First Farmers Market of Spring 2025

Damp day and peeking sunshine will not deter the intrepid photographer

Saturday morning and it’s the first weekend of Spring! Storm clouds are clearing. Sun is peeking through the clouds. Rain for the last few days gives way to clear and clean smelling air.

The pantry needs restocking, so off to market we go! Greens are at the top of our list: spinach, mixed, turnip & beet greens will all make wonderful salads and ingredients for pasta and soups (it’s still soup weather).

Stop for a caffeinated beverage and a hit of protein for the drive into the downtown Portland State University (PSU) Farmers Market. Light traffic makes for few spills of overfilled coffee cups and ineffective stoppers and straws. We much away listening to NPR, sad that the morning coo of Scott Simon is AWOL this day. Sigh. We listen to the symphony of voices substituting for him and their compelling stories that enthrall us.

Linda Naylor

’s impeccable Parking Karma is in fine form today: a perfect “Linda Spot” one block away from the entrance. We grab an indestructible Trader Joe’s grocery bag for our goodies. I wonder “will I decompose in my grave faster than this grocery bag?”

We arrive at the entrance and we are greeted by the most wonderful display of flowers dancing in their buckets while getting placed into arrangements sure to catch an eye. “Take me home with you!” they beckon. The fresh vegetables lounge in displays designed to make the passerby reach out and say “Ooh, that looks gorgeous!”

We can’t resist: out come the phone camera’s! Have a look at what we found …