Many are aware of the weekly farmer’s market on Saturdays in downtown Eugene, but the weekly Lane County Tuesday market is lesser known. Held every week at the Market Pavilion on the corner of 8th Avenue and Oak Street, the Tuesday market offers a more peaceful energy than the popular Saturday Market. As the summer growing season comes to an end, the Lane County Tuesday Market prepares for fall and begins filling their stands with apples, eggplants and other seasonal fall fruits and veggies.
As the air grows colder and September approaches, new vegetables have come into season. Freshly picked blackberries, eggplants and chilis were among the new selections offered on Tuesday, Aug. 20.
“I grow habanero, ghost, scorpion and Carolina reaper,” Ben Tilley, local farmer at Crossroads Farm, said. “A lot of people think you can’t grow chilies up this far north, but you can because of the warm nights in the fall.”
This is Tilley’s first year participating in the Tuesday Markets after being a frequent flier at the Saturday Farmers Market. “The farmers market is a lot of fun,” he said. “When you work on a farm, you don’t leave it much. It’s really fun to come and talk to people.”
According to Tilley, many customers at the Tuesday Market are local chefs looking for fresh ingredients to cook with. “A lot of chefs come, especially on Tuesdays. It’s fun to engage with them and see what they’re thinking,” he said. “I try to listen to what the chefs want to do with their food and help them out. Last weekend I picked a bunch of little baby eggplants for a dish someone wanted to make.”
Another appeal of the Tuesday Market is the accessibility. Weekends can be busy and many people don’t have the time to make it on Saturday, so Lane County started holding a Tuesday Market as well. With smaller crowds and more one-on-one interaction between farmers and customers, the Tuesday markets offer a close look at how local growers and the Eugene community interact.
Erin Wallat, a farmer at Oak and Meadows specializing in perennials and plant starts for the autumn season, echoed this sentiment.
“I moved to Oregon two years ago and dove right into the farmers market world here,” she said. “I love this market. The people and community are amazing in Eugene, both the farmers and our customers.”
Accessibility also comes in the form of tokens at the Tuesday Market through the EBT and Double Up Food Bucks programs. EBT users can swipe their EBT cards and exchange EBT dollars for tokens, which can be exchanged directly with the farmers for their goods.
The Double Up Food Bucks program allows the market to double EBT money up to $20. EBT users can withdraw money from their accounts and the market will double that amount.
When asked what makes the market special for her, Alexis Molinari, market director, said, “I like to work at the farmers market because it allows an opportunity to bridge different communities and increase access to local food. I love seeing state-funded dollars going into farmers’ pockets.” According to Molinari, this accessibility is a big draw for customers and vendors alike who want to attend Lane County Farmers Markets.
As the fall season approaches and new fruits and vegetables fill the stands, make sure to check out Lane County Tuesday Market on the corner of 8th Avenue and Oak Street from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. every week. From EBT tokens to peppers and baby eggplants, the market truly has something for everyone.