As of last week, Ballard Farmers Market faithfuls can vote for their favorite market to help Ballard rank once again in the America's Favorite Farmers Market Contest. Last year, the Ballard Market was ranked fourth in the nation.

This year marks the market's 12th season.

"It's success of perserverance" said Judy Kirkhoff, market organizer.

"The local farmers market started as farms selling the produce from the back of their trucks at the Fremont market," Kirkhoff said, who was a vendor herself at the time.

"Then, Great Harvest and some other community businesses came to the Market association and said we needed one in Ballard. So in July, 1999, I brought the farmers with me to Ballard and set up at the parking lot that is now the Library."

The market was well received and that summer the Ballard Market expanded to 30 to 40 vendors and there was talk of continuing the market throughout the winter months.

"I stuck a banner with Ballard Farmers Market up a pole to mark our presence and only one farmer spend the winter with me," Kirkhoff said. "It steadily grew each winter and when the market moved to Ballard Avenue, 1200 people would come through on a winter day. I was popping the champaign cork when that happened."

Today, the market has grown to be one of the most popular markets around.

"Ballard is the number one farmers market in terms of average daily sales in the State," said Zachary Lyons, President of the Seattle Chapter of Chefs Collaborative who served as Executive Director of the Washington State Farmers Market Association from 1999 until 2005.
"It's also the most beautiful market in the state of Washington."

Despite the poor weather and economic downturn, the market continues to grow in popularity, in revenue, in visitors.

Kirkhoff said the market attracts people from all over the U.S. and the world. In the summer months last year, they saw a record high of around 12,000 visitors.

"We have a huge visitor base and it helps Ballard be a food destination and chefs from some of Ballard's finest restaurants buy their produce at the market," she said. "Chefs are interested in the taste produced by fresh foods and have local farms nearby to rely on for a supply of high quality foods."

Lyons has been working to improve the connection between farmers and restauranteurs and said the Ballard market is the most popular market among chefs and menu will depend on what is available and good at the market.

"The Ballard market has played a vital role in the rebirth of Ballard," said Lyons. "We've seen an explosion of new locally owned shops, restaurants and specialty shops."

Lyons credits Ballard's "special sense of community" for the success of the market.

"The Ballard community is so supportive. It has developed a compassionate support for local businesses and the sustainable impact they make with their purchases," he said.

Lyons also pointed out the market's role as an "incubator for new businesses".

"The Ballard market has a history of building up little vendors to have a store fronts - Anita's crepes, Veraci Pizza, and Dante's Inferno dogs all started of at the market," he said.

Kirkhoff said fifty percent of running a farmers market is education.

"It's American culture to shop once a week and buy the cheapest food available. Corporations got really good at providing us with the cheapest foods while still making a profit," Kirkhoff, said. "As a result, quality went out the window."

Lyons and Kirkhoff are both big advocates of supporting local farmers, supporting the local community, and sustainable practices.

Kirkhoff said the idea that produce at farmers markets is more expensive than in supermarkets is " a flat out myth".

"It's called the grocery basket myth. We (the markets) have actually come in lower on prices each time a study has been conducted. It may look more expensive on an individual item basis but it's not in the full picture," she said.

"I'm never apologetic to the prices farmers charge," Lyons added. "There is no grocery store in Seattle that underprices the Farmer's market."
Kirkhoff explained that people don't factor in shelve life when they buy produce.

"A head of lettuce from Safeway or QFC will last 7 days tops. It's been harvested, sprayed and held in storage for 7 to 9 days before it gets on the shelves. At the market, the lettuce will not have been harvested for more than two days before the market and will last up to two weeks," she explained.

And even if it's not the quality produce or locally sourced food you're into, the market is still worth a visit, Lyons and Kirkhoff said.

"The Ballard Market is an attraction even if you don't want to buy anything," Kirkhodd said. "It's a place to go just to watch and experience with friends and family."

"People go to the market and make a day out of it," Lyons added. "They have brunch, shop at store fronts, and support the local economy."