Washington Farmers Market kicks off 2021 season

There was something for everyone at the first Washington Farmers Market of 2021 Thursday night on the Square.

Central Park was filled with vendors selling everything from plants and herbs to baked goods, sweet treats and grilled burgers.

“How could it be any better for the first night?” market organizer Bob Shepherd said. “The weather turned out fantastic. We’ve got a lot of people who showed up and a number of new people.”

Shepherd said that it is a little early in the growing season for fresh vegetables, although some vendors did have asparagus.

One of those vendors was Gerald Freyenberger, who has been a vendor at every Washington Farmers Market for the past 33 years.

“I’ve got a lot of plants right now,” Freyenberger said. “Later on, I’ll have more vegetables.”

He said his love of growing things keeps him coming back year after year.

“I’ve been here since it started,” he said. “I enjoy gardening. That’s my thing. It’s fun to watch things grow.”

Jocelyn Engman had a table set up with fresh herbs and a selection of infused oils and vinegars she and her husband produce on their farm near Brighton, Pickle Creek Herbs.

Their Prairie Fire infused olive oil won a national award.

While perusing the selection of oils, Shepherd said, “Someone over there is selling homemade sourdough bread. Get some of that with one of these oils, and you’ve got a meal.”

Engman has been bringing her products to the farmers market since 2006.

“We like to stay true to our roots,” she said.

Gaby Palacios has been serving up Mexican food at the farmers market since 2015

“I like to bring new flavors,” Palacios said as she poured a cup of refreshing cucumber lime water for a customer. “I’ll have a different flavor of fresh water every week.”

She offers a number of other treats, including tamales and fresh Mexican corn.

“Everybody knows me for my corn,” Palacios said.

Cheryl Allen was a first-time vendor at the Washington Farmers Market, selling her freshly baked sweet treats.

“This is my first time here in Washington,” Allen said. “It’s also my first time selling sweets.”

She said that people seemed pleased with the selection of sweets that she was selling.

“I focused on bars today, because I wanted to try a few things out,” Allen said. “I have a diverse selection of things you could eat here at the market. I thought they would be a dessert after you have your meal.”

The Washington Farmers Market runs every Thursday through Oct. 14 from 5-7:30 p.m.