The Mercer Island Farmers Market (MIFM) is celebrating its Opening Day for the 2016 season on Sunday, June 5th, from 10 am to 3 pm.

This year marks MIFM’s ninth season connecting Island residents, friends and families with the very best Washington state producers of healthy, sustainable food.  The market is located just north of Mercerdale Park on SE 32nd Street (between between 77th and 78th Ave SE).

In 2015, MIFM donated 1,500 pounds of produce to the Mercer Island Youth and Family Services Food Pantry and St. Monica’s Church. It also diverted two tons of waste per month from landfills through the Cedar Grove composting program. It provided hands-on activities every week at the Children’s Table to teach children about nutrition and farming.

What’s new at the market in 2016?
In addition to many returning favorites, the following new vendors join MIFM this season:

• Sugar and Spice Bakery – Gluten Free
• Harvesting Autumn – Organic Fruit
• Bombay Bites – Vegetarian Indian Foods
• Gourminis (Food Truck) – Fresh salads and sandwiches
• Napkin Friends (Food Truck) – Latke sandwiches
• Nibbles (Food Truck) – Southwest Fusion
• Nosh (Food Truck) – Fish and chips and more!
• Juice Harbor – Cold pressed juices
• 3 Howls Distillery – Distilled spirits
• Devine Crumb – Nut butters and power muffins
• Four Horsemen Brewery – Beer
• Stomani Cellers – Wine
• Sweet Caroline’s Jam – Jams and Preserves

Returning vendors include:
FARMERS – FRUIT:

• Collins Family Orchard
• Hayton Farms Berries
• Martin Family Orchards
• Sidhu Berry Farms
• Skagit Sun Berries

FARMERS – VEGETABLES:

• Alvarez Organic Farms
• Growing Washington
• Hedlin Farms
• Kittitas Valley Greenhouse
• Lyall Farms

FARMERS – OTHER:

• Finnriver Farm & Cidery
• Holmquist Hazelnuts
• Sunny Honey

FLOWERS:

• Bao Gardens
• Moua Gardens
• True Her Gardens

MEAT & FISH:

• Jeb’s Wild Salmon
• Olsen’s Farms
• Sky Valley Family Farms

BAKERIES:

• Snohomish Bakery

PROCESSED FOOD:

• 11 Olives
• Divine Crumb
• Elleno’s Real Greek Yogurt
• High 5 Pie
• Island Treats
• La Pasta
• Lowercase Brewing
• Pinckney Cookie Cafe
• Seven Red Tagines
• Thyme + Season

PREPARED FOOD:

• Buns Natural Burgers
• Got Soup?
• I Love My GFF
• Patty Pan Grill
• Seattle Pops
• Street Treats
• Veraci Pizza

BEVERAGES:

• Middle Fork Roasters
• Shen Zen Tea
• Timber City Ginger

During the month of June, MIFM’s “Garden Days” will feature a wide variety of local artisan crafts for home and outdoor use, including: Cascade Edibles (plant starts), Coco Beza (handmade soaps and more), Iconic Cedar (furniture), Impwear (aprons), Moondance (wood products and stained glass), Thrush Designs (terrariums), and Willow Steel (metal yard art).

The market operates 10 am to 3 pm every Sunday from June 5th through October 9th, except for Sunday, July 10th (Summer Celebration) and Sunday, August 7th (Seafair weekend). It also re-opens for Harvest Market on Sunday, November 20th, for Thanksgiving shoppers.

To learn more about the Mercer Island Farmers Market, visit: www.mifarmersmarket.org

MIFM is also seeking volunteers.  For more information about volunteering at the market, send an email to: [email protected]