It was the first ever Dog Day at the Queen Anne Farmer’s Market this week.  Not every market allows people to bring their pups but as director Julie Whitehorn summed it up, “Queen Anne loves its dogs.”  No questions asked.  From the looks of things, the four-legged friends didn’t mind a bit. 
 
This little doggie went to market.

So did this one named Roxie.

Who knew cats aren’t the only ones who like fish?  Lorene from Two If By Sea Foods handed out pink salmon for a treat.  There were also special biscuits made by Dog Mountain Farm and pooch pics from Chris and Emi’s Photography.  The Seattle Humane Society’s Maxmobile was there to adopt out pets, too.

At the end of the evening, pet boutique Mes Amis chose a king and queen canine and awarded prizes.  He’s a little camera shy but 11-month-old, “100%-mutt” Django was crowned king of the pack.

She may not be an actual cougar, but Django’s queen IS a 9 1/2-year-old boxer named Maddie. 

Next week is Wellness Week at the market.  Check their website for updates.

The Queen Anne Farmers Market tomorrow (Thursday) is going to the dogs. You’re encouraged to bring your pooch for “Dog Day,” which will include music from Red Dog, an appearance by the Seattle Humane Society’s Max Mobile, dog photography and more. Check out the full schedule and this week’s fresh list from Julie Whitehorn on the Farmer’s Market website here.

Temperatures are much cooler today (phew!) but another record-breaking hot weather day didn’t stop people from strolling through the Queen Anne Farmer’s Market yesterday.  We snapped a few photos…

We spotted the most AMAZING looking tomatoes here.  A single tomato cost one shopper $4 but she swears they’re the sweetest she’s ever tasted. 

Not surprisingly, gelatto from Poco Carretto was a big hit, as was the debut of Parfait Ice Cream truck.

The Queen Anne Farmer’s Market happens every Thursday from 3-7 p.m. on W. Crockett St. and Queen Anne Ave. N. through October 1.

From the Queen Anne Farmer’s Market website, this Thursday is Cheese Day. Take a Tour de Fromage and sample cheese at our three vendors. Any cheese purchase gets you a ticket to enter our drawing for a $50 market basket.

Monteillet’s Larzac, photo by David Blaine

What’s new: Boulangerie Nantaise makes their QAFM debut withorganic artisan French breads and pastries (their almond croissant is beyond-the-beyond). Alvarez farms will have first-of-the-season Supersweet corn and fresh garbanzos. Local Roots is bringing their first Treviso, the “milder radicchio” and Sungold tomatoes. Grateful Bread is introducingChallah to their baked goods lineup. Tiny’s Organics will bring Lapins cherries and Flavorosa apriums. The Signature is adding a fresh coconut drink to their Vietnamese street food menu. Getting hungry yet?  Check out their website for more information!

The Signature, located on lower Queen Anne, is excited to announce that it will be joining the Queen Anne Farmer’s Market this Thursday, July 2, 2009.

“As a member of the Queen Anne community, we are excited to join the Queen Anne Farmer’s Market and become a part of something that supports vendors and farmers in our local area,” said Tony Ly, the General Manager at The Signature.  “We look forward to incorporating fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs from our neighbors at the farmer’s market into our signature Vietnamese dishes.”

The Signature will feature a rotating menu at the farmer’s market, with items such as: Vietnamese Banh Mi sandwiches with BBQ pork, tofu or chicken;Bubble Tea; Grilled Chicken and Pork Skewers; and Spring Rolls with tofu or shrimp and homemade peanut sauce.

The Queen Anne Farmers Market Association (QAFMA) is a group of neighbors who are committed to working with the community, vendors and the City ofSeattle to support Washington State farmers and producers.  The Queen Anne Farmer’s Market takes place every Thursday till October 1.  It is open from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. and can be found at West Crockett Street and Queen Anne Avenue North near Pasta & Co. more information on QAFMA can be found on their website.

The Signature is located at 530 1st Avenue North, nestled in the heart of Lower Queen Anne.  The restaurant is open every day from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., with the bar open till 3:30 a.m. on Friday and Saturday night.  Happy hour is from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., 8 p.m. to 10 p.m., and all day on Monday.  For more information or to order take-out, please call (206) 283-6614 or visit www.thesignaturerestaurant.com.

The Queen Anne Farmers Market will open June 18 and run Thursday afternoons from 3 to 7 pm at West Crockett St. and Queen Anne Ave. N, the site preferred by a majority of surveyed QA residents.

Bringing the market back this summer is a huge challenge,” admits Julie Whitehorn, chair of the Queen Anne Farmers Market Association (QAFMA). Given the late notice, alternate management teams were not available, but we have a commitment of financial assistance from the city, we have great vendors, and we have solid interest from the neighborhood.

The market will be managed this summer by the nonprofit QAFMA, which is racing against the clock to prepare the groundwork, from obtaining insurance to procuring vendors.  Queen Anne Neighbors for Responsible Growth, QAFMA’s parent organization, is supportive of the plan according to its chair, Scott Smith.

“The farmers market is an incredible asset,” said Smith. “We are committed to helping QAFMA with this temporary solution, and in securing management for 2010 and beyond.”

A recent issue was whether the market should remain on Thursday. According to Whitehorn, the former managers planned last fall to move the market to Saturdays. After surveying vendors, however, QAFMA discovered that many of them were already committed on Saturdays, and Queen Anne would be competing with Magnolia and University markets for both vendors and customers. 

While the City of Seattle has offered financial assistance to move the market to its new location, additional funds must be raised to cover expenses, including labor, permits, insurance, signage, and marketing. QAFMA seeks to raise $10,000 through a “Friend of the Market” program geared to business sponsors and “The Beet Goes On” fundraiser (reusable tote bags, offered as gifts with $15 minimum donations at local retailers, including A&J’s, Eat Local, Video Isle, Hilltop Yarn, and Pasta & Co).  

Queen Anne residents make up the QAFMA steering committee: Kimberly McKittrick, Maria College, Erica Peters, Jenny Wilkson, Sarah Holt, Heather Hughes, Laura Levy, Nancie Kosnoff, and John Rashby-Pollock. A volunteer manager and traffic monitors for the 15-week market are being actively sought, as are local chefs for demonstrations, and local musicians for busking. Those interested in volunteering, vending or performing at the market are encouraged to visit the website at www.qafma.org. Donations are accepted at the website via Paypal.

The Queen Anne Community Council meets today, February 4 at McClure Middle School at 7:30 pm.  On the agenda is will be a presentation by the Port of Seattle on the status of Terminal 91, 2001 W. Garfield Street, Seattle,  in the Interbay. The construction of Terminal 91, scheduled to be completed in time for the cruise ship season, was controversial last summer when it was reported that the Port Commission approved additional funding to speed up the construction, setting the project at over $120 million.

At the QACC meeting will also be a discussion regarding the relocation of the QA Farmer’s Market.  There are several options are under consideration.

If you can believe it, the last Queen Anne Farmers Market of the season is this Thursday afternoon. Like every year, summer’s gone all too soon. Stop on by and catch a cooking demonstration from chef Aaron Wright of Canlis at 4 p.m.

The market runs from 3-7 p.m. at First Ave. at West Howe Street.