Meet Marcy Eichner, our new Market Manager!

By Meg Cotner

Marcy working the mobile farm stand with the Coastal FoodShed.

In this edition of Market News, we’d like to introduce you to our new Market Manager, Marcy Eichner! We are thrilled that she has joined the Rocky Butte Farmers Market in this capacity and are happy to tell you more about her. 
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Marcy is a recent Portlander—she moved to Portland at the end of February from Newport, Rhode Island, a small city that hugs the eastern edge of the state’s Narragansett Bay. She decided to make a road trip out of her move and took two weeks to cross the country, exploring it with her fiancé. Taking a cross-country trip slowly is a great way to see the diversity and wonders of this continent’s natural world.

She fell in love with Portland, and appreciates how welcoming it is here, and how tolerant it is of self-expression. “It’s a quirky place that is not shy toward uniqueness,” she explains. “I also love how interwoven the urban and natural settings are, and the ability to experience outdoor adventures.” That goes for her favorite part about her neighborhood, too: her close proximity to Washington Park.

Marcy is deeply dedicated to working within local food systems, whether it was in Newport, RI or here in Portland.”I am very passionate about supporting the local food economy and entrepreneurs with intentions to better the Earth, our bodies, and our communities,” she says. “Farmers markets are a great place to empower the connectedness of our world, and to build relationships that help one another thrive in their goals.” 

She hopes to bring an equity lens to her work with the Rocky Butte Farmers Market, too. She believes accessibility and transparency are important in her work with new Market customers and vendors.

And mingling with shoppers is one of her favorite things to do at a farmers market. “As a food-motivated person, I love connecting with shoppers about their purchases—I’ve swapped many recipes at farmers markets. (I have a scrumptious fennel salad recipe I’d be thrilled to share!)”

You’ll also find her checking out all varieties of fresh greens and fermented products like pickles or sauerkraut at the Market. 

A few tidbits:

• Favorite vegetable: carrots 
• Favorite fruit: strawberries 
• Favorite season: “I love the seasonal variety, so it’s hard to pick a favorite month for produce, but I do love winter squashes, spring peas, and summer ripe raspberries.”​

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Marcy has a lot of great memories over the years of working with farmers markets and sustainable food systems, so we asked her about them. She tells us about one of them, “My favorite memory working in the food access/agricultural world is encouraging children to explore their relationship with fresh produce.”

“I ran the food program at a holistic preschool, where I prepared most of the meals for the children with fresh seasonal & local ingredients, many of which we grew together in the backyard! The kids would buzz with excitement when we picked our afternoon snack together right off the vine. I was amazed by their love for snap peas! It was a very rewarding experience to witness these little humans grow curious about the wonders of our relationship with the land.”

Marcy is really excited to bring her experience, skill, and love of farmers markets to her role as Market Manager. “I put so much heart in what I do and I love acting as a conductor to help create harmony and connection within our community,” she says. “I look forward to connecting with this community and learning about what interests YOU!”

Outside of the market, Marcy likes to garden, make jewelry (she has an Etsy shop), play games, hike and camp (her favorite spot right now is Cape Lookout). 

The Rocky Butte Farmers Market launches on Saturday, June 4. Stop by the Market that day and meet Marcy, then shop and hang out. It’s going to be a great day in the neighborhood. In the meantime, you can make the aforementioned fennel salad and dream of summer days at the Market atop the Rocky Butte.

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Marcy’s Fennel Salad Recipe
marcy-fennel-salad.jpeg

2 bulbs of fennel
1/4 cup fresh torn mint leaves
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
6 Tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, grated
1 lemon, zested
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
2 oz shaved Parmesan
2 cups croutons

Cut the fennel bulb root to tip and thinly slice the fennel bulb halves as well as chop the fennel fronds. Add mint and walnuts. In a separate bowl, combine olive oil, garlic, lemon zest, red pepper flakes, and red wine vinegar into a vinaigrette. Add to the fennel and mix until well-combined. Fold in Parmesan shavings and top with croutons. Serves 6 as a side dish.
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