Cream of the crop

The playground of the University Heights Center -- enclosed with wired fences and usually vacant all winter except for the occasional kids playing basketball on the hard concrete court -- was lined with crates of ripe fruits and bunches of fresh flowers Saturday.

The lot was transformed into a field full of fresh produce, and shoppers flocked to the corner of Northeast 50th Street and the Ave. like bees for the 10th anniversary of the U-District Farmers Market.

Chris Curtis, director of the Neighborhood Farmers Market Alliance (NFMA) and an UW alumnus, said the market is the oldest and largest direct-sales market in the state. He said that during the market's season, more than 80 Washington farmers participate.

The market has grown so much over the years that there is now a waiting list of vendors hoping to sell their wares.

In previous years, only produce was available at the market, but now everything from potted plants and albacore tuna to baked goods is available. Woodring Orchards, which has been selling preservatives at the market for the past eight years, offers a "Husky Pack" of purple and gold raspberry jams.

First Avenue's Nonna Maria restaurant has been utilizing the market to sell fresh pasta -- and in three hours sold more than 160 pounds.

"We are followed by a big clientele here, " said booth vendor Roberto Diavico.

La Panzanella, an Italian bakery booth run by UW senior Denise Cooper and UW graduate Becky Kardong, sells sheets of fresh-baked foccacia bread. The bakery's booth has been in the market for about eight years.

"It's great seeing kids from the year before who are now a foot taller," said Kardong.

One of those loyal and frequent market-goers is Frank Andrus, who collects food for local food banks. Over the past two years, he has collected more than 12 tons of food from the Farmers Market.

"It's because of the generosity of the vendors," Andrus said.