Sisters Farmers Market to open Sunday

Sisters Farmers Market opens a new season starting Sunday, June 5, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Shoppers can browse fresh Oregon strawberries, locally ranched meats and eggs, produce from local farms, and a variety of artisanal foods and handcrafts. The music of Derek Reynolds promises to get people’s toes tapping.

A relaxed, friendly feeling surrounds the Sisters community’s outdoor market, which runs from June through early October.

“I just love the vibes of this market,” said Aaron Naden. “It’s a great way to end my week. We enjoy ourselves here.”

The selection of goods and foods has grown over the last few years. Shoppers can sip Central Oregon coffee and kombucha while shopping for local honey, woodwork, personal care products, preserves, pickles, oils, vinegars, and jams. Crisp greens and delicate spring carrots will be available, harvested about a mile from the market itself.

Some vendors change from week to week. Teens from the Sisters High School greenhouse club will be on hand for Opening Day, featuring plant starts they have grown to sell. Shoppers can expect veggie starts for a classic spring garden spread.

For Opening Day, visitors can also enjoy barbecue, alpaca wool creations, soy candles, jewelry, and locally baked dog treats. Central Oregon-inspired map artworks will be available from Hiker Booty, while Grateful Bend will offer tie-dyes for the whole family.

Multi-instrumentalist Derek Reynolds comes to Sisters via Portland, Los Angeles, and the Midwest. With roots as a professional bass player, Reynolds will perform an acoustic singer-songwriter set featuring a combination of feel-good cover tunes and original songs influenced by rock and reggae.

Every Sunday throughout the summer, Sisters Farmers Market will feature a local nonprofit organization. For Opening Day, two charities join in: Circle of Friends and Oregon Adaptive Sports.

Based in Sisters, Circle of Friends supports children and youth through one-on-one mentorships. Young participant Paxton Seeley said he loves the activities he gets to do there. “I’ve gone fishing, learned Lego robotics and coding with my sister, and visited Ponderosa Forge and Black Butte Pool.”

Paxton said he is excited to meet his next mentor and have even more adventures.

“Ultimately, the outcome we are striving for is to create generational change that ends the cycle of poverty experienced by our youth and their families,” according to the organization. Learn more at http://www.circleof

friendsoregon.org or come meet them in person.

Many folks in Sisters have seen Oregon Adaptive Sports participants zipping down the slopes at Hoodoo Ski Bowl. The organization “envisions a day when everyone has access to the benefits of outdoor recreation, regardless of ability,” providing year-round programs. Information and opportunities are available at oregonadaptivesports.org, or stop by their market booth on Sunday.

Fir Street Park hosts the market, a half block north of Cascade Avenue/Highway 20 at the corner of Main Avenue and Fir Street. Close to food carts and shopping, the park features the Songbird Stage bandshell and a splash pad for kids to play in on hot days.

Sisters Farmers Market brings fun and food to all ages, at a variety of income levels. Produce grown by local farmers can be purchased using SNAP/EBT. Shoppers using SNAP can double their money, up to $20 each market day, through a program called Double Up Food Bucks (DUFB).

Additionally, older folks and participants in the Women, Infants & Children (WIC) program may receive checks from the Oregon Farm Direct Nutrition Program. These FDNP checks are also accepted at Sisters Farmers Market.

All those acronyms can get confusing. Shoppers are invited to stop by the market’s Info Booth when they arrive, where staff and volunteers can turn all those capital letters into tokens. The tokens can be spent at various market booths.

Sisters Farmers Market takes place Sundays, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. through early October. For more information, or to sign up as a volunteer or vendor, see http://www.sistersfarmersmarket.com.