Tag Archives: Memorable Moments

More Memorable Market Moments from the Mercer Island Farmers Market

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We got such a great reaction to our post on the most memorable market momentsof our market manager, Edee Phillips, that we thought that today we would do another collection of these special times at the MI Farmers Market. We have another memorable market moment from Edee, plus one from MIFM board member and treasurer, Julie Sarkasian, and one from MIFM board member and president, Joel Wachs.

EDEE’S SECOND FAVORITE CUSTOMER MOMENT: THE SURPRISE GIFT

Over the years, Edee has seen relationships develop and deepen between Mercer Islanders and the market’s farmers. This was one of the fondest hopes of the organizers of the MIFM when the market started in 2008. While Edee was aware of many of these relationships, she didn’t realize how strong some had become.

Shoppers at the Martin Family Orchard booth at the Mercer Island Farmers Market.

Shoppers at the Martin Family Orchard booth at the Mercer Island Farmers Market. (Photo by Joel Wachs)

One of the market days in the fall of last year, Edee was walking through the market and saw a long-time, dedicated MIFM customer at the booth of Martin Family Orchards, Orondo, WA. Martin Family Orchards is one of the original vendors at the market and year-after-year our customers line up to buy their delicious tree fruit. While seeing the long-time customer at the booth wasn’t anything extraordinary, what stopped Edee in her tracks and was extraordinary was that this customer was giving a gift to the Martin Family employee. Edee says, “The employee was looking at me like she could not believe what was happening. She later explained to me that the weekend prior, her back was hurting her so badly that she was asking customers and fellow vendors if anyone had ibuprofen or tylenol. Well this market day, the first one after her back problems, the customer had come back to the MI Farmers Market with a special herbal-flax-seed-filled hot-cold pack for her.” It was quite a touching moment for the vendor, who told Edee that she works at manyfarmers markets throughout the region and something like this had never happened to her before. It was a touching moment for Edee as well–and one that has become one of her most memorable market moments, because our market manager has worked so hard to build ties between Mercer Island and farmers. The Surprise Gift was proof that her years of dedication and hard work were truly bearing fruit. (Please forgive the pun.)

JULIE’S MOST MEMORABLE MARKET MOMENT: MR. AND MRS. PUMPKINHEADS

Like Edee, Julie was part of the core group of volunteers that helped start the Mercer Island Farmers Market. Five years later, Julie continues to volunteer for the market and currently serves as a member of the board of directors and as our treasurer. Julie’s volunteering at the market extends beyond these roles. She is also a market-day volunteer serving in a variety of positions that all help to insure that the market runs smoothly. Speaking with her, it becomes clear that one of the volunteer positions that she enjoys the most is assisting at the children’s table.

Judy Widmer working with children at the children's table at the Mercer Island Farmers Market in October 2010.

Judy Witmer working with children at the children's table at the Mercer Island Farmers Market in October 2010. (Photo by Julie Sarkasian)

Each market day, Judy Witmer, a Mercer Island resident and longtime teacher, has an educational activity for our youngest shoppers. Judy, one of the MIFM’s most dedicated volunteers, spends time during the week to develop simple activities that use mostly natural ingredients so that our community’s children can become more familiar with the natural bounty around them. Julie marvels, “It is amazing how these kids, raised with all the technology, respond. It is this engagement and enthusiasm from them that draw me in each and every time a volunteer.” Julie’s most memorable market comes from one of her days volunteering last fall at the children’s table. Judy developed an activity where children could decorate mini pumpkins with various pieces of squash, root vegetables, and greens making “Mr. and Mrs. Pumpkinheads.” Julie, still extremely impressed with the children’s creativity all of these months later, says, “It was so interesting to see how each child used the vegetables in different ways. And it was great fun to see the each of the pumpkin ‘faces’ emerge.”

Mr. and Mrs. Pumpkin Heads at the Mercer Island Farmers Market.

Mr. and Mrs. Pumpkin Heads at the Mercer Island Farmers Market. (Photo by Julie Sarkasian)

There are so many different aspects to making the Mercer Island Farmers Market a fun experience where both adults and children can learn more about agriculture and the local produce from our region’s farms. It is through volunteers like Judy Witmer that these happen and most memorable experiences and memories happen.

JOEL’S MOST MEMORABLE MARKET MEMORY: MARKET SNOW DAY

Joel has been a volunteer at the Mercer Island Farmers Market since its very first opening day, August 10, 2008. Since serving in his original role as a volunteer flagger, Joel has served in several other volunteers roles as well as on the MIFM’s board. In 2011, he is serving as the market’s president. Each year, the Mercer Island Farmers Market volunteers and market manager like to try new things; to push the market in a new direction or two. Last year, one of the new things that the MIFM tried was its first-ever Harvest Market, held on the Sunday before Thanksgiving. It was a risk for many reasons. Would our farmers be interested in selling that day?  Would there be enough fresh produce that late in the season? Would customers be interested in purchasing fresh produce several days in advance of the holiday? Would the cold weather make shoppers reluctant to come to an outdoor event? Would a market, which was to take place four weeks after our final regular season market, be too difficult to raise awareness of to busy customers with lots of choices on where to shop for the holiday (a bit of “Out of sight, out of mind,” maybe)? In the end, the Pre-Thanksgiving Harvest Market proved to be one of the best market days last season. A better maxim to describe our customers’ response to this new concept was “Distance makes the heart grow fonder.” Not only did our farmers have wonderful fresh produce, but the Harvest market’s sales and customer counts were among the highest in all of 2010. Several of our vendors reported that the Harvest Market was their best sales day that market season at the MI Farmers Market. One of our vendors even told us that it was the single best sales day that she ever had at any farmers market no matter the time of year. All of the MIFM’s volunteers were not just relieved, but ended up extremely gratified by our community’s response and support, which showed how much Mercer Islanders valued having the farmers market and in providing fresh, local produce for their families’ holiday meals.

Snowing at the Mercer Island Pre-Thanksgiving Harvest Market in November, 2011.

Snowing at the Mercer Island Pre-Thanksgiving Harvest Market in November, 2011. (Photo by Joel Wachs)

What turned a wonderful experience into an extraordinary one and the one that is Joel’s most memorable market moment was when early that market day it began to snow. He says, “Several of the volunteers later spoke with each other about that moment. We all had a sinking feeling that with the snow that the shoppers would disappear and the Harvest Market would turn out to be a failure.” But instead of disappearing, the MIFM’s shoppers paused for a few moments to watch the flakes come down and then turned back to their shopping. As Susie Rosenstein, Mercer Island Farmers Market board member and vice president, said, “It was magical.” Do you have any memorable moments from the Mercer Island Farmers Market? We would love to hear them.

Mercer Island Farmers Market Manager’s Most Memorable Market Moments

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Edee Phillips, the market manager of the Mercer Island Farmers Market, at the market on June 21, 2009.

Edee Phillips, the market manager of the Mercer Island Farmers Market, at the market on June 21, 2009. (Photo by Joel Wachs)

As there is no Mercer Island Farmers Market tomorrow as our community’s big Summer Celebration is going on at the northend of Mercerdale Park, we thought that we would take this opportunity to pause and ask our beloved market manager, Edee Phillips, for her most memorable moments from the past few years of the market.

Edee was a key volunteer in the small group that worked on starting the market and, then in 2008, became the MI Farmers Market’s first, and so far, only market manager.

When we asked her for her single most memorable moment, Edee couldn’t come up with just one. “I have so many favorite moments. But I have to say that a few rise to the very top of the list…”

NUMBER ONE MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT: OPENING DAY 2008

Edee’s overall most memorable moment was the MI Farmers Market’s very first Opening Day, August 10, 2008. For her, the whole experience “…was a bit like giving birth: a long awaited day with months of work put into the creation.”

After months of what seemed like endless conversations, emails, paperwork, and meetings with farmers, the city, and volunteers, and only having the vaguest hopes for success, Edee can still clearly see in her mind’s eye the vendors showing up early in the morning and setting up for the first time. The way that she describes that morning makes it sound as if it seemed almost miraculous to her that the farmers were actually about to start selling their produce at the northend of Mercerdale Park. We all know that it wasn’t a miracle that made that day happen, but the hard work of Edee and so many others.

The Phillips Family: Ari, Eli, Dave, Edee, and Leo (from left to right) at the Mercer Island Farmers Market in June 2009.

The Phillips Family: Ari, Eli, Dave, Edee, and Leo (from left to right) at the Mercer Island Farmers Market in June 2009. (Photo by Joel Wachs)

Family is what ultimately made an already extraordinary day for Edee that much more special and her number one Mercer Island Farmers Market most memorable moment. “The very best part of that whole day was to see my family there because they came up to me looking so proud, gave me a hugs and said, ‘Mom, look at what you did!’…The way that they all looked at me made me prouder at that moment then any other I can remember!”

MOST MEMORABLE VENDOR MOMENT: PULLING TOGETHER LIKE FAMILY

In October of last year, for sudden and unexpected family reasons, Edee had to fly out of town less than two hours after the end of one of the markets. What could have been an extremely stressful and difficult market moment turned into one of Edee’s favorites.

Farmer Kai Ottoson of Hedlin Family Farm, Mount Vernon, WA hard at work setting up tables of produce at the Mercer Island Farmers Market in 2009.

Farmer Kai Ottoson of Hedlin Family Farm, Mount Vernon, WA hard at work setting up tables of produce at the Mercer Island Farmers Market in 2009. (Photo by Joel Wachs)

Before the market opened that day, Edee quietly explained to all of the vendors her need to catch a flight that left soon after the market closed and that it would be extremely helpful to her if, that afternoon at market close, all of them could make an extra push to break down their booths and clear the streets as soon as possible. Over the years, Edee’s dedication to supporting these local farmers and constant striving to create a sense of community among them has been one of her hallmarks as market manager. That day, the vendors really came through, like a true family would. “Not only did I make it out of there in record time, but when the vendors were driving out, they found me to wish me a safe trip and to wish my family all the best. Their actions and kind words made me realize and appreciate the wonderful friends and relationships that I had made while working at the Market.”

MOST MEMORABLE CUSTOMER MOMENT: THE ANONYMOUS DONORS

Edee’s most memorable customer moment is from October 17, 2010, the last regular market day last year.

Many of our customers and community members know that the majority of the financial resources to run the MI Farmers Market come from the fees that the vendors pay for their booths. These fees are a difficult balancing act for the MIFM. Like all farmers markets, we try both to generate enough financial resources to be vibrant and sustainable ourselves and, at the same time, to have the fees low enough so that local farmers are able to keep as much of their daily sales as possible and remain vibrant and sustainable themselves.

Sommer-Rae Simonson, a vendor and Mercer Islander, enjoying watermelon during market set-up at the Mercer Island Farmers Market in 2010.

Sommer-Rae Simonson, a vendor and Mercer Island resident, enjoying some watermelon before the market opening at the Mercer Island Farmers Market in September of 2010. (Photo by Joel Wachs)

Last fall, an anonymous couple, who are dedicated MI Farmers Market shoppers and aware of this balancing act, made a generous contribution to the market that paid for all of the vendors fees for the final market day that season. Edee is still awed by this act. “I can not forget about this generous donation…it allowed our vendors to leave at the end of the day without having to pay any fees. All of our vendors wanted to know who they were so that they could tell them how amazing their gesture was and they all wanted to give product to them!” As these anonymous donors’ identity has never been revealed, they never received the products that the vendors wanted to give them as thanks. While they might remain anonymous, they also remain dear to Edee and the entire MIFM community.

Darrell Westover of Westover Farms, Maple Valley, WA at the Mercer Island Farmers Market in 2009.

Darrell Westover of Westover Farms, Maple Valley, WA holding a heart-shaped tomato at the Mercer Island Farmers Market in 2009. (Photo by Joel Wachs)

Edee finished her thoughts on this memorable moment by asking, “Where else does something like this happen?” Our market manager asks a very good question. We have asked around the state’s farmers market community and, to date, we have not heard of another instance of this kind of marvelous support for local direct-market farmers. It truly is a memorable moment not just for the Mercer Island Farmers Market, but for the wider local agriculture community.

If you have a Mercer Island Farmers Market memorable moment or two, please let us know. We would love to know what memories of the MI Farmers Market you treasure most.