In the Spotlight: The Ballard Farmers Market
As of last week, Ballard Farmers Market faithfuls can vote for their favorite market to help Ballard rank once again in the America's Favorite Farmers Market Contest. Last year, the Ballard Market was ranked fourth in the nation.
This year marks the market's 12th season.
"It's success of perserverance" said Judy Kirkhoff, market organizer.
"The local farmers market started as farms selling the produce from the back of their trucks at the Fremont market," Kirkhoff said, who was a vendor herself at the time.
"Then, Great Harvest and some other community businesses came to the Market association and said we needed one in Ballard. So in July, 1999, I brought the farmers with me to Ballard and set up at the parking lot that is now the Library."
The market was well received and that summer the Ballard Market expanded to 30 to 40 vendors and there was talk of continuing the market throughout the winter months.