Olympia Farmers Market kicks off 41st season

Mayor Cheryl Selby achieved a longtime goal Thursday morning at the Olympia Farmers Market when she got to ring the opening-day bell for the first time.

“This is why I ran for mayor,” she said with a laugh. “It’s one of my proudest moments, and it’s at one of our biggest jewels in Olympia.”

In fact, the market has developed a reputation as one of the state’s best. Located at the north end of Capitol Way, the market’s official 41st season will run 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursdays through Sundays until the end of October when it scales back to just weekends. More than 250,000 visitors are expected this year.

As always, visitors can find an array of local vendors selling fruits, veggies, seafood, meat, cheese, honey, pastries, jams, jellies, sauerkraut, flowers, herbs, soap, art, balloon animals and more.

The season will include plenty of live music. Local band The Pine Hearts provided a country-infused soundtrack to Thursday’s sunny spring weather.

“What’s there not to love?” said bass player Miss Kate, who loves to see children dancing to her band’s songs when performing at the market. “Even if it was pouring rain, there would still be happy people here.”

For many vendors, the market also means family time.

For 15 years and counting, Teresa Ricklick has helmed Dingey’s, a food stand known for its original-recipe crab cakes. She works alongside her husband, Craig, as well as her adult children and growing grandchildren. She wouldn’t have it any other way.

“It’s all about family,” she said Thursday. “I just like it.”

Evan Adams has sold his fresh-caught oysters and clams at the market since 1996. He’ll have Olympia oysters on ice this weekend, but they won’t last long.

“I don’t believe in raw oysters during the summer,” he said, noting the higher risk of exposure to toxins in those months. “If you do eat oysters in the summer, steam them in beer and eat them with a little bit of lime.”

Adams was an engineer for the state Department of Transportation before he retired in 1992. Harvesting shellfish keeps him busy these days, and he enjoys the peace and freedom that come with digging up clams on Washington beaches.

Mostly, he likes catching the freshest oysters and clams for the market’s customers.

“I bring my own product,” he said. “This is my way of saying thank you to the people of Olympia.”

This story was originally published April 7, 2016 at 5:04 PM with the headline "Olympia Farmers Market kicks off 41st season."