Festive shopping: Farmers market season kicks off next week

Farmers markets make grocery shopping fun.

Instead of a concrete maze of harried cart-pushers, shoppers leisurely stroll the outdoor tents and smell the flowers.

It’s recreation, not a chore, to hunt and gather food.

Grab your tote bag. The market season is starting.

The Snohomish Farmers Market opens Thursday. Saturday is the first day of Edmonds Museum Garden Market.

Everett residents Brittney and Tyler Rourke and their two young sons are regulars at the Sunday Everett Farmers Market, which sets up shop near the waterfront for its seasonal debut on Mother’s Day, May 14.

The boys — Reece, 4, and Bryan, 2 — ride in the cargo bike piloted by Dad.

“We always bike down,” Brittney said. “Even if we are getting a big load. Tyler pulls his trailer and we load up. We bring the cooler and we don’t have to worry about parking.”

She looks forward to the potato loaf and miche from Breadfarm artisan bakery.

“When the fruit comes in, we can’t get enough strawberries, so we usually buy a flat a week. I love getting nectarines later in the season. And cherries,” she said. “There’s a vendor that sells ground lamb. I have a hard time finding it, so I usually get a pound or two.”

There’s more in it for the boys than a cookie from Breadfarm.

“They love saying hi to all the dogs,” she said. “There is usually some live music, so they’ll dance.”

It’s busy and bustling in a good way.

“It’s just social. You never know who you’re going to run into. We are always running into people in the community,” she said.

“It’s a festival atmosphere. Everyone seems to be in a pretty good mood when they go to the farmers market.”

Here is a list of local markets:

Arlington Farmers Market: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturdays, July 1 to Sept. 9, Legion Park, 200 N. Olympic Ave., Arlington; 425-330-6105; www.facebook.com/afmwa.

Bayview Farmers Market: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays through Oct. 21, Bayview Corner, Highway 525 and Bayview Road, Whidbey Island; 360-321-4302; www.bayviewfarmersmarket.com.

Biringer Farm Arlington: Strawberry and raspberry sales and U-pick berries daily, mid-June through July, 21412 59th Ave. NE, Arlington; 425-259-0255. See www.biringerfarm.com for updates and satellite berry sale locations.

Bothell Farmers Market: Noon to 6 p.m. Fridays, June 2 through Sept. 29, 23718 Bothell-Everett Highway, Bothell; 425-483-2250; www.countryvillagebothell.com.

Carleton Farm Produce: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily May 1 through Nov. 1, 630 Sunnyside Blvd. SE, Lake Stevens; 425-334-2297; www.carletonfarm.com.

Clinton Thursday Market: 4 to 7 p.m. Thursdays, July 13 through Aug. 31; some evenings will go later with a family outdoor movie; Clinton Community Hall, 6411 S. Central Ave., Clinton; info@discoverclintonwa.com; www.whidbeycamanoisalnds.com.

Edmonds Museum Garden Market: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays May 6 through June 10, on Bell Street and Fifth Avenue; 425-774-0900; www.historicedmonds.org/garden-market.

Edmonds Museum Summer Market: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays, June 17 through Oct. 7 (except Aug. 12), Fifth Avenue and Main Street; 425-774-0900; www.historicedmonds.org/summer-market.

Everett Friday Farmers Market: 3 to 7 p.m. Fridays, June 23 to Sept. 8, in the Everett Mall Sears parking lot, 1402 SE Everett Mall Way; 425-422-5656; www.fridayfarmersmarketeverettmall.com.

Everett Sunday Farmers Market: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays, May 14 to Oct. 15, new location at the Port of Everett, 615 13th St.; www.everettfarmersmarket.com.

Lake Forest Park Farmers Market: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sundays May 15 through Oct. 15, Highway 522 and Highway 104, Lake Forest Park; 206-366-3302; www.thirdplacecommons.org/farmers-market.

Marysville Farmers Market: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays, June 24 to Sept. 30; 1035 State Ave.; www.marysvillefarmersmarket.org.

Mukilteo Farmers Market: 3 to 7 p.m. Wednesdays, June through September, Lighthouse Park, 609 Front St., Mukilteo; 425-320-3586; www.mukilteofarmersmarket.org.

Port Susan Farmers Market: 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Fridays, June 2 to Oct. 13; in the parking lot next to the Amtrak train station in East Stanwood, 8727 271st NW, Stanwood; www.portsusan.org.

Sedro-Woolley Farmers Market: 3 to 7 p.m. Wednesdays, May 24 to Oct. 18, Hammer Heritage Park, Metcalf and Ferry streets, Sedro-Woolley; 360-840-8601; www.sedrowoolleyfarmersmarket.com.

Snohomish Farmers Market: Thursdays, 3 to 7 p.m. May 4 through Sept. 28 at Cedar Avenue between First and Pearl streets, in downtown Snohomish; 425-280-4150; www.snohomishfarmersmarket.org.

South Whidbey Tilth Farmers Market: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays through Oct. 1 South Whidbey Tilth’s Sustainable Agriculture Center, 2812 Thompson Road, Highway 525 and Thompson Road; www.southwhidbeytilth.org.

Whitehorse Market: Conventional and organic open air market; 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays, closed Mondays; 1080 Seeman St., Darrington; 360-488-3230; http://bit.ly/1SGrBRN.