A weekend favorite – Moscow Farmers Market brings the local community together

Come warmer weather, the Moscow Farmers Market kicks into full swing.

From May to October, it offers the surrounding community fresh produce, meat and homemade goods from vendors all across the Palouse. Each Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., Main Street is transformed into a gathering full of local growers, artists and craftsmen, providing them with a chance to closely connect with the Moscow community.

Lined down Main Street, benches and booths are set up so that friends and families are able to relax or grab a bite to eat.

Early mornings in the market are quieter than the afternoons. Later in the day, the Farmers Market becomes an upbeat place crowded with University of Idaho students and Moscow locals alike.

Joleen Evans | Argonaut Patrons browse a vendor's stand during the Farmer's Market in downtown Moscow.

Joleen Evans | Argonaut
Patrons browse a vendor’s stand during the Farmer’s Market in downtown Moscow.

The street is full of local vendors who have been selling in the area for years. The owner of Sumptuous Soaps, Kathleen Tetzlaff, has been selling her handmade, all natural soaps at the Farmers Market for more than 15 years.

The weekly event has been a fundamental part of the community for many years, although it has made a couple changes after switching locations, Tetzlaff said. The market was previously located in the parking lot just behind La Casa Lopez, but has now almost completely taken over Main Street.

“It has a much different feel in a different area,” Tetzlaff said. “Since it moved to Main Street it’s grown a lot in the community. It’s less of a closed community.”

The local vendors enjoy the Main Street area because it is easier to communicate with one another. Another vendor located on the opposite end of the market, Ray Kempleton, owns Redneck Seasonings and has been selling his famous seasonings, tea and jerky at the Moscow Farmers Market for five years. During his time representing his business, he said he’s noticed the event has changed significantly.

“The market has grown a lot,” he said. “There’s a lot of traffic now. It’s expanding and growing … especially because we are the No. 1 Farmers Market in Idaho.”

Many Moscow locals enjoy visiting the market every Saturday morning, particularly early enough to get first pick for the fresh produce.

“I leave at 7:30 a.m. almost every Saturday morning to make sure I can get parking,” Moscow local Marie Hearing said.

Hearing said she has lived in the area for more than 50 years and that her favorite part about the market is the fresh produce.

“I always come for the fresh food and the corn,” Hearing said.

Not only does the market offer a wide variety of goods, but local musicians also take advantage of the crowded area to offer their music to the city and meet new people. Matthew Gunn moved to Moscow just two weeks prior to visiting the Farmers Market for the first time and decided to play his guitar outside of La Casa Lopez on Saturdays.

“(The Moscow Farmers Market) is a good opportunity to meet new people and connect with the community,” Gunn said.

Savannah Cardon

can be reached at

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