Chetco Grange Farmer's Market

My table at the farmer's market: wool bags, .25 cent cookies,
sherry cake and kale biscuits on sale!
Wednesday, June 22, 2011

My first day at the Farmer's Market was quite fun and VERY chilly. Of course I got there at 8:30am, almost two hours before the market opens, to set-up; Kathleen and her husband Rich were the only other vendors there. It took me exactly thirty minutes to get everything out of the car and arranged just the way I planned it in my garage at home. That's the beauty of being prepared, the only thing was now I had nothing to do except stand there and wait, which I'm good at; only I was fra...fra...freezing. All week it was sunny and bright EXCEPT this day, which was overcast, cold and windy. Normally, this is my kind of weather, but as I stood there waiting for the marketers to arrive I started to shiver uncontrollably. My sweet man volunteered to go back home and bring me my big, snuggly UGG boots, a hat and a less fashionable, more functional coat. So much for looking cute!

Sue, my crocheting buddy.

As I waited for my knight in shining armor to return, I began to shuck it up with the lady next to me - Sue, she crochets hats. Before I knew it I forgot all about the cold. Sue is originally from LA, "Who isn't," an elderly man said, while he walked nearer to our conversation. "Want to try on a hat?" Sue asked automatically, smiling. The man just looked at her; he wanted to flirt more than buy I think.  She enthusiastically explained her hats, which he liked, bought some of my cookies for .25 cents each, winked and left. Then Sue and I resumed our conversation without missing a beat: Mother of seven with thirteen grand children, she and her husband live in the retired estates trailer park up the Chetco River. She joked that she was there to make enough gas money to drive to Sacramento and back - to attend her son's wedding. Sue's great; she taught me how to crochet a "popcorn" stitch, plus she loved my bag designs. Last year she bought a hundred zippers at a close-out sale and never knew what she was going to do with them. Now she knows.


When Tony came back with my UGGs I flung off my converse like an ex-boyfriend and slid my icy feet into Lamb-ikins, moaning with pleasure. I saw Tony looking around quickly, wanting to make sure I wasn't making a spectacle of myself for anyone but him and Sue. Luckily, all that surrounded us was the mist, which gently blew in our faces from the distant ocean. We may have been freezing, but we had the best view on the lot!


Many of my fellow vendors were very nice and welcoming to me. Some were too busy selling to come over and say hello to the new girl, which was totally fine with me; I went to all of them, but then I ended up buying more than I sold. Rich, who sells ~30 varietals of mushrooms told me that's how it is at first. Sven, who sells herbal teas and jewelry with his wife was by far the coolest dude to welcome G.F.M.G. He was so fun to talk to! He invited me and Tony to go shooting muskets at a range specifically designed for firing antique weapons. He also enjoys RPGs. Hmmmm....


At around 2:00 the sun made an appearance - an hour before the market closed, which was better than not showing up at all. Tony came back to help me close with Micky, who was panting and bug eyed as they walked towards me through the market. My heart leapt as usual when I saw Tony. We decided to hang out a bit longer than the rest of the vendors, who were already closing up for the day. That's when several dogs arrived to the market and visited my table with their owners. I gave out kale doggie biscuits to everyone and ended up selling some too. Two women bought them to eat, which was cool. They're tasty little biscuits!

My favorite buddy was a rescue named Turner; his owner was the sweetest elderly lady. She asked me if I had water for her little man, so I filled up my thermos cup and gave it to him with a biscuit on the side. He ate the biscuit, but I think he was afraid of getting cooties from my cup.


Next week I'll bring a water bowl...