Gordon Polson of the King County Master Gardeners answering a gardening question from a Mercer Islander at the Mercer Island Farmers Market on June 12, 2011. (Photo by Joel Wachs)

Every market day at the Mercer Island Farmers Market (MIFM), the King County Master Gardeners, a program supported and run by Washington State University, have a booth where they educate customers about plants and gardening best-practices. Questions include plant identification, what to do for damage from diseases and pests, and good practices for propagation and pruning. The Master Gardeners have reported to the MIFM that, since they developed their presence at the farmers market several years, the number of inquiries that they respond from the Mercer Island community has increased substantially.

The Master Gardeners using their collection of reference books to research the answer to a community member's gardening question at the Mercer Island Farmers Market on June 19, 2011. (Photo by Joel Wachs)