Recession Proof?

If there's a recession going on and folks are holding back on spending, it certainly wasn't evident this morning at the season opener of the downtown Portland Farmers' Market. Vendors were saying that it was busy from 8 am on with market-goers browsing, sampling and, yes, shopping their little hearts out.

And not just for vegetables and bedding plants. By 11 am, paté-master Ben Dyer of Viande Meats and Sausage was down to two of the seven patés he brought for the day, saying he hadn't anticipated a big sales day considering it was early in the season and the weather was cold and wet. The tulip-vendors were down to their last few bouquets with three hours to go till closing, and the rhubarb at one stand had been picked over with only a few scraggly stalks left.

So whether it was all the anticipation that had built up over the winter or just that people were anxious to get out on a Saturday morning, it looks like the markets are going to be busy this year, crappy economy (thanks, W) or not.

Here's a complete schedule of metro-area farmers' market openings, but for a listing of markets statewide go to the Oregon Farmers' Markets Association directory. Happy shopping!