Farm direct marketing is a direct link between consumers and producers that prohibits resale and promotes transparency and traceability. The few non-grown vendors in our markets (bakers, restaurants, beverages and the like) are held to high standards of local sourcing.
Our outdoor farmers' markets are known for their wide selection of local Willamette Valley organic and conventionally grown fruits and vegetables, cut flowers, nursery plants and herbs. Homemade baked goods, jams, preserves, syrups, honey, cheese, eggs, nuts, seafood, meats and poultry broaden the offerings and help extend the market season. Sustainable meat and poultry continue to expand as more farmers strive to help consumers replace quantity with quality.
CAFM has a longtime commitment to enhancing access to high quality, local food among ALL members of our community. We are deeply engaged in nutrition programs (SNAP, SNAP matching programs like Double Up Food Bucks, gleaning, Farm Direct Nutrition Program) that promote food justice and equity.
We operate all of our markets for a 32-week season, from mid-April to the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. We also will operate one or more bonus markets in December. Our larger farmers grow a lot under cover to extend seasons, so you may see produce over a longer span than you expect.
Corvallis Saturday, the youngest of our three farmers' markets, takes place on city streets adjacent to Riverfront Commemorative Park, near several restaurants and other food-related businesses.
Corvallis Wednesday operates in a portion of the Saturday site. See the feature box for more details.
Albany, a Saturday market, is located in the City Hall parking lot and on an adjacent street that fronts the Linn County Courthouse.
A separate organization runs the Corvallis Indoor Winter Market, which runs from mid-January until the week before CAFM opens the outdoor season. The two organizations cover 46-47 weeks a year.
Our Albany market has a lovely setting in the City Hall parking lot and on a courthouse block with beautiful heritage trees. Like our Corvallis Saturday site, it's open mid-April through late November from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.