‘Saturday Market’ Drops Request For First St. Exclusive

DAYTON - The Dayton Saturday Market, the new farmer's market group which wanted exclusive use of First Street in Dayton for its stalls on Saturday mornings, has withdrawn its request to the city.

Jacci Wooten, volunteer manager of the recently formed group and former manager of the Dayton Farmers' Market, it was better not to pursue the request.

"I pulled it from the agenda," Wooten said. She would not elaborate further.

Despite the recent split that led to two farmers' markets using the same First Street right of way, the first Saturday market of the season this weekend went off without a hitch.

Customers showed up in good numbers, vendors sold all sorts of good items and an Elvis impersonator hired by Wooten showed up to entertain the dozens of people who braved a chilly wind to check out the stalls.

Other local events did compete with vendors' attention, including the Lavender Festival in Waitsburg. Other vendors' produce is still a bit scarce because of the cold weather this spring. Wooten said the number of vendors expected this coming weekend should be greater.

The request for exclusive use of First Street emerged after Wooten quit as manager of the Dayton farmers' Market and start her own group, the Dayton Saturday Market.

When Wooten was the manager of the Dayton Farmers Market, which is now managed by local produce farmer Travis Richardson, she obtained the city's OK for permission to close First Street on Saturday mornings.

After she quit on June 7, she requested the city give the Dayton Saturday Market the ability to close First Street and the rights to First Street on Saturday mornings. In other words, no other farmers' market would be allowed to set up shop at that location.

Wooten said she did that because felt two farmers markets could not exist right next to each other.

But the two farmers' markets, perched right across the street from each other and in clear sight of travelers on Highway 12, seemed to do well on Saturday.

Richardson's Dayton Farmers Market also meets from 4 to 7 p.m. each Friday night on the Seneca Lawn. It was their first Friday night too .

"We did pretty good last night," he said. "We had a gallon bucket of fresh strawberries that sold really fast. We have organic raspberries and blueberries to offer. People love that kind of stuff."

He mentioned as the summer season goes on, the selection of fruits and vegetables will improve as fruits and vegetables become more available.

Richardson changed the subject and said one of the most important aspects of a farmers' market is bringing people together.

" This is a community thing," he said.

Wooten agreed and said some fundraisers are being planned for future weekends. Organizations include the Dayton High School cheerleaders, the Walla Walla Blue Mountain Humane Society and Boy Scouts.

"I'm feeling good about this," she added.

Rick and Sonia Mann, residents of Lake Tahoe, Calif., were passing through Dayton on Highway 12 on the way to a family reunion near Kalispell. Mont. They noticed all the excitement and felt they had to pull over and check things out.

"We were so impressed with the selection of goodies," Rick said. "There were so many items. We got ourselves a couple of nice baskets."

Vendor Zonia Dedloff said her jams and jellies were selling like hotcakes.

"I'm selling stuff, and people are showing up and it's really nice," Dedloff said.

Donna Helsius dittoed Dedloff's comments.

"This is good. I'm seeing old and new customers. I'm very pleased," said Helsius.

Andy Lovett and his mother Mary, who were selling fresh produce, also felt positive about how the farmers' market was doing on its first day of the new season.

"People are buying up lots of fresh cherries," Andy said. "Things are good."

Vendor Charlotte Williams, who was selling cards and crocheted items, said she was very happy to be part of the community events in Dayton.

"Things are not bad, there are lots of nice people out here," she said. "Now if the wind would stop blowing, that would be good."

The farmers' market in Dayton takes place each Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on First Street near the corner of Main Street in downtown Dayton.