• Sitka Farmers Market vendor forms, information sheets and regulations for 2013 now available

SitkaFarmersMarketSignVendors looking to sell local food, arts and crafts, and other items at the 2013 Sitka Farmers Markets can find all the vendor forms, information sheets and regulations for this year by going to the Documents page on this site. The forms are in downloadable Acrobat PDF files.

The 2013 Sitka Farmers Markets will be managed by Bridget Kauffman, and she can be reached at sitkafarmersmarket@gmail.com or 738-8683 during the market season. Bridget’s co-managers will be Sabrina Cimerol for the first three markets and Garrett Bauer for the last three. Bridget is a former vendor (she used to sell home baked goods), so she should be a good fit for the manager position.

Our 2013 Sitka Farmers Markets will be from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on alternating Saturdays in July, August and September (July 6, 20, Aug. 3, 17, 31, and Sept. 14) at the Alaska Native Brotherhood Founders Hall on Katlian Street.

Bridget plans to host two pre-market meetings with potential vendors at 7 p.m. on Monday, June 10, and at 7 p.m. on Monday, June 24, at the See House behind St. Peter’s By The Sea Episcopal Church. This will be when she’s available to answer questions and make suggestions to help new and old vendors adjust to any food regulation changes from the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, changes in the Alaska Quest electronic benefits program, etc. For more information, contact Bridget.

• Bridget Kauffman wins Table of the Day Award for her baked goods during fourth Sitka Farmers Market of the summer

Sitka Local Foods Network board members Linda Wilson, left, and Lynnda Strong, right, present home baker Bridget Kauffman with the Table of the Day Award for the fourth Sitka Farmers Market of the summer on Aug. 28, 2010.

Sitka Local Foods Network board members Linda Wilson, left, and Lynnda Strong, right, present home baker Bridget Kauffman with the Table of the Day Award for the fourth Sitka Farmers Market of the summer on Aug. 28, 2010.

Bridget Kauffman won the Table of the Day award at the fourth Sitka Farmers Market of the summer on Saturday, Aug. 28, at Alaska Native Brotherhood Hall.

The local home baker was presented with a certificate, $25 cash and a farmers market cookbook by Sitka Local Foods Network board secretary/treasurer Linda Wilson and board member Lynnda Strong. Bridget has been at every market this year, one of many new bakers who have signed up to be vendors at the markets. Bridget bakes a variety of breads, from whole wheat and rye to specialty breads with nuts, seeds and other flavors. She made 40 loaves to sell at the first market, and sold out of them before the first hour was over. She has doubled her production, and still sells out before the market ends.

One vendor at each of the five scheduled Sitka Farmers Markets this season will receive a similar prize. The last big market of the summer is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 11, at historic ANB Hall. We look forward to seeing you there.

Also, don’t forget the 16th annual Running of the Boots fundraiser for the Sitka Local Foods Network takes place at 11 a.m. (registration opens at 10 a.m.) on Saturday, Sept. 25, as part of the third annual Summer’s End Celebration hosted by the Greater Sitka Chamber of Commerce and the Alaska Cruise Association. This fun run for people sporting XtraTufs rubber boots features a run from the Crescent Harbor shelter through downtown Sitka and around St. Michael’s Russian Orthodox Cathedral. There usually are one or two small tables with late produce, but not as many vendors as a regular market. More details on the Running of the Boots will be available later this month.

A slideshow of photos from the fourth Sitka Farmers Market is posted below, and a similar slideshow can be found on our Shutterfly site.

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