FRESH DESTINATION

THE BELLEVUE FARMERS MARKET

From organic cherries and peaches to fresh bread and pizzas, the Bellevue Farmers Market provides a unique opportunity to meet the farmers and small business owners dedicated to bringing fresh, quality products from throughout our state to Bellevue.

Supporting small family farms has been a driving passion which began as a child for the market’s Executive Director, Lori Taylor.

Taylor has always felt a strong connection and deep respect for those individuals who have dedicated their lives to the life of farming. She witnessed this first hand while spending summers on her grandparents’ 200-acre dairy farm.

“There is a beauty to this way of life that I can’t put my finger on or express in words,” said Taylor. “It’s all wrapped up in the stewardship of the land, honest hard work, perseverance and dedication to the gift of food and how it brings people together,” said Taylor.

Taylor, a Bellevue native and Bellevue Downtown Association member, opened the Bellevue Farmers Market in 2004 on land John Clarke had cleared in the 1920s to cultivate grapes. The site is now occupied by the First Presbyterian Church of Bellevue, 1717 Bellevue Way NE.

For Taylor, the work has been challenging and at times daunting, but also extremely satisfying. “To think that we are actually making a difference in the lives of farmers and individuals in our community is quite something,” said Taylor. “I continue to be amazed each week at what shows up on that asphalt church parking lot. We are seeing the freshest and best of farm products in the state—it’s a simple and incredible gift.”

Stop by the Bellevue Farmers Market and you will witness a unique connection between urban and rural living. A pastoral celebration, of sorts, in our own back yard where food is the common thread, food that sustains us, comforts us and awakens our senses.

Note: The Bellevue Farmers Market is open every Thursday from 3:00-7:00 p.m. through October 9. Visit bellevuefarmersmarket.org for more information.