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Tips for a Better July 2026 in Portland

Posted on July 1
City Cast Portland staff

City Cast Portland staff

Pink, purple, and red flowers in a bouquet with pink tissue paper.

A bright bouquet from C&K Flower Garden. (Giulia Fiaoni / City Cast Portland)

Visit Your Farmers Market

Marionberries, blueberries, and blackberries arrive at a farmers market near you this month. You can use the Stumptown Savings Farmers Market Directory to find a neighborhood market any day of the week (hat tip to Stumptown Savings founder Bryan M. Vance).

  • đŸ„Ź A staple for me all year round is the mixed salad greens from Gathering Together Farm. You can find them Saturdays at Portland State and Beaverton and Sundays at Hillsdale farmers markets.
  • 💐 Senior producer Giulia Fiaoni recommends C&K Flower Garden — a family-owned fresh flower stand from Molalla, Ore., which, she notes, have “stunning bouquets for as little as $20, the perfect celebratory gift.” You can find them at the King Farmers Market on Sundays and Shemanski Park on Wednesdays. Plus, they come to Vancouver on Saturdays and Sundays.
  • đŸ„Ź Executive producer John Notarianni has a CSA with Flying Coyote Farm: “But also the farm has been selling this beautiful komatsuna recently at the Hollywood Farmers Market. Think of a cross between bok choy and mustard greens: a little bit spicy, crunchy and fresh, it's perfect mixed into a salad or sauteed with garlic and sesame oil.”
  • đŸ“Č Your turn: What’s your favorite thing to get at the farmers market right now? Please email us, and we’ll share your recommendation with your fellow readers.

Always Be Prepared for Swimming

Set yourself up with a trunk station, says our podcast host, Claudia Meza. That means you keep your tube, sandals, and towel in your car for a quick dip in the river (or a pool, swimming hole, or the beach even).

Get Ready for Fire Season

In June, Gov. Tina Kotek declared a wildfire emergency in Oregon, in anticipation of what lies ahead this summer. She recommended that Oregonians prepare for the worst— pack an emergency go-kit and sign up for the state emergency alert system OR-Alert — both of which are useful for other kinds of emergencies too.

  • Other resources: For information on active wildfires, AirNow has an interactive fire and smoke map. Also, the Watch Duty app, which I downloaded a couple years back for use when traveling, sends alerts about wildfires. For air quality, there’s the Oregon air quality map. And once the smokey season fits, you can breathe easier with a DIY air filter. Hopefully, we need none of these resources this summer.
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