Farmers Market story
Dear Editor,
Thank you for writing about the effort to locate the QA Farmers Market. We were not interviewed for the article and would like to take this opportunity to correct some errors.
In 2007, the market was founded by a small group of neighbors (the nonprofit Queen Anne Farmers Market Association), who contracted with Seattle Markets (which employs Jessica Vets and Judy Kirkhuff, who were featured in your article) to manage the market. The founders raised over $20,000 in seed money, much of that donated by local residents. The contract, which required negotiation for changes to time or location, was terminated without cause on Jan. 7, 2009, by Jon Hegeman and Judy Kirkhuff of Seattle Markets.
Despite this disappointment, QAFMA continues to represent the community's interests in working toward a solution, and has been meeting with local groups and city officials to assist in siting the market. It was QAFMA, not Seattle Markets (as your article indicated), who hosted the meeting last week with city, parks, and fire officials.
As for McClure Middle School, it is a reroofing project, not a repaving project, that necessitates a move. The parking lot will be partially unavailable throughout the summer.
For issues of sustainability, access, and continuity, QAFMA prefers a central location for the market, and will continue to work with all stakeholders to represent our community's interests. Other proponents of a central location include the city's Office of Economic Development.
We would like to invite our neighbors to voice their preferences. An online survey, conducted by QAFMA's parent group, Queen Anne Neighbors for Responsible Growth, can be found at www.qanrg.org, as well as at our website, www.qafma.org. We look forward to hearing from the community.
- Julie Whitehorn
Nancie Kosnoff
Cochairs QA Farmers Market Association qafma.org[[In-content Ad]]
