By Alex Paul
Chronicle staff

     It took only a second for Josh Murray to select two straws of honey once he learned they were root beer-flavored.
     Murray, 5, made his selection from the A&A Honey booth at the first Omak meeting of the Okanogan Valley Farmers' Market of 2008 June 17 in Civic League Park. He was with his grandmother, Janette Birrell, and his aunt, Lia Birrell, all of Omak.
     Owners Ron and Donna Allard stocked their booth with honey, beeswax, candles and other gift items.
     "About 99 percent of coming to the farmers' market is visiting with friends we don't get to see very often," Ron Allard said while enjoying the shade of a tree.
     Linda Swanson of Tunk Valley Bakery sid she knew that once Kaila Petersen and Ben Navarro, both of Okanogan, tasted a sample of her cheddar chili twist bread, she would have a sale.
     Swanson and her husband, Bill, have operated the bakery out of their home's state-inspected kitchen for 15 years.
     "We do a lot of commercial work for area espresso stands and restaurants," Linda said. "We do everything including pies, muffins, turnovers and rolls. We don't use any commercial mixes."
     They have been coming to farmers' markets for about 13 years, she said.
     "We like being part of the community and that means keeping in contact with people," Swanson said. "We love the social part of the market."
     Whim Orr brought 14 varieties of iris rhizomes to the market.
     "I have about 30 varieties at home," she said. "Irises grow fast and need to be dug up and replanted every few years. So, I started taking them to the market."
     A retired library technician, Orr said the farmers' market brings out the "best in the community."
     John Murray and his wife, Sam Ruay, displayed some of their organically grown produce.
     "We have about an acre of vegetables," he said. "We also grow cherries, apples, apricots and nectarines."
     They are regulars at the Omak, Okanogan, Twisp and Tonasket markets throughout the summer.
     Market manager Debbie Mayberry said this is the fifth season for the Omak market. The longer-running Okanogan market opened in May.
     "We'll usually have about 25 vendors by mid-season," Mayberry said.
     It costs $15 to $20 to rent a reserved site - the same spot every week - Mayberry said. A regular spot costs $5.
     Omak market hours are 3:30-7 p.m. Tuesdays.
     More information about the Omak market is available from Mayberry, 826-5845.