he wanted to join the market to meet chefs from the area to sell his produce and spread his message.
“I’m trying to change the way we think of agriculture,” Parham said at the market. “I also want to have more people of color involved in agriculture. Right now only 7% of farming is (people of color), which means that 93% of farming is white.”
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Thorp and Parham both said they’ve already had a positive experience with the farmers market.
“It’s a pleasure and an honor to be participating,” Parham said. “I love developing this type of community because longevity is important.”
Thorp said he likes seeing everyone from Bellingham come out and be so welcoming.
Returning vendors agreed the market has always been a great outlet for local business owners.
Owner of Bud and Bloom Botanicals, Nai’a LeDain, started her second season with the Bellingham Farmers Market on opening day. LeDain said she has been inspired by the vendors she knows who have been a part of the market from the beginning.
“I’m kind of a newcomer to it,” the honey and herbal product seller said. “But it makes me excited that I’ll be doing it 30 years from now.”
Brian Holmquist, owner of Holmquist Hazelnut Orchards, said in a telephone interview that he remembers when the market first began.
“We started up with the market back in its early conception,” Holmquist said. “When it was building its own tents and putting tents on the street for vendors to set up in.”
Holmquist recalled having a building party with other vendors for their own tents. The market bought a bunch of supplies, they would chop metal poles and attach them with bungee cords to make tent frames, Holmquist said.
“Tarps were stretched over top of the frames,” Holmquist said. “At the end of the market day, we would carry those tents into (a warehouse) and turn them up on end and stack them in that building. Before the market started the next week, all those tents had to be brought out and set up on the street.”
Holmquist said he’s liked seeing the market hold onto its original values while growing.
“It’s always been about the local community having a place to sell their wares, regardless of what that was,” Holmquist said. “Back in the day it was good and now it’s even better.”
Shanni Welsh, owner of Fat Dragonfly Collection, started her eighth season at the market this year and said it has a continuous level of integrity. Welsh is an artist who sells mixed-media illustrations, paneled art prints, home accessories and other items from her collection.
“If you can pick the best place to work, this would be it,” Welsh said. “Everybody has so much integrity for what they do … no matter who comes in, they’re just amazing people to work with.”
The Saturday market will be held again from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on April 9 at 1100 Railroad Ave., continuing every Saturday through December. More information is on the Bellingham Farmers Market website.
This story was originally published April 5, 2022 at 5:00 AM.
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