The Pony Express Market Pops Up in Newberg

NEWBERG, Ore. — Newberg will experience the first iteration of a new pop-up market at Valley Wine Merchants aimed at connecting residents with nearby farmers and makers when The Pony Express Pop-Up Market welcomes attendees for the first time on Sunday, Nov. 9.

Event organizer Hanna Laney said the idea came to her while reminiscing about her days working for her family’s business, Laney Family Farms. During delivery days, she said, she often ran into other farmers and built lasting connections.

Laney Family Farms ceased operations in January 2023 after 10 years, but Laney wanted to find a way to stay connected with her farmer friends.

“It’s a really cool community of folks,” Laney said. “This idea popped into my head as a way to bridge my old community with my chosen home of Newberg.”

After reaching out to vendors, Laney said they were interested “from minute one.” Next, she found a venue in the covered patio area between Valley Wine Merchants and Lemon & Olive Mediterranean Restaurant. From there, the idea came together, and she named it The Pony Express Pop-Up Market.

“It’s essentially a farmers market where a lot of farmers don’t actually need to work there,” she said. “I know that holds a lot of farmers back from participating in these events because they’re already pretty stretched thin. So the Pony Express idea is we’re bringing their items here.”

Laney said she hopes the event will have a central market feel where locals can connect with, learn about, and support nearby farms. The Pony Express will feature bakery items from Cafe Olli in Portland, meats from Campfire Farms in Mulino, poultry from Champoeg Farms in St. Paul, vegetables from Flying Coyote Farm in Sandy and Wild Roots Farm in Springdale, and sweet treats from Mosh PDX.

The market is geared toward anyone in the community who wants to connect more deeply with where their food comes from. While technically specialty products, Laney said the offerings include simple essentials that are often hard to find locally — items such as whole chickens, sausages, broth, and fresh vegetables.

“What we’re trying to do with sourcing these products is find things that single people can use, families can use, and people can use to entertain,” she said. “I think it’s a fun idea to combine getting your essentials while supporting these small farms that are in our general area and harder to find in Newberg.”

The event is free to attend for those who want to learn more about local farms. Beer from McMinnville’s Gold Dot Beer and wine pours from Valley Wine Merchants will be available for on-site purchase.

“I think it’s going to be a fun reason to come downtown, connect with your neighbors, and learn more about and support our area food ecosystem,” Laney said. “Whether you’re coming to get a can of beer or ingredients for dinner, it should be a fun time for folks.”

Laney said there’s also a “Local Love” element to the market, where attendees can purchase food to be donated to Newberg FISH food bank.

“This is a way to get some of our great local food into a food bank where they may not usually see it,” Laney said. “Especially with the upcoming cuts to SNAP in November, we want to find a way for this food to reach a wider audience.”

Laney hopes The Pony Express Pop-Up will become a consistent fixture in the local market scene and said she plans to host a chef’s dinner in the future after finding a venue.

“This is the first time we’re doing this, so I guess it’s a trial run,” Laney said. “We’re excited to be a part of this community and bridge it to other communities.”

The Pony Express Pop-Up Market runs Sunday, Nov. 9, from 2 to 5 p.m. between Valley Wine Merchants and Lemon & Olive Mediterranean Restaurant. The market is free to attend. Learn more at the event’s website or on Instagram.

Disclosure: Newsberg Founding Editor Branden Andersen briefly worked with and has a personal friendship with Hanna Laney. He will be personally assisting with the event.