The 6th Avenue Farmers Market had its grand opening June 15, and crowds turned out in full force to enjoy the hot summer afternoon strolling among the two dozen vendor booths set up on North Pine Street between 6th and 7th avenues. Volunteer Laura Edwards said people were lined up at the entrance waiting to get in half an hour before opening time.

“It’s as if the market has been going for years,” she said.

The market, the only afternoon farmers market in Tacoma, will happen every Tuesday from 3:30-7:30 p.m. through Sept. 30, offering fresh produce, flowers and plants, prepared foods, crafts, live music and a beer garden. More is planned as the summer progresses, like cooking and eating contests.

Just about every vendor sells organically grown goods, offering a big variety of fruits and vegetables, meats and other edibles like award-winning cheeses sold by Estrella Family Creamery of Montesano. Marilyn Ferguson and Leland Louderbach of Evensong gardens were there, selling 100 percent organic, chemical-free berries and flowering plants. “I look for the rare and unusual,” Ferguson said of her wares. “Expect the unexpected.”

A very popular produce stand on opening day was Nash’s Organic Produce of Sequim. Owner Nash Huber is renowned among Washington organic farmers, having farmed 40 years on the alluvial soils of the Dungeness Valley. This year, he received American Farmland Trust’s 2008 Steward of the Land award.

The market was initiated by the 6th Avenue Neighborhood Business District Association to bring positive benefits to the neighborhood. Dozens of volunteers have been meeting since spring to create the concept for the market and to ensure that the atmosphere and vendors reflect the energy of the neighborhood.

For the latest on what is happening at 6th Avenue Farmers Market, visit www.6thAveFarmersMarket.com.