Whoever first made the claim that baseball is America's pastime had obviously never been to a local farmers market. Both eastern and western Washington are known for their farmers markets, from the crazy fish throwers, to the gigantic $5 bouquets that make any wedding floral arrangement affordable (claimed by hipsters).

Now, before I go any further, I must confess that I am a bit of a farmers market snob. Having grown up in Boise, ID where we have a Saturday market that spans 4-6 city blocks, I've been spoiled in terms of farmy-freshness.

Since moving to WA, I've had a hard time finding a market that could successfully fill the void of my farmers market-less life, but then on Sunday August 28th, 2016, at 12:32 PM, my mini family and I loaded into our Nissan Cube and discovered: the Everett Farmers Market (Sunday edition).

Over 120 vendors (on a rotating cycle). Bucket loads of lunch choices. Flowers. Artisans up the wazoo. And the one thing everyone goes to the market for, KETTLE CORN.

In order to fully experience this awesome market when you go (and trust me, you're going), here are 3 commandments to follow.

1. Thou Shall Buy Flowers
Like all Eastside markets, the Everett Farmers Market has a plethora of choices when it comes to bouquets. The flower merchants always have gigantic bundles with a variety of colors and scents, but this time I chose a bright red bouquet because, well, do you SEE that red?! #nofilter

2. Thou Shall Eat Lunch (and Dessert)
A surprising feature of the EFM is that there are a LOT of food vendors! Since the market goes from 11 AM to 4 PM, it's in the perfect time frame for lunch.

You can go traditional and get a burger from Pioneer Farms, get cheesy with a grilled cheese from Girl'd Cheese, or fresh and fancy with some crab cakes from Crabby Crab Cakes and Crepes, just to name a few.

But don't forget dessert! You can spoil yourself with a large $5 bag of kettle corn (the time-honored classic), devour some fudge from the Fidalgo Fudge Kitchen, take a coffee (and some beans) to go from the Blue Stilly Coffee Roasters, and oh so many more.

3. Thou Shall Pet a Dog (or Bring One Along)
In the world of farmers markets, allowing dogs to join their masters as they roam the market is a bit of a touchy subject. Some markets post signs prohibiting dogs from joining the fun, but there's always that one rebel couple that can be seen gallivanting through the streets with their lovable labradoodle.

Let's face it, no one can resist a labradoodle.

However, the EFM understands that humans love their dogs almost as much as they love the air they breath, so they welcome dogs of all shapes and sizes to their market. And let me tell you, there were a lot of dogs roaming around with their masters.

Don't like dogs? Don't go to the EFM. Love dogs? Buy some dog treats from Blue Collar Dog Treats and make a few friends.

Have I convinced you yet? If so, I'll see you next week at the market. I'll be the one munching on the kettle corn (and secretly passing a few pieces to Dixie under the table when the hubby isn't looking).

See you next week!

Anna is a freelance graphic designer who specializes in print and digital design. She also happens to be on Live in Everett's staff, helping manage the daily doings of the site.