Vancouver Farmers Market opens 27th season

The Vancouver Farmers Market opened its 27th season with warm, sunny weather and a large crowd Saturday along Sixth and Esther streets downtown. Shoppers gathered around Vicki Allenback's Skamokawa Farmstead Creamery to sample various types of goat cheese. Allenback, who calls herself a "goatherdess," is raising about 100 goats, including Alpine, Saanen, LaMancha and Toggenburg breeds. So far, her herd has birthed 41 babies, with 14 more expected. "They're popping every day," she said. "Come visit the farm Saturdays or Sundays," she invited shoppers. Karen Anderson and Eric Anderson from Brush Prairie purchased feta and classic chevre, or goat cheese, from Allenback. They are regulars to the market. "For 10 years we've been coming almost every Saturday," Eric Anderson said. "We have breakfast here every week." Now with more than 150 vendors, the market will be open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sundays through Oct. 30. Organizers say about 600,000 people visited the market last year, and a total of 175 vendors took part on at least one weekend. When the Vancouver Farmers Market first opened on Saturday, Aug. 18, 1990, at East Fifth Street and Broadway, about 25 vendors offered produce, flowers and handcrafted items.