Farmers’ markets open in Lake Tahoe

By Kathryn Reed

Farmers’ market season arrived in Lake Tahoe this week, though the bulk of the markets don’t open until June.

“The thing we found out about farmers’ markets is there are many options, but you still have the opportunity to meet the farmer,” Steve Rozier told Lake Tahoe News. He runs a market in Stateline, Incline Village and Gardnerville – all of which started this week. “It’s the best bang for your buck.”

Peaches and apricots came in early this year for his farmers. Also available this time of year are a few oranges, leafy greens, strawberries, broccoli, beets, carrots and artichokes.

Instead of being at Kahle Community Center, the Stateline market is in the front parking lot of Lakeside Inn and Casino, which is where it ended last season. In June it will move over to Lakeside’s property next to Shoreline Adventure Center off Kahle Drive.

Rozier’s Gardnerville market is more of a farm to fork event in partnership with Lentine’s Italian Restaurant.

An avocado farmer from San Diego and cheese purveyor from Petaluma will be making the rounds on a part-time basis at Rozier’s markets.

He describes the Stateline market as more of grab and go, while in Incline people have a beer and listen to live music.

When the South Lake Tahoe market opens on election day it will be starting its 20th year.

Expect cherries, greens and angelcots to be in abundance the first day. Angelcots are similar to an apricot, but more refined.

“The water issue doesn’t seem to be affecting things much,” Jim Coalwell, who runs the El Dorado County Certified Farmers Market in South Tahoe, told Lake Tahoe News. “Later on we might see a difference.”

He said the wet spring has been good for farmers.

Not all the vendors are locked in, but Coalwell is not expecting many changes because his market sells out of booth space quickly.

The Ski Run Boulevard market in South Tahoe starts June 6. The big new vendor is homemade ice cream. A meat and egg vendor is also possible.

Blue Angel Café will return with its beer garden.

Here is a list of some of the farmers’ markets in the area:

Tuesday

• South Lake Tahoe: El Dorado County Certified Farmers Market Association

American Legion parking lot, Highway 50

June 3-Oct. 7, 8am-1pm

• Truckee: Truckee River Regional Park

10500 Brockway Road off Highway 267

June 10-Oct. 14, 8am-1pm

Wednesday

• Gardnerville: Lampe Park Farmers Market

1328 Waterloo Lane

May 21-Sept. 24, 9am-pm

• Stateline: Farmers Market at Lakeside Inn and Casino

168 Highway 50

Now-Sept. 24, 4-7pm

No market July 2

Thursday

• Incline Village: Farmers Market at Tunnel Creek

1115 Tunnel Creek Road

Now-Sept. 25, 4-7pm,

No market July 3

• Tahoe City: Commons Beach

Commons Beach Road and North Lake Boulevard

May 22-June 19; Aug 28-Sept. 25, 8am-1pm

• Tahoe City: Tahoe Lake Elementary School

375 Grove St.

June 26-Aug. 21, 8am-1pm

• Truckee: Truckee Thursdays

Historic Downtown Truckee at Donner Pass Road near the train station

June 12-Aug. 21, 5-9pm

Friday

• South Lake Tahoe: Ski Run Boulevard

Ski Run at Birch Street

June 6-Sept. 26, 3-8pm

• Crystal Bay: Farmers Market at Tahoe Biltmore

5 Highway 28

June 6-Sept. 26, 9am-1pm

No market July 4

• Gardnerville: Farm to Fork Festival

Lentine’s Italian Restaurant, 1488 Highway 395

Now-Sept. 26, 4-7pm

No market July 4

• Incline Village Farmers’ Market

770 Mays Blvd., Ste. 2

June 13-Aug. 30, 10am-2pm

Saturday

• Incline Village Farmers’ Market

770 Mays Blvd., Ste. 2

June 13-Aug. 30, 10am-2pm.