Steve Berch, of River House Bake Shop, sells some treats while dressed as a butcher during a Halloween-themed Toledo Thursday Market last October. Much like last year, shoppers at the Toledo Thursday Market have the option of shopping online using the market’s LocalLine option or coming in person to shop at the market using masking and social distancing.
Beyond the many challenges of 2020, Carol Berch said there were many opportunities. One of those opportunities was for farmers markets, which saw larger numbers of shoppers seeking them out as grocery store shelves were empty or inaccessible.
“We had a great year last year,” said Berch, owner of River House Bake Shop and a vendor at the Toledo Thursday Market. “People are wanting to know where their food comes from now more than ever. And there’s a greater interest in home gardening.”
The Toledo Thursday Market will open its 2021 season this coming Thursday, Feb. 11, at Steamboat Landing in Toledo. It is one of several farmers markets in the Southwest Washington area and the earliest to open in 2021. No other local farmers markets have yet announced exact opening dates for their 2021 seasons. However, the Centralia Farmers Market is expected to open in April; Morton Farmers Market and Tenino Farmers Market are expected to open in May; and the Community Farmers Market of Chehalis and Winlock Saturday Market are expected to open in June.
Toledo Thursday Market moved to the indoor/outdoor space on Ramsey way in 2019, allowing vendors to extend their season to nearly year-round. After a difficult 2020 season that saw many drastic changes to the way markets do business, Berch said the Toledo vendors decided to take a much-needed hiatus for about six weeks starting in December 2020.
“It was a very nice opportunity for everybody to take a break, think about what they want to plant for this year and get projects done,” Berch said. “And the reality is there’s nothing growing in Washington this time of winter. The variety drops to nothing because of the seasonality of our location. And our growers needed a break.”
Much like last year, shoppers at the Toledo Thursday Market have the option of shopping online using the market’s LocalLine option or coming in person to shop at the market using masking and social distancing. Berch said when the weather allows, a large garage door on Steamboat Landing is opened to allow for better air circulation and vendors are spaced 6 feet apart.
“And if someone truly doesn’t feel comfortable coming in, we will do the shopping for them. The goal here is to make it as easy as possible for people to get what they want and to make it as comfortable as possible,” Berch said. “Toledo has a big older population and we have to take care of them.”
Berch said that as far as fresh produce goes, shoppers at the very first markets will see a lot of hardy winter greens and vegetables but the earliest vendors at the market will also include microgreens, honey, milk, soaps, baked goods and gift and craft items. Closer to March, vendors will begin to have early vegetable starts available, which during the earliest days of the COVID-19 pandemic last year was one of their hottest items.
“Our growers were selling out in the middle of a pandemic. They just couldn’t keep up,” Berch said.
Berch said she suspects demand for plants and seeds will be just as high in 2021. One of their long-time vendors, Burnt Ridge Nursery, had to pull out of the market this year because of the increased demand for its products. Berch said they sent out 18,000 catalogs over the winter, about double their normal demand.
“If that’s any indication, it’s going to be a very busy season,” Berch said.
Besides shopping online or in-person, Berch said supporters of the Toledo Thursday Market, or any farmers market, can also support their markets through a donation. She explained that many farmers markets hold fundraisers throughout the fall and winter, but COVID restrictions removed many of those fund-raising opportunities. Toledo Thursday Market patrons can help by purchasing a market tote bag for $50 or making a donation on their web site, she added.
If numbers of COVID cases continue to trend in the right direction, Berch said it is hopeful that some form of the Toledo Thursday Market’s kids club might be able to return this summer. COVID has also slowed the progress of the market’s application to be able to accept state nutritional benefits, however, some individual vendors can already. Berch added that live entertainment, as well as spaces for shoppers to hang out at the market when it moves outdoors, are also still up in the air and decisions have to be made when more is known about state and regional COVID restrictions.
“Flexibility is our mantra, just like it was before,” Berch said. “Farmers are used to having to pivot. We’re all having to learn that.”
Seed Swap Also Planned in Toledo
This may be the fifth year for the Toledo Seed Swap, but Norene Wedam said she thinks it could be one of the more important years for the event.
“There’s a lot of seed shortages around these days and I’m just hoping to help people fill their pantries this year,” she said.
As with many events, the global COVID-19 pandemic will make this year’s seed swap, planned for March 6 at the Toledo Library and adjacent Steamboat Alley, a little different. Usually, donated seeds are displayed inside the Toledo library and participants can come in and take what they can use.
“It’s fun,” Wedam said. “We put up these long tables and it’s cafeteria style and everyone digs through it like a blue light special.”
But this year, those wanting seeds will need to make a request for the kinds of seeds they are looking for and Wedam will sort through and package them. Requestors can pick up their seeds from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 6 at the library.
There will also be a live plant exchange held in Steamboat Alley at the same time. Wedam said because this event is held in an outdoor space, anyone interested in live plants can come in person and select their free plants on a first come, first served basis.
While this event is open to all residents of Lewis County, Wedam said she hopes to see especially residents of the Toledo, Winlock and Vader areas take advantage of the event. The event will also include a raffle to benefit Toledo’s volunteer-run library. She said she would encourage people taking advantage of the opportunity for free seeds and plants to consider purchasing a $5 raffle ticket because supporting volunteer-led organizations is what she feels makes Toledo such a great area.
“We’ve got such great spirit in Toledo. We’ve got so many talented volunteers,” Wedam said.
Anyone who has pre-2018 heirloom, non-GMO seeds they would like to donate to the seed swap can drop them off at the Toledo library no later than Feb. 20. Live plant donations can be brought to Steamboat Alley no later than 10 a.m. on March 6. Those wishing to request seeds or for more information, can email Wedam at weeds15@comcast.net.
