By Melissa Wagoner
Alexandra Samoilov’s family business is – quite literally – the berries. South Barlow Berries grows an enormous variety in their fields off South Barlow Road in Canby and every week they haul them to 10 farmer’s markets around the state. Recently they’ve added one more market to the list – the Mount Angel Wochenmarkt.
“It’s small but I like it,” Samoilov said of the newly opened market. “A lot of the locals come out. Slowly but surely it will grow.”
The market is the brainchild of Leah Duda, who also proposed the name, Wochenmarkt – the German name for a weekly market. Although it started out small – only three vendors – the number of vendors has already nearly tripled to eight. The vendors’ wares include a variety of baked goods, plants, berries, honey and even artisan pasta.
“Come each week for something new,” Amber Mathiesen – city manager and market liaison to the City Council – suggested. “Many vendors are seasonal based on the produce available at the time.”
So far business has been good according to both Wayne Huisman, who runs Esotico Pasta’s booth, and Mathiesen.
“The shoppers have expressed their pleasure in supporting the market and the vendors have been nearly selling out each week,” Mathiesen said. “We take this as a win-win with shoppers and vendors alike enjoying the experience.”
One of the attributes of the Wochenmarkt is the timing. It is held on Thursdays between 9 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. through the end of September.
“We wanted to pick a day that was not competing with other markets so we could have some of the same vendors as other communities,” Mathiesen said.
Another distinctive feature is the family friendly programing offered in front of the library – weather permitting – during market hours. There are also the weekly market day specials offered by businesses throughout Mount Angel.
“This support appears to be growing each week as well,” Mathiesen said.
She said she is glad the market has been a success and looks forward to the future.
“These markets build community,” she said. “Neighbors shop together, local farms are supported, and people can buy fresh local produce and products.”
“Tell people to come on out and support the market,” Huisman said. “The more we sell the more vendors we’ll get.”
