Anniversary Story - Lea Leen

What is your favorite memory of Hillsboro Farmers' Markets?

Lots of great memories but my favorite one…Every Sunday me and my 2 girls and my youngest daughter’s nurse would go to the Orenco market. Our routine would be to go to Ochoa’s and get tacos for all of us but for my youngest daughter, Viktoria, I would get a side of beans. We would sit and listen to live music while we ate. Then I would go to Great Harvest Bakery and get us all cookies and we would continue to listen to music. Then one day we decided we were going to do the keto diet so we skipped the tacos and got salads, still getting Viktoria her beans. But then we also skipped the cookies and I went and got veggies instead. When I got back to the girls and the nurse after getting veggies Viktoria looked very confused and then agitated, she was non-verbal. She started rummaging through the bags and throwing all the veggies out. As I was trying to calm her down and figure out what had her so upset the lightbulb came on that for several weeks prior I had always come back with a cookie for her. I ran and got her a cookie and was instantly rewarded with a huge smile. I still laugh every time I see the pictures of her sweet, HAPPY, chocolatey face. Viktoria passed away on 6/23/21 and the markets will never be the same without my silly, sassy girl.

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

They were amazing! We loved all the vendors, the happy patrons, and the live music!

What drew you to the markets?

I have 2 girls, both with Down Syndrome, and 14 years apart; Samantha, now 28, and Viktoria, forever 13. Viktoria was medically fragile and on a ventilator and oxygen. I was looking for low-key, close to home outings that both of my girls would enjoy. They both loved live music and food and I loved everything about the market so it was the perfect Sunday outing for us as a family.

How has the market changed since your first visit?

Unfortunately, the only real changes have been due to COVID. We were so so sad when the live music inside the market stopped and we were no longer allowed to go inside the market to listen to music and eat. We made the best out of it by getting our food and going back out to the little tables and listening to our favorite busker, Taylor, sing and play his guitar.

- Lea Leen