When the Port Townsend Farmers Market hits opening day for its 20th year on Saturday, April 7, one of the member/vendors -- Steve Habersetzer of Oatsplanter Farm -- has a history that goes back to market's first day in its first year when it was originally located downtown near the Quincy Street dock."That very first year, I was actually getting some produce from [Sequim farmer] Nash [Huber]," Steve said. "And the second year, I was just selling stuff from here.
"I've been a member/vendor every year. We'll be going to the market this year in the spring to sell seeds and probably some over-wintered stuff that we have -- leeks, kale, and Jerusalem artichokes. Really, our focus now is seeds."
This will be the first year Habersetzer sells his seed at the market. The five-acre farm, which he runs with his partner of four years, Jadyne Reichner, produces 1-2,000 seed packets annually. Jadyne (pronounced Jay-Deen) was a co-founder of Sequim's Purple Haze Lavender Farm, and they both once served on the board of directors for the Organic Seed Alliance. Steve is currently a member of the Port Townsend Farmers Market board.
Besides the farmers market, Oatsplanter Farm seeds can be purchased at the Port Townsend Food Co-op, Chimacum Corner Farmstand, and directly from him and Jadyne, said Steve. Oatsplanter has about 21 varieties of seeds to sell, and already they're sold out of pea seeds. Lettuce seeds are going quickly.
The Oatsplanter tag line, "Seed What Happens," was conceived by someone at the Organic Seed Alliance. When you buy Oatsplanter Farm seeds, you're getting something that has already adapted to the Olympic Peninsula climate, said Jadyne.
