All across America from May through November, thousands of cooks, chefs, gourmands, homemakers and families visit farmers markets. Jostling through crowds of other eager shoppers they look at fresh fruits, vegetables, breads, artisan cheeses, pastries, flowers, honey, wild mushrooms, seafood, meat and poultry that they buy directly from the local farmers and producers. Vendors sell their goods off hand made stalls, and shoppers eagerly ask how different foods are grown, how they should be cooked or when to expect new crops. Neighbors greet one another, recommend particular vendors and keep watchful eyes on kids who weave like serpents through the crowds.

Out of this shoppers get fresh, local seasonal foods while small independent farmers and producers make a living. Together it’s a pretty good deal.

A renaissance of turn of the century marketing and one of the most sensual reflections of the today’s culinary culture, neighborhood farmers markets are reconnecting us with the food we buy and eat.

Last week Chris Curtis, founder and director of the Seattle Neighborhood Farmers Market Alliance won the Pellegrini Award for her outstanding contribution to the Seattle Food community.

What seems like a new phenomenon to most of us, farmers markets actually were commonplace until the Great Depression and World War II. After that a quest for efficiency drove the food marketplace. Thousands of small farms disappeared while fresh locally produced foods gave way to cake mixes, Cool Whip, Cream of Mushroom soup and frozen succotash. By 1970 only 342 farmers markets were left in the entire country.

About that time the new American culinary culture became popular and quality of ingredients was recognized as a necessity for good food. Icons like Julia Child and Alice Waters swayed the culinary community into believing that flavor means fresh, and fresh means local. In 1976, the Farmer-to-Consumer Direct Marketing Act provided government funds and staffing support to develop farmers markets and they began a slow national resurgence.

Chris Curtis and her husband Tim had owned and operated a Haagen-Dazs franchise for ten years when they sold the business in 1991 and took what was supposed to be “our launch into retirement” car trip through California. “We decided to visit as many farmers markets as we could find during the trip. I was just fascinated by them,” said Chris.

Three months later, “bored to death with retirement,” Chris decided to try and put a market together for her beloved University District.

By then the new culinary culture was well underway in Seattle. Organic farmers sold their goods on “Organic Wednesdays” at the Pike Place Market, Larry’s Markets featured local produce with farms identified by each product, Seattle’s Pea Patch program had spread into six neighborhoods, PCC had opened its third store, city and county governments eagerly supported local farming programs, and farmers markets in Seattle’s Fremont neighborhood and suburban Redmond were established and successful.

“The first thing I did was bring farmers together to ask what would work for them,” said Chris. “Our purpose was to support local independent farmers, so from the beginning we required owners to sell at their stalls and we excluded crafts.”

In May 1993 on the playfield of a closed elementary school, the University Farmers Market opened with 17 farmers and 22 vendors. 800 shoppers enthusiastically looked, tasted, talked with farmers, greeted friends and bought all the food and flowers that were for sale.
People from other neighborhoods heard about the market and soon requested markets in their own areas. “Once we figured out how to make it work in the University District it seemed logical to try others,” said Chris, “and as farmers found out that the goods actually sold, more farmers and producers came to us wanting to participate.”

Chris also called in local chefs to do cooking demonstrations that drew attention and new customers. “We needed to raise money for an additional market and Tamara Murphy, chef owner of Brasa restaurant in Bell Town volunteered to organize a fund raising event called The Incredible Feast.

“She commandeered ten of her fellow chefs, paired them with farmers and producers, and put on a moving dinner in the future space of a proposed farmers market,” said Chris.

“I couldn’t believe it,” Tamara recalled, “Not one chef refused to participate. We did it on a Sunday afternoon because most of the restaurants weren’t open. They loved it.”

So did nearly 1000 people who attended the first feast at $50 per ticket. “We raised enough money to pay the costs of opening a second market and introduced people in the neighborhood to the fun and excitement of farmers markets,” said Chris.

Each market begat another until, in 2007 the Alliance supported seven neighborhood markets: University District (open year round), Columbia City, West Seattle, Magnolia, Broadway and Phinney Ridge. Today, in addition to the Alliance markets there are fourteen other farmers markets in the greater Seattle area.

“The goal of the Seattle Alliance is to be self sufficient financially,” said Chris, “and we are pretty close. “We get an annual grant from the city and county and a gift each year from an anonymous benefactor, but most of our income is from vendor fees.”

For most vendors the farmers markets are a primary income source. To sell at an Alliance market they pay a weekly fee or a percentage of their gross, whichever is larger. “It’s hard work to farm and then sell at four or five markets,” said Eiko Vojkovich of Skagit River Ranch, “but the markets are everything to us; without them our farm couldn’t survive.”

I shopped for the first time at the University Farmers market eight years ago, and after three visits I was hooked. The farmers and their goods have taught me what carrots really taste like, how sweet and tender fresh lettuces are, how long flowers grown outside a hothouse last, how the taste and texture of freshly foraged wild mushrooms change from week to week, how many winter squashes grow within 15 miles of my house and how dark and flavorful kale gets in December. I also have learned how demanding and fragile the process of artisan cheese making is and just how complex and delicious the resulting flavors are. I have learned that corn holds maximum moisture and flavor for only about ten days on the stalk and 24 hours after it’s cut. And I know that chickens raised running around a farm really are fat, moist and full of flavor.

I admit that I am fascinated with farmers markets; I go to at least two and sometimes three a week to feel the collective excitement for fresh local food and see what is different from neighborhood to neighborhood. I also look for farmers markets when I travel. This winter I went to markets in Santa Barbara, Ojai, Santa Maria and Solvang, all in southern California. Imagine five different varieties of artichokes, seven varieties of avocados, ten varieties of dates and six bushel baskets overflowing with Meyer lemons in one aisle of a market!

When I read that Chris Curtis won the Pellegrini Award I was thrilled that her diligent work had been recognized. I know first hand how much she has contributed to Seattle’s food community, and I am very grateful for her efforts.

Thank you, Chris.