Pike Place Market

Actually, the Farm Program at the Pike Place Market has had this truck for a few years now, but the newly painted mural that decorates it has given it…er…him, a new identity. In June of 2011, artists Jeff Jacobson and Joey Nix met with staff to learn about Pike Place Market farmers and then created this fabulous mobile masterpiece.

The art was so stunning that a contest was held to name the Farm Truck. A total of 52 names were submitted by Pike Place Market farmers, craftspeople, performers and staff. A panel of judges from the Market community picked the winning name, which was “Harvey.” You may be thinking of the invisible giant rabbit in the Jimmy Stewart movie of the same name, but in this instance the name refers to a different colorful character: Harvey McGarrah. This cranky yet lovable Market fixture was a cart pusher who passed away in April of 2010. Harvey pushed the sometimes massive crafts carts up and down from the storage basements to the North Arcade, day in and day out, for 20 years. Following his passing, the Seattle Times reported on the small fortune Harvey had secreted away over the years from his daily earnings!

The Market’s Daystall and Farm staff use “Harvey” to deliver tents to both the street market on Pike Place and the two satellite farmers markets. These markets are at City Hall (on Fourth Avenue & Cherry Street from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesdays) and in the new South Lake Union location (at the plaza at 410 Terry Avenue North, from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Thursdays). So, on your way down to shop for farm-fresh produce, stop by and meet Harvey! 

- David Dickinson