The Corvallis-Albany Farmers Market hosts many vendors, some of whom are from Oregon State University.
One of these vendors is Beaver Classic Cheese, where OSU agriculture students make cheese and sell it at the market. According to Brandon Riesgaard, the dairy pilot plant manager at OSU, BCC have been vendoring at the market since before 2017, when he began as a student at OSU.
“The students love it. It’s fun!” Riesgaard said. “The best part about it is that the students who make the cheese get to talk about it to everyone at the market.”
While BCC only vendors during the Corvallis Saturday market, the CAFM is made up of three separate markets: a Saturday market in Albany, established in 1978; a Wednesday market in Corvallis, established in 1981; and the Saturday market in Corvallis, established in 1991. All of the markets run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
During the Oct. 17 Corvallis Market, there will be an event specifically aimed at OSU students for them and their families to learn more about the SNAP program. Students will also be eligible for a special student discount package of market currency.
The Corvallis markets are located at Northwest First Street and Northwest Jackson Avenue, and the Albany market is located on Northwest Water Avenue and Northwest Ferry Street.
BCC is only one of the many different vendors at the markets. According to the CAFM’s website, roughly 106 vendors make up the seller population across all three markets.
For a less busy experience, Market Director of the CAFM Taylor Kamsler Wilson said that the Wednesday market is smaller than its Saturday counterparts and that it may be a calmer introduction to the event for those who are new to going to markets.
The products sold range from seasonal fruits and vegetables to fresh meats, breads, honeys, preserves and many other things for cooking and eating.
There are also resource booths at the markets, such as the CAFM’s information and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program booth. This is where the market’s Double Up Food Bucks program will match up to $20 that is paid with a SNAP card, allowing SNAP users up to $40 to spend on fresh produce in the market per week.
Erin Hentzel, a CAFM associate, said the market also accepts all card payments, but will give out tokens or tickets equal in value at these booths for spending at vendors instead of using personal cards. This means vendors don’t have to pay the debit and credit card fees themselves.
The downtown Saturday markets end on Nov. 21 and the Wednesday market ends on Nov. 25. The Corvallis Winter Market will run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays on Jan. 9 to April 10 at the Benton County Fairgrounds, providing fresh and local produce to the community year-round.
