Jefferson County Farmers Markets are celebrating National Farmers Market Week, taking place Aug. 7 through 13.

The Port Townsend Farmers Market features a chef demo by Arran Stark from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 13 on Tyler Street. Other things to celebrate this week at the Port Townsend markets and Chimacum Farmers Market on Sunday, Aug. 14 include plentiful berries, the first of the Finnriver apples, and peaches grown by SpringRain Farm and Orchard. In addition, Mystery Bay Farm is celebrating National Goat Cheese Month all August with a special cheve of the week at the Saturday market.

Arran Stark is also to be hosting weekly evening cooking classes in partnership with Jefferson County Farmers Markets (JCFM), and with support from Jefferson Healthcare and the Port Townsend Food Co-op. The free community classes are from 4 to 6 p.m. in the Culinary Arts Room at the Port Townsend High School, 1500 Van Ness St. Class topics including: meal planning, preparing local vegetables, lean meat and protein, whole grains and beans as well as cooking on a budget.

Limited space is available in this class series. However, the Jefferson County Farmers Market and Stark plan to provide other community education opportunities in the future. To sign up, email info@jcfmarkets.org.

In Jefferson County and nationally, the impact of farmer-to-consumer sales is far greater than it appears on the surface: Farmers markets bring communities together, positively influence community health and support local economies, according to a press release.

FRESH FOOD

Ripe, fresh fruit and vegetables not only tastes better, they are also better for our health, noted Amanda Milholland, JCFM director. Produce loses nutritional value as time elapses from the time of harvest. JCFM vendors travel less than 50 miles to bring fresh produce to the Port Townsend and Chimacum farmers markets, produce often picked the day before and, sometimes, the morning of farmers market. Compare this to fruit and vegetables available at most supermarkets, which travel an average of 1,200 miles before reaching grocery store shelves and are often available to customers several weeks from harvest, said Milholland.

ACCESSIBILITY

JCFM’s food assistance programs, Gimme5 and Fresh Bucks, are a way for all shoppers –regardless of income – to eat nutrition-dense food from local farms. Since the inception of Gimme5 in 2013, JCFM has provided low-income community members with more than $37,000 in matching funds for healthy food from our local farms. In turn, these matching funds have helped low-income shoppers bring home nearly $140,000 in local farm-fresh and artisan foods. JCFM supports community health and food security in partnership with sponsors and individual donors including: Jefferson Healthcare, the Port Townsend Food Co-op, United Good Neighbors, the USDA and Pane d’Amore.

ECONOMIC BOOST

One of the important community benefits of farmers markets is that they boost local economies by retaining more of the money spent in our community, Milholland noted. A 2010 study by USDA’s Economic Research Service compared producers selling salad mix, blueberries, milk, beef and apples locally with producers of the same products selling to mainstream supply chains. This report found that “nearly all of the wage and proprietor income earned in the local market chains is retained in the local economy.” This “economic multiplier effect” helps create jobs and boosts economic activity. Growers selling locally create 13 full-time farm operator jobs per $1 million in revenue earned. Those that do not sell locally create only three jobs.