Splash out at the waterfront
Toledo market offers foods, craft and community
By Hazel Fiedler
Oregon Coast TODAY
The Toledo Waterfront Market makes for a perfect Thursday morning outing. The village of tents, surrounded by the deep green of Oregon Coast forest land and located near the Yaquina river, create a market that is the best of both worlds: a small, friendly community of vendors that offer a wide variety of handmade goods.
Melissa Roberts, a mother and lifelong Toledo resident, is dedicated to using fresh and natural ingredients. As a mom, she finds it incredibly important to feed her children quality food and her booth at the Toledo Market is a result of this.
“The products I create and sell are made with homegrown ingredients that I would be proud to serve to my kids,” she said.
Although she has only been a vendor at the market for four years, Roberts has been a loyal customer since her daughters were young.
“Some of the long-time vendors remember me hiking down to the market with one baby in a stroller and the other strapped to my back,” she said. “I’ve never missed one.”
Before she joined the Toledo market, Roberts was a stay-at-home mom. Deciding to put her products out there was a huge leap, but she did it for her daughters.
“I want to show my girls that anything is possible, you just have to go for it,” she said.
Roberts’ chocolate crinkle cookies sprinkled with powdered sugar are a customer favorite.
“I have a loyal customer who comes every weekend for a tray of cookies,” she said.
Her infused vinegars are flavored with herbs, fruits and flowers grown in her garden, great for salads and vegetables, and her Cowboy Candy is a fitting name for her signature candied jalapenos.
“Nasturtium and raspberry vinegars are coming soon,” she said.
Roberts loves how the market is made up of people from all walks of life coming together to share their passions with others.
“Customers can be sure that vendors wouldn’t sell a product if they wouldn’t use it themselves,” she said.
At the Everfree Farm booth, you will meet Randell Bonner and 18-year-old Gavin, selling a wide variety of canned goods, produce and fresh squeezed lemonade.
The family grows their own produce and raises chickens, turkeys and rabbits for meat and eggs. They also partner with local and valley farmers, which allows them to offer a diverse selection of products and support others through their sales.
“Produce is hard to grow on this side of the coast,” Bonner said. “I mean, you can’t grow lettuce in the sand. People here deserve access to fresh food and this market gives them a chance to buy it.”
Bonner enjoys the small community feel of the market.
“I’ve participated in larger markets and they’re just not the same,” he said.
White Cat Studios combines the passions of couple Wayne and Gail Christian. Wayne took up wood turning 10 years ago after retiring from teaching. He uses walnut, maple and apple wood to create bowls, boxes and candle holders.
“There is a great woodturning community here in Toledo,” he said. “The Oregon Coast Turners group meets once a week and we create together.”
He uses a traditional lathe to smooth and shape his work and fills any imperfections with chrysocolla rock, adding a unique twist to his products.
Gail makes a variety of baked goods.
“I love to bake for my grandkids and now that there aren't as many people at home I bring my creations to the market,” she said. “I use family recipes and cookbooks and try different things until I figure out what works best. My zucchini bread has been popular. The use of zucchini brings moisture into the dessert.”
Gail also makes traditional chocolate covered strawberries in cake form: strawberry cake with a chocolate frosting.
“I think that the Toledo market gives locals something to look forward to each week,” she said. “We recognize weekly customers and worry about the elderly when they aren't there. The market community is like a family.”
The vendors are without a doubt the heart of the market, but none of it would be possible without the work of the Executive Director of Toledo Chamber of Commerce, Kathy Crane, who has been running the market for the last seven years.
“My favorite part about running a market like this one is getting to interact with the vendors,” she said. “All this is really for them.”
Each week customers have the chance to enter a free raffle to win prizes, including donations by vendors and gift certificates to local restaurants.
“People often wonder why the market is on a Thursday,” Crane said. “We chose this day in order to work with other coastal markets and give customers a chance to visit them without having to choose between one or the other.”
The Toledo Waterfront Market is located at the Toledo Waterfront, 385 NW A Street, and is open from 10 am to 3 pm on Thursday. For more information, go to toledooregon.org.