It was a beautiful and sunny day —if a bit windy.
But that did not deter customers and vendors alike from participating in the opening day of the 13th annual Fort St. James Farmer’s Market on May 13.
It was Friday the thirteenth, but it didn’t seem unlucky for this writer to get to take a break from putting the paper together to see what the local producers have to offer.
The small market had a little bit of everything, from local woodwork made of wood scraps and salvage and hand sewn dolls and bags to ice cold lemonade, preserves, delicious walnut brittle, baked goodies and sprouted garlic to plant in the ground.
The early market didn’t have the fresh vegetables a person might hope for at a farmer’s market, but only time and warmer weather will remedy that shortfall. There were, however, scrumptious-looking sprouts to snack on or add to your salad for some extra-yummy nutrition.
The market was missing one of the usual suspects of vendors, according to the regulars, but there was still an interesting variety for an early showing.
But there still is room for more, according to long time vendor at the market, Charlotte Croquet.
She would like to see people who do something different to add to the mix, perhaps a food vendor or more vegetable producers.
Croquet has been selling at the market pretty much since the beginning, and while things have changed, she still enjoys it.
“It’s been fun doing this,” she said. “Seems to be we get a few more vendors every year. For a few years it was just three vendors —it was lonely. Now it’s a lot more fun.”
Jim Barnes, who has been selling his wood work pieces at the market for about five years does it for the sheer joy of it.
“I just really like doing it,” he said.
Barnes has a collection of photographs of his work and had integrated some very unique pieces of wood he has come across over the years.
He can work through the winter stockpiling creations to sell at the summer markets alongside his wife Bea’s handicrafts, many sewn from cloth scraps into fun children’s toys.