Lane County Farmers Market

Lane County Farmers Market looks larger this season than in the past. That’s just one more warped oddity of the COVID-19 pandemic all of us are living through. In addition to the restrictive measures in place this season, like a “social distancing safety officer” at each booth as well as no samples or public seating, Farmers Market also is spread out, taking up space formerly held by Eugene Saturday Market to comply with state recommendations to maintain that six feet of social distancing. And Farmers Market is as popular as ever with patrons and vendors alike adhering to the new guidelines, says Meghan Verberkmoes, the membership and marketing coordinator for the market. “Things have been going well,” she says. “All of our vendors are on board.” For how long is anyone’s guess. Saturday Market (separate and distinct from Farmers Market) has pushed back its opening date for this season multiple times and is hopeful it can open June 13. If that happens, how will Farmers Market reconfigure itself? “As of now, we don’t know,” Verberkmoes admits, adding that Farmers Market will work with the city to establish a “regular footprint in a different sort of way.” In the meantime, enjoy the quality of produce from Farmers Market and maintain your social-distancing manners.

Lane County Farmers Market is open 9 am to 3 pm on Saturdays and 10 am to 3 pm on Tuesdays at the corner of 8th Avenue and Oak Street. The first hour of each day’s market is reserved for senior citizens and medically high-risk individuals.

A Note From the Publisher

Dear Readers,

The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.

That’s because of you!

Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.

Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.

We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.

And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.

None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.

As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.

Thank you for standing with us!