Anniversary Story - Colin G

What is your favorite memory of Hillsboro Farmers' Markets?

My favorite memory was the season in October of 2019, when there were pumpkins of all shapes and sizes spilling out of trucks. All the produce was lovely, there were people already getting into the Halloween spirit, the streets were packed with great food and cute crafts - it was just a perfect encapsulation of what a local farmer's market should be.

What were the markets like when you started shopping with us?

It was pre-COVID, so everyone was packed in next to each other, all the vendors sharing conversations, the people bustling through on Main Street so close you'd have to stop for a stroller or big family every once in a while. We could head west to get food and listen to music, then go back down the other way to load up on fresh fruits and veggies - good times!

What drew you to the markets?

I liked how it was clearly a community market, right there at the heart of downtown Hillsboro, with all the vendors embodying the cheer and feel of the "small" town and local crafts/farming. You could tell who had been there for ages and were basically cultural touchstones for the community, be it the barbeque truck or someone's favorite farmer that grew their veggies literally just a mile away over the freeway.

How has the market changed since your first visit?

Things got pretty hectic during 2020; distancing, limitations on number of people, limitations on number of vendors or some vendors going out of business, switching locations and to drive-through only for a while. But despite all of that, the market still has the same feel, the same cheery positivity in its vendors and its shoppers, and that warms the heart!

- Colin G