“Friends of the Market” invites the public to the first of many planned farm tours through the upcoming market season. These tours are designed to provide a chance for market customers to learn more about the farms and people who bring food to market each week during the season.

Farmers markets have exploded around the state, nearly doubling in the last 10 years, with many new markets opening each year.

Customers value high-quality, fresh foods and the opportunity to support local, sustainable food economies, knowing that each dollar spent at market circulates through other local businesses at least twice, strengthening other jobs and local industries. They also value knowing where their food comes from, meeting the people who grow these foods and learning about their farming practices.

The rapid growth in farmers markets has meant that farmers are often spread thin providing people to come to market and often rely on family members and interns to staff the booth. These farm tours are intended to give the farmer and customer a chance to meet the whole family and other people behind the scenes at the farm, and to learn about the unique practices and operations of each farm.

The first tour starts on March 29th, 10:30-12:00 at Full Circle Farms in Carnation. Full Circle Farms is a mid-size organic vegetable farm, and is a founding farmer at Carnation Farmers Market.

The second tour will be at Kittitas Valley Greenhouse near Ellensburg, April 19th, which brings greenhouse grown, pesticide-free heirloom tomatoes, peppers, summer squash, eggplant and more throughout the market season.

To learn more, or to join Friends of the Market, go to www.carnationfarmersmarket.org, or contact market manager Heidi Bohan at 425-844-9830.