REKO markets return to the Plateau

The Farm Fresh Picks at the Creamery opened Jan. 2, while the Enumclaw REKO Market is starting Jan. 17.

By Ray Miller-Still • January 12, 2021 10:13 am
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Instead of traditional farmers markets, shoppers pre-order their food from vendors like Robin Hones of Cascadia Greens, who then package up the order and drop it off in your car on market day. Photo by Ray Miller-Still
Instead of traditional farmers markets, shoppers pre-order their food from vendors like Robin Hones of Cascadia Greens, who then package up the order and drop it off in your car on market day. Photo by Ray Miller-Still

Farmer’s market fans, rejoice — although spring is still a long way off, Enumclaw is seeing not one, but two REKO markets starting this month, giving local residents extra chances to get in on the ground floor for fresh foods.

REKO markets are popular across the Atlantic, but seem to be picking up steam here in the U.S., especially because of the coronavirus pandemic — unlike traditional farmer’s markets, which involve browsing wares and crowds, REKO markets are pre-order only, and shoppers don’t have to leave their car to receive what they’ve purchased.

The acronym REKO stands for rejäl konsumtion (Swedish) or reilua kuluttamista (Finnish), which means “fair consumption.”

It should be made clear that these two REKO markets are separately organized. However, the markets are operating on different days, giving shoppers an opportunity to attend the market that best fits their busy schedules.

One market — known as the Farm Fresh Picks at the Creamery — has already started, with its first day Jan. 2, and future market days being planned on Saturdays from 2 to 3 p.m.

This market is hosted at the Fantello Farmstead Creamery (39719 236th Ave. SE in Enumclaw), and is joined by other local food producers like Meadowwood Farm, Gray Sky Farm, Twinkletoes Farms, Cascadia Greens, Bee Centric Honey, Windy Acre Farm, Larsson’s Delectable Delights, Snow Valley Mushrooms, and Markarios Acres.

Potential shoppers can head to www.facebook.com/groups/farmfreshatthecreamery to view what products are being offered every week.

The second market, which is being called the Enumclaw REKO Market, plans to start its second season Sunday, Jan. 17, and continue on Sundays from 3 to 4 p.m. The Enumclaw REKO Market was actually the first to come to the Plateau, and held its first season May through November 2020.

As of Jan. 7, the Enumclaw REKO Market was still getting final word on which vendors will be available that day and in the future, but organizer Julie Kintzi is promising everything from cheese, fresh bread, mushrooms, eggs, chicken, honey, greens, pork, beef, kettle corn, and more.

This market is hosted at Kintzi’s “Cart before Horse” Farm in north Enumclaw. To find out what wares are being offered at the market and where to pick up orders, head to the dedicated Facebook group page at www.facebook.com/groups/528024898100679/.

While the two REKO markets are separate, how you order food from them are the same.

First, head to the respective event or group page to find out what food is being offered that week — postings for Farm Fresh Picks are expected to be made by Mondays, while posts for the Enumclaw REKO market should be expected every Tuesday.

To order food, simply comment on a vendor’s post indicating what you’d like to purchase and include an email for the vendor to send an invoice to. Once that invoice is paid, head to the market’s host farm on its specific day to pick up your order.

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