SFMA and the Ballard farmers market is our takeaway version of the many European-style markets we enjoyed in our ten years living abroad. Our purpose is to help people succeed. Our vision is to build farmers markets that become the weekly pulse and a vibrant hub of the community it feeds.
These markets have always been a team effort and of course, it takes a village to make them thrive. We want to thank and acknowledge everyone who has lent their energy, ideas and enthusiasm to bring this vision to life.
The mission of the Seattle Farmers Market Association is to provide fun and rewarding venues for Washington state small farms and artisans to bring their highest quality, locally-grown and crafted products to urban residents. Our goal is to help our vendors be successful. Our intention is to facilitate a mutually beneficial connection between our community’s residents and the individuals who steward our local farmland and provide a variety of cultural arts.
Founded in 1990 at the Fremont Sunday Market, we were established as the first neighborhood farmers market in Seattle comprised only of Washington farmers since the 1950’s. Our purpose then, as now, is to bring the neighborhood together by creating a local marketplace. In providing a regular event, where diverse people meet and develop positive relationships, we can contribute to building strong communities, and enhance the quality of life for everyone in our region.
We strive for a cooperative, respectful, family-friendly atmosphere that promotes beneficial interactions among our producers, our staff and the community. When we are successful at our work, our visitors will perceive themselves as being inter-connected to the market and to the community as a whole. By offering the opportunity for all at the market to be partners in the stability and security of our farmlands and small businesses, we can create a more secure and healthy citizenry. Our commitment is to rely on mutual regard and honesty to promote a place where our vendors and employees will have the opportunity to develop beneficial relationships with the market visitors in the spirit of good will.
The nature of a farmers market lends itself to the old fashioned tradition of “going to market” and it provides a “town square” for local small farmers to sell their products, bringing rural and urban entrepreneurs together to round out the weekly experience of “market day.” Our vendors and staff work collaboratively to bring a consistently high-quality event week after week -- an exciting meeting place for neighbors to meet, commune and enjoy the great bounty of our state.
Doug Farr | General Manager
Doug Farr moved back to Seattle after a four-year stay in Utah to fill the position of General Manager at SFMA. Raised on a farm, he has a background in business having owned 5 successful businesses previously. He is no stranger to the Seattle market scene having worked as the Manager at the Fremont Sunday Market for well over a decade. In his leisure time, Doug enjoys gardening, canning and trying new recipes. He also enjoys traveling, walking the beach and camping with his husband and their two dogs.
Ben Chandler | Market Manager
Born in the Seattle-area to parents newly transplanted from upstate New York, spent many summers back east neck-deep in frog ponds and has never been within 100 miles of Yankee Stadium. Raised on a steady diet of classical music and frontier cookery, the merits of which were not fully realized until much later. Plays and teaches music whenever possible and is the member of several bands which neither practice nor perform, although all have cool names. Between the cracks in his busy music schedule he enjoys growing, cooking and eating food, making and drinking wine, and raising up his kids right on a steady diet of classical music and frontier cookery.
Kelly Kube | Operations Manager
Growing up in Seattle, Kelly has been a regular customer of the Seattle Farmers Markets. Her friends like to call her “85 degrees and Sunny” as she welcomes each day with enthusiasm and positivity! Kelly has worked a diverse range of management roles from a Yoga Studio to a Corporate Audit team. With her background in business and working with people, she looks forward to creating community and growing the conversation around local food movements. In her downtime, Kelly loves yoga, macramé and cooking with her husband.
Joy Moody | Volunteer Coordinator
Philadelphia’s daughter, adopted by Miami when she fell in love with boats & warm nights, was struck by the incomparable beauty and calm of the great Northwest. She started in Markets with SFMA’s sister market in Fremont & their experiential marketing company, Piranha Blonde. "They are responsible for the most fun I’ve ever had working!". Joy has been a part of The Fremont Outdoor Movies & Sunday Markets, Food Truck Rodeos, Seattle Street Markets, Night Markets at Magnuson, Polar Plunges for the Special Olympics. When she is not having a blast making a difference in her communities, she adores her time fly-fishing on the river with her favorite angler, her book club, and rubbing noses with her daughter.
Johnny Fellin | Wholesale Manager
Johnny, a proud Milwaukee native from a food-centric Italian family, was steeped in culinary pursuits from a young age. With dank basements filled with hanging salamis and the aroma of simmering pasta sauces as a backdrop, he quickly developed a deep love for food. By the age of 24, Johnny had risen to the role of chef-de-cuisine at a restaurant owned by a James Beard award winner.
After cooking around the world for a handful of years, It was in Seattle where he found a new home spending four years as a vendor at farmers markets. Selling ramen and tacos and proseltyzing on making the food system more just, ethical, sustainable, and local.
Outside the adrenaline of professional kitchens, Johnny likes to shred through the city on his bicycle, experiment with fermentation projects, create music, and shark friends at pool.
Corrine Mirenda | Accountant
Corrine was a Vendor for 10 years selling jewelry & fiber crafts and has been the Accountant for SFMA since 2003. During Corrine’s time as a vendor she had the opportunity to become personally acquainted with many of the farmers, producers and craft vendors. Over the years, she’s watched many of their children grow and become part of the market family. She prides herself on her commitment to the mission of our markets; to help facilitate growth and development and contribute to the local community.
Cory Brandley | Digital Marketing Manager
Born in Canada, Cory has lived in 2 countries, 5 states, and one province. Photography and frequenting farmers markets has always been a big focus wherever he has lived. His background is retail, and he worked at Barnes and Noble for 14 years. He enjoys coffee, photography, art, farmers markets, and traveling with his wife as much as possible, particularly internationally.
