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On a recent Wednesday afternoon in a Poulsbo parking lot, Lowell Dietz could be found sharing his knowledge — and obvious passion — about mushrooms to anyone stopping at his table. Dietz, a guest vendor at the Wednesday Poulsbo Farmers Market, had fairly good traffic for his novelty: mushroom fruiting kits. A regular vendor on Saturdays at the Port Orchard market, Dietz found himself with an excess in the middle of a week — mushrooms grow when they feel like it — and needed a midweek market.
Although in Port Orchard he is well known by repeat customers, for Poulsbo, his products were unique. He didn’t have trouble selling three or so within just half-hour.
“It’s a hobby that pays for itself,” says Dietz, who is an interior finish carpenter by day as well as a member of the Kitsap Peninsula Mycological Society (which studies the wild mushroom). The “hobby” has evolved through time from selling excess fresh mushrooms to selling kits, dried mushrooms and other products.
“The market gives me direct interface with the customer,” he says. As customers return with feedback, he learns more about the mushrooms; it is, in essence, the most affordable form of research.
Dietz is probably a typical small agricultural producer who doesn’t necessarily call himself a farmer. Many such producers get started at the local farmers markets, test their products, and grow. Others simply sell their occasional excess. For many small farms, the markets are one of the best forms of direct sales.
“A lot of people look for direct sales because they like the one-on-one customer contact,” says Ann Pyles of Smoke Tree Farms, a Poulsbo market vendor and president of the board of directors. The Saturday market is only in its second year in Poulsbo, while the Wednesday one was added this summer. The market was started by a group of farmers looking for a direct sales venue, and the local community embraced the idea with seed money, free space and other support.
Agriculture has been part of Kitsap’s economy for many decades, although through the years the industry has changed, as it has everywhere around the country. The local berry and dairy farms have given way to small-acreage, family-operated small farms. The growing demand for organic, locally produced food has spiked the interest of many would-be retirees and others who desire to connect with their land, harvest its bounty—and share.
Three years ago, official U.S. Department of Agriculture figures showed 470 farms in Kitsap, according to Arno Bergstrom with the WSU Kitsap County Extension, but he believes only about one-third of the farms were actually included and the count is closer to 1,500 or even 1,800. The U.S. Census shows $52 million in gross sales from farm products in Kitsap and a $6 million payroll — and those too Bergstrom estimates as a low figures. Even so, “it’s pretty respectable, considering the size of the county geographically,” he says.
“Many (farms) start on small scale and over time expand the operations,” he says. “On a small scale, it’s hard to approach retail outlets and direct marketing becomes the primary mode for small acreage farms.”
Burkhardt’s Herb Garden is one of those farms started on a small scale. Anne Burkhardt, retired from the U.S. Coast Guard in 2003, decided she would get a nursery grower’s certificate so she can grow plants on her Sequim and Poulsbo properties. In business since last fall, she specializes in herbs but also sells vegetable starts as a way to attract customers to her booth at the Poulsbo market. Interested to some day teach children on the value of herbs, Burkhardt looked for a way to interact with the general public. She shares her booth with another vendor, and they try to make it interactive for the kids — and their parents.
“It’s absolutely a great outlet, one of the best for the small farmer if people are buying,” she says.
For some farms, it’s a way to expand the customer base, for others an opportunity to educate people about their products. “People a lot of times bring their relatives to the farmers market as something to do,” says Art Barrows with Bare Rose Emu Ranch in Kingston, who grows emus with his wife and sells oils, meat and other emu products. The farm frequently gets orders from around the country, and Barrows believes it’s because of word of mouth as people learn more about their ranch trough venues like the market.
There are about six farmers markets between Gig Harbor and Bainbridge Island, and each is different. While Gig Harbor mostly has craft and other merchandise vendors early in the season and more produce later, the Poulsbo one is entirely “green,” which means only produce and food or related items are allowed. Bainbridge is open only to local vendors due to limited space, while Poulsbo invites farmers from all over the Northwest.
Some markets’ representatives will visit every farm as part of the application process, others will spot-check. The craft items are usually juried before being accepted, and no resale items are allowed. Some markets require sellers to have business licenses and UBI numbers from the state; others recognize that not all beginning farmers will get licensed right away — each market decides on its own rules. The markets’ operational structure and open seasons also vary, with some being controlled by members.
The regulations also vary from county to county based on the health department requirements, and in addition to that the state has more regulations. This year, the Kitsap health department added a new rule: All processed and baked foods must be made in certified “community” kitchens.
“We do a farm inspection to make sure they are growing the produce and it’s in a healthy manner,” says Susan VanberWey, Bainbridge Island’s market manager. “We also want our vendors to do very well.”
The produce at the markets is always fresh, usually organically grown, and not much more expensive than at the grocery store; in some case it even costs less. Cherries, rhubarb, strawberries, meats, wine, cheeses, peas, oysters, chicken, peaches, corn, pumpkins — you can find all of Kitsap’s bounty at these small exhibits of agricultural pride. No frozen stuff, nothing that was picked green and ripened en route, and only what’s in season.
“You can’t get it that fresh at the grocery store,” says Poulsbo manager Jackie Aitchison. “And you get to meet the person who grew the food… During the farmers’ market season, I get bananas from the store, that’s about it. The rest I get from the farmers’ market.”
Shopping at the Local Farmers’ Markets
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