Cheese and chocolate are among the new items shoppers can find at Tacoma Farmers Market. The downtown market opened up May 21 with an emphasis on expanding the range of items available.

“We want to have everything for everyone,” said Laura Edwards, executive director of Tacoma Farmers Market. “We want to offer everything one would need to stock a pantry with.”

New vendors this season include Amy’s Chocolates and two cheese makers - Mt. Townsend Creamery and Willapa Hills Farmstead. Edwards raved about the caramel apples from Amy’s and the shepherd’s grain bread sold by Grand Central Bakery.

Another new thing this year is all of the vendors selling hot meals have at least one item made from locally produced ingredients. Signs on the menu will designate that item. For example, the vendor selling teriyaki steak sandwiches uses beef from cows raised in Washington.

“That is what people are asking for,” Edwards said of local items. “That is what they want.”

There were 85 vendors the first day, up from last year when the market averaged between 60 and 70. Edwards noted a few farmers were not ready to participate the first day. Once they come on board she hopes the number of vendors will increase to 100.

Last year high gasoline prices cut into the profits of farmers. As a result, Edwards said this year some of them are carpooling to the markets. “You will see more of such cooperation this year,” she noted.

Sales of organic foods are on the rise, she added.

Vendors tell her that sales at the downtown Tacoma market tend to be 5 percent to 20 percent higher than at other markets they hit.

“Our customers want to support that local farmer more than ever,” Edwards commented.

Spin farming is a new component of farmers markets. Edwards described this as agriculture done in or near urban areas on small parcels of land, some less than one acre. Farming on such a small parcel allows farmers to mix up their crops during a season, with some turning their land over six times a year. This makes it easier to control pests and weeds. One woman told Edwards she made $60,000 off of a half acre last year, which was her fourth year of farming the parcel.

“We are really entering a lot more markets,” said Andrew Marcus, who works in the production facility of Mt. Townsend Creamery. He was tending the booth downtown, one of 14 markets the creamery will be at this season. Many who stopped by had never heard of the Port Townsend business, he noted. “We are getting a lot of good response.”