Besides the great chef demo by Tracy Green and her students from the Newport High School Culinary Arts program at last Sunday’s Mercer Island Farmers Market, the day was filled with fun and educational events.

2011 Mercer Island Farmers Market Reusable Bags Are Here!

Susan Kleiner, nutritionist and Mercer Island Farmers Market supporter, with three of the four Mercer Island Farmers Market totes on September 18, 2011. (Photo by Joel Wachs)

At last Sunday’s MI Farmers Market, we began to give away the 2011 market season reusable bags. As in previous years, the bag has a new color, which is blue this year.

After picking up her 2011 Mercer Island Farmers Market tote at the information booth, Susan Kleiner posed for a photo with it along with market totes from 2009 (green) and 2010 (orange). Dr. Kleiner is a Mercer Islander, huge support of the MIFM, and a nutritionist, who conducted two tours of the MIFM for our community earlier this year.

While picking up this year’s market bag, she explained to the volunteers that the only market tote that she is missing is the one from our first season in 2008, which is tan.

Do you have all four season’s totes? If you, please let us know.

To get a 2011 market tote, come down to the farmers market on Sunday, pick up a coupon from one of the vendors or from the information booth, and shop the MIFM. The farmers will mark on the coupon the amount of your purchases. Once you have bought $30 of local, fresh produce, bring your filled out coupon to the information booth and exchange it for a reusable bag.

We gave out nearly 200 bags on Sunday and supplies are limited.  So be sure to get to the MIFM this Sunday to get your 2011 market tote.

Children’s Table: Spiders

Judy Witmer and three children learning about spiders at the children's table at the Mercer Island Farmers Market on September 18, 2011. (Photo by Joel Wachs)

Judy Witmer developed yet another fun and educational activity for the children’s table at this past Sunday’s MIFM.

The theme was “Amazing Spiders in Your Garden.” Judy had live spiders in sealed plastic tubes for the children to examine and reference books with plenty of photos and drawings for the children to read and browse so that they would have a better understanding of the role that spiders play in our gardens.

In addition, Judy brought string and other materials so that the kids could build their own “spider web.”

Community-Service/Non-Profit Booths: Mercer Island Boy Scouts and Mercer Island Sister City Association

The Mercer Island Boy Scouts' and Mercer Island Sister City Association's booths at the Mercer Island Farmers Market on September 18, 2011. (Photo by Joel Wachs)

The MIFM hosted two important Mercer Island organizations—Mercer Island Boy Scout Troop 624 and the Mercer Island Sister City Association—in our community-service/non-profit booths.

Both organizations used the opportunity to teach to the our community about their mission and activities.

Music: Yaamba Marimba Band

Children dancing to music by the Yaamba Marimba Band at the Mercer Island Farmers Market on September 18, 2011. (Photo by Joel Wachs)

As they did earlier this season, the Yaamba Marimba Band were a huge hit with our farmers, volunteers and shoppers.

Throughout the market day, their infectious music got people, particularly children, dancing, spinning, jumping, kicking and…well..just plain moving. At one point, the volunteers saw one little girl doing handstands to their music.

Children dancing to music by the Yaamba Marimba Band at the Mercer Island Farmers Market on September 18, 2011. (Photo by Joel Wachs)

Another demonstration of their popularity was the produce donations by our farmers.

One of the ways that the MIFM compensates musicians for playing the market is through these donations. The market’s farmers always give generously to thank the musicians for entertaining them and the customers throughout the market day. But this past Sunday they really showed their appreciation in a way that was unprecedented with several shopping bags and two boxes of produce for the members of Yaamba to divide among themselves.

Teenagers dancing in a circle to music by the Yaamba Marimba Band at the Mercer Island Farmers Market on September 18, 2011. (Photo by Joel Wachs)

Perhaps the strangest moment demonstrating just how appreciated the band’s performance was just before the close of the farmers market. At this time, over a dozen teenage girls formed a circle in front of the music booth and began dance. It was all so spontaneous and unexpected.

Everyone at the Mercer Island Farmers Market hopes that the members of Yaamba had as much fun playing at the market as we did listening and dancing to their music.

We also want to extend an invitation to Yaamba to come back next year.