The West Seattle Farmers Market is officially open year-round, due to popular demand from both shoppers and farmers, the market operators announced last week.

The winter Farmers Market has seen a steady growth of loyal customers who weekly access unique products from local farms, and it was rapidly becoming apparent to market operators that shoppers would be extremely disappointed to see the market close at the end of February.

The market offers a large selection of high-quality products from near-by farms, including organic meats, fresh eggs, winter greens and vegetables, locally-caught seafood, goat and cow's milk cheeses.

The Farmers Market was first established with the idea that many local family farms are really more equipped for a direct-sales venue than for a wholesale commercial market. These farms tend to grow smaller quantities of many different fruits and vegetables, some of which do not ship well or simply taste better when they are picked ripe and sold right away to consumers. Others are small ranchers or herders who do not want to raise their animals in a "factory farm" environment, and are producing high-quality meats, cheeses and eggs.

All of these small farms are an essential component to a safe, healthy and diverse regional food system, and as shoppers become more savvy about food quality and safety issues, Farmers Markets have become increasingly popular not only in Seattle, but nationwide.

The market has sought to meet consumer demand for more unusual and varied products. An example is the West Seattle Farmers Market now offers goat chops from Toboton Creek Goats Farm in Yelm and the tender, flavorful meat is similar to lamb chops. Then, there is Rockridge Orchards fruit wine or cider, some fresh spinach for a salad from Willie Green's Organic Farm, and delicious cheeses from market farmers.