04 March 2016

Welcome to the Family, Lents International!

We are pleased to announce that starting this season, Portland Farmers Market welcomes the Lents International Farmers Market to its family of seven neighborhood and downtown markets. Friends of Zenger Farm asked the team at Portland Farmers Market to take over the management of the neighborhood market in one of the city’s most diverse neighborhoods.

“Zenger Farm has helped the Lents International Farmers Market and its diverse vendors grow over the past nine years. This transition will allow us to concentrate our time and resources on leadership in sustainable food systems, environmental stewardship, community development and access to good food for all,” said Mike Wenrick, Executive Director of Zenger Farm. “With 25 years of experience managing farmers markets, I’m confident the Portland Farmers Market will continue to create an even more robust and vibrant market for the Lents neighborhood.”

Located at Southeast 91st Avenue and Foster Road in the heart of Lents Town Center, Lents International Farmers Market is Portland’s only internationally-focused market. The market will be open from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm every Sunday June through October and provides fresh, affordable, and culturally relevant produce and foods to the diverse Lents community. It also offers farm-direct sales opportunities for immigrants, emerging farmers, and new business owners. In addition to standard market produce, the market features a variety of unique fresh produce from Hmong, Latino, and Russian farmers.

In the spring of 2005, Zenger Farm met with residents interested in opening the market and after a successful pilot season in 2006, Zenger Farm managed its first full 20-market season in 2007. The market has focused on highlighting the diversity of the East Portland neighborhoods and providing healthy food access and education to the community.

“Zenger Farm, vendors and shoppers have invested a lot into the vibrant Lents International Farmers Market. We are honored to have been asked to manage it,” said Trudy Toliver, Executive Director of Portland Farmers Market. “Our goal is for these vendors to continue to prosper while they provide high quality, nutritious, locally grown food to neighborhood residents and shoppers.”

Zenger Farm and Portland Farmers Market will work closely to ensure a smooth transition for vendors and the community. Zenger Farm will continue to support the market as a produce vendor and as the host of the Whole Foods sponsored Food Scouts Program which provides kids with gardening and nutrition education and $2 per week to spend on fruits and vegetables at the market.

For more information about the Lents International Farmers Market, visit the market page.