Milk Money, a small bakery based in north Portland, got its start during the pandemic and is in its second year as a vendor at the Vancouver Farmers Market. Like many of the booths at the Saturday and Sunday event, the tent sat along Eighth Street in front of Esther Short Park.
Gazing into Milk Money’s bakery display case, attendees are drawn in by decorated cookies and appetizing pies. Behind the case is Kevin Harr. He turned up this weekend to work the booth, which belongs to his wife.
The farmers market opened downtown March 19, with no masks required and 45 new vendors signed up for the year. Despite cloudy weather, the market was packed Saturday.
Traffic was busier this year, Harr thought.
“But it was kind of like that last year,” he added.
Still, Harr thinks people are excited to get out to the market.
“It’s showing right now because the weather is not even that great,” he said, peering up at the clouds.
Milk Money’s most popular items are its pies. One is a chocolate brownie chess pie.
“It’s like a brownie in a pie shell, with a gooier texture,” said Harr. Another is the lemon pie; it’s like a lemon bar with huckleberries. Then he points to the third — a honey pie. Harr compares it to a pumpkin pie in its texture, only smoother.
“It’s made with honey from some hives that my wife keeps,” Harr said. “She does beekeeping.”
Most of the ingredients for the bakery’s goods are sourced locally, even from other local vendors.
“They’re just real straightforward pies — no preservatives,” Harr added.
Attendance at the market last year was good, said Stephanie Haynes, partnerships and programs manager at the Vancouver Famers Market. “But I think, as people are feeling more comfortable coming back into public spaces, 2022 is going to be back to 2019 numbers.”
Haynes’ estimation is for both customers and vendors. The market is back to full vendor capacity, and vendor attendance is back to where it was in 2019, she added.
“We can’t predict everything that will happen, especially pandemic or weather-wise, but we’re hoping for a really big year,” Haynes said.
Haynes hasn’t heard any concerns about masks at the market not being required. She did say, however, that the market was prepared to go back to COVID restrictions immediately if needed. In the last two years, there were lines to get in and capacity restrictions once inside. There were spacing regulations, and both vendors and customers had to wear masks.
Those restrictions are all gone now.
Masks are not required, but vendors are allowed as small businesses to require masks at their booths. The vendors were all encouraged to set up their booths with social distancing, if possible, and hand sanitizer. But otherwise, the scene on Saturday looked much like a normal farmers market scene.
Allyson Leasia was working at her uncle’s booth, Conan’s Island Ju Ju, on Saturday. Conan’s sells hot sauces, marinades, seasoning mixes and drink mixes.
“It’s like a whole shebang — ,” said Leasia, “anything to spice up your meal.”
Conan’s has been around for about 15 years, she added. The company started in her uncle’s kitchen. The farmers market near Esther Short Park has long been the Vancouver native’s home base.
Leasia said she sees the market getting back to its comfortable roots.
“Everyone was just kind of floating along, waiting for things to get back here,” she said.
During the pandemic, much of the market’s in-person programs were put on pause, but Haynes said they will all return this year, and she expects the market to bring back music and events for kids as well.
Kelsey Klebba worked at her husband’s TravelTees.Co booth on Saturday, with her young son playing in a playpen in the back of the tent.
The pair have a love for travel, which her husband, Peter, turned into art displayed on T-shirts, combining elements of places they’ve visited and the Pacific Northwest that they call home.
The Klebbas opened their booth in Vancouver at the fall market last year. This year is their first at the spring and summer market.
“Just seeing people out and around and together has been amazing,” Kelsey Klebba said.
The Vancouver Farmers Market had 20 new vendors last year and has 45 new vendors this year.
“I think a lot of people during the pandemic reassessed their jobs or maybe lost their jobs,” Haynes said. “They really made a hobby into a small business, and we’ve just been seeing the effects of that.”
The 2022 market has 202 registered vendors this year. This weekend, about 100 vendors were present. Many farm vendors won’t come until later in the season when more produce is growing.
Roxanne Sintic has been to the market only once. It was last year.
“There are definitely more people this time, for sure,” she said. Her companion, Rex Rivers, has been to it a handful of times over the years but not during the pandemic.
Rivers was excited to come out and see what kind of food and vegetables were available.
Kyle Hammon, a Vancouverite, used to visit the Vancouver Farmers Market with his mom.
“It feels like it’s gotten bigger since the pandemic has kind of cooled down,” he said, adding that the weekend event, however, seemed smaller than he remembered it being before the pandemic.
Mike Motta visits the market every season. It seems easier to access this year, he said, and he feels more comfortable.
Motta isn’t concerned about the market’s mask mandate being lifted. He’s vaccinated and boosted, and the market is held in the open air, which lessens his concerns.
He was eager to check out the people and vendors at this year’s market.
It’s “just kind of nice to get out and walk around,” Motta said.
