Farmers market ready for business

NORTH BEND - Valley residents looking for farm-fresh produce and a variety of flowers don't need to head out to the fields to track down the nearest farmer because those farmers and their goods will be coming to North Bend every Saturday through October 25.

Beginning May 3, the Mount Si Senior Center will host more than a dozen vendors, weekly entertainment groups and educational resources as they roll out the North Bend Farmers Market.

Fresh farm-grown products, plants and crafts will be the focus of the market, but a fun, family-friendly community atmosphere will be the added attraction.

"We're just going to try and have different things all along," said Ruth Tolmasoff, director of the Mount Si Senior Center.

In addition to the vendors, the market will feature entertainment and educational booths for shoppers. The entertainment is geared toward the whole family - featuring a puppeteer the first weekend - and the ever-changing educational resources will include master gardeners on hand to answer questions. The first weekend of each month also will feature a pancake breakfast.

"I think it will be fun for the whole family," said Tolmasoff.

This year's market marks the first time in three years that a resident-based volunteer group won't be heading up the event. The group decided to turn over the operations, said Tolmasoff, and the center was more than willing to accept the responsibility.

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