It’s so berry good
At the Lincoln City Farmer’s Market
Story and photos by Andrea McCabe
Fresh vegetables and fruits, jars of honey, wine tastings, freeze-dried candy and a multitude of other treasures can be found at the Lincoln City Farmers Market, located at the Salishan Marketplace Sunday mornings throughout the summer. Meander amidst various vendors and enjoy the summer weather while indulging in unique coastal cuisine, homegrown produce and handmade products.
V Family Farm owner Dee Merriott believes in legacy and sharing culture. This family run farm works to educate consumers on different types of foods by specializing in East Asian vegetables such as Chinese broccoli and bok choy.
“It is a family affair,” she said. “We try to hang it on to our family and pass it down to the next generation. Grown by our family and harvested by our family.”
The 80 acre farm, owned and operated by Merriott and her sister, began in 2001 as Veun’s Farms. Since then, Merriott has branched off to establish V Family Farm. The family works together to grow and sell an assortment of Asian vegetables and standard fruits at various markets around the coast.
The family farm has been an important aspect of Merriott’s and her family’s life, from helping them learn English to making friends. She shares the significance of this with her daughter who assists her at the market.
“Kids need to realize it is nice to be educated but also be grounded and know how hard it is to produce,” Merriott said.
She is drawn to the strong, family-like community of the market she has felt throughout the years.
“For me it is about not only having the right product but also is about relationships with the people,” she said. “They are not only my friends but my family. I met wonderful people in this community.”
Creator and owner of Heat You Can Handle, Matt Kuerbis also enjoys the unique close-knit community of the market vendors and customers.
“It is a cool market,” he said. “There are a lot of cool people here I like hanging out with. It is a cool place to be.”
In terms of heat, cool would not be the word to use for HYCH hot sauce. What began as a need to curb his cravings for green chili has now turned into a successful operation that satisfies both his culinary creativity and excitement for travel.
Kuerbis’ career as a professional chef for 30 years and experience as the former director of education at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Portland has given him expertise needed to become the sauce connoisseur he is today. He and his wife launched HYCH in 2010 after spending time in Costa Rica with the intent to have a running business alongside their travel excursions.
“Everybody was making sauces that were hotter and hotter,” he said. “I like heat but I don’t want to melt my face off. I want it to be comfortable when I eat and don't want it to ruin my food so I was like ‘I'm going to make hot sauces that are lower heat that have a lot of flavor that you can eat and keep on eating and not burn your mouth off.’”
Along with hot sauces, Kuerbis takes people on culinary classes to Italy and Costa Rica for adventure and travel. An upcoming class to Italy will include wine and olive oil tasting and pasta making.
Like Kuerbis, Don Myers has taken his lifelong passion and carved it into a successful operation: Siletz Woodworking.
For the past three years Myers has been making and selling charcuterie and cutting boards. The variety of customers is a big draw of the market for Myers. This year alone he has sold more than one hundred boards headed to Spain, Canada, Beverly Hills and the Pacific Northwest.
“I have always been working with wood,” he said. “I love it. I have a shop in my garage and I make all types of things. I also do custom cutting boards and charcuterie boards.”
Myers uses wood from all over the globe he buys from various local mills and a variety of lumber yards in Oregon. Bright purple heart, peruvian walnut and wenge are a few types of wood he uses to create a variety of board sizes, widths and colors.
Myers believes the market is beneficial to the community and allows consumers to give back to the local economy.
“Come to the farmers market and meet the people that actually make your product,” he said. “Buy directly from them and support local artists.”
The future of the market brings excitement for vendors, local community members and curious travelers popping in. Market manager David Wolf is excited to move back to the Lincoln CIty Cultural Center next season once renovations are finished. Upgrades for next season will include space for 66 vendors, two to four food trucks and roughly 100 parking spots.
“Watching the cultural center get their renovations done, we are all getting excited to get back out there,” Wolf said. “It seems to be going well.”
But don't wait until next season to enjoy the positive atmosphere and local products the market provides.
The Lincoln City Farmers Market is located at Salishan Marketplace, 7755 N. Hwy 101 and is open from 9 am to 3 pm every Sunday. For more information go to lincolncityfarmersmarket.org.