Area grower planting seed for Marysville farmers market

With the growing popularity in recent years of "slow food" and "eat local" movements, new weekly farmers markets have sprouted each spring throughout the state and country.

Jeanette Rice, who owns a small family orchard in Arboga, has seen the growth first-hand, and she thinks Marysville may be finally ready to embrace a long-term market of its own.

On May 29, she and members of the city's business improvement district will launch a Friday Night Market on D Street between First and Third Streets. Successive Fridays have been booked through September.

"We tour a great deal," she said of the increasing number of stops on the region's produce vendor circuit.

In recent years, her Rice River Ranch has been represented at markets in Roseville, Rocklin, Chico, Davis, Grass Valley and Nevada City.

This spring, Rice will launch a new market in Granite Bay, as well as the one in Marysville.

Thus far, she said, about 10 area farmers and one strawberry farmer from Watsonville have signed on for the Marysville event.

Marysville has tried a few farmers markets before — at least once at Third and D Streets, and at Washington Square — but none has caught on.

Kate Christiansen, a Business Improvement District member representing the Sew-So Shop on D Street, said she is certain the idea will catch on here.

"We're hoping that eventually, we can do this year-round," she said.

Christiansen, who holds a bachelor's degree in nutrition and food science, is working toward a master's degree in the subject. Fresh, locally grown produce, she said, "has better taste because it hasn't been shipped for up to two weeks."

"It's gonna be fresher if you're actually buying it from the person who's growing it," she said.

And because it doesn't travel long distances to reach consumers, she said, local produce doesn't waste fossil fuel on the way to market.

In addition to fresh produce, the Marysville market will feature street entertainers, and prepared foods sold from restaurant booths, Christiansen said.

Rice said she is hoping to attract more vendors, and some acoustic performers, before the April 23 deadline for applications.

The first two weeks of the event will feature a contest in which children will be encouraged to create artwork in response to a question about agriculture.

"It's gonna be big," said Rice of the new market, "and it's gonna be good for the county and Marysville."

Applications available

Vendor and entertainer applications for Friday Night Market in downtown Marysville can be found at visitmarysville.com.

Deadline for application submission is April 23.

The market will be held every Friday from May 29 to Sept.25, 5-8:30 p.m. on D Street between First and Third streets.

Contact Appeal-Democrat reporter Nancy Pasternack at 749-4712 or at npasternack@appealdemocrat.com.