Farmers Market

I've been doing two back to back (Saturday & Sunday) for the past 3 weeks. Saturdays is a drag. The town doesn't support it. Has tucked it away back on some side street where no one cane see it or knows that it is there. And the Pres/organizer is a mean, grumpy man. I hate doing that one. The energy there is always horrible. None of the vendors (the whole 5 of them) talk to each other. Everyone follows the Pres. moves. If he tears down early, everyone tears down early. Every week I say that I'm not going to do it again. But oddly enough, I still do fairly well at that market and seem to have a loyal customer base that comes back every week to get stuff or bring their friends to shop. I'm very torn as to what to do. This market keeps loosing more vendors every month. soon it will be dead I'm afraid. It's sad, as it used to be such a strong, healthy, vibrant market before this Pres.

On the flip side. The Sunday market; Humble Earth Farmer's Market is a breath of fresh air. Lots of fun, social, caring, and helpful vendors. Everyone helps each other set up and tear down. One guy who sells organic beef, bbq's every week and sometimes feeds all the vendors free. There is always live music and occasionally prizes given away to the crowd/customers. Free pizza coupons to the kids. Produce/food vendors accept WIC vouchers for mothers of small children and seniors. The energy at this market is all about community and togetherness, not survival of the fittest. And I do very well at this market. My prices are not questioned or frowned upon. I can leave them as is which leaves me room to do great "2/for" and "3/for" Market Specials that the customers love. Even Sunday in the pouring down rain, vendors were out there with happy faces. And the customers still came with umbrellas and money, and still the market did well. And I feel good when I'm there. With winter coming they will be doing a food drive soon. I really love that they focus so much on the community. It's just a fun place to be and be a part of. They also do a Thursday market on the other side of town that I'm seriously considering doing. There are more vendors and more traffic, and from what I hear from these Sunday vendors, the same "family" feel between vendors. Sounds like a winning recipe to me :)

The Lunatic is in the Hall....Er, Woods

It started innocent enough. It was about 7 pm last night, and I was in the soap shop packing a few orders while a batch of lotion cooled. Then I heard the noise. It sounded like a low flying aircraft. Very low flying. So I poked my head out of the shop, and there it was, a sheriff's helicopter circling round to make a landing in the pasture behind us. A deputy came from the house nearby and met them. they talked for a few moments, then he climbed in and they took off. They then proceeded to fly low in a zig-zag pattern over the nearby and surrounding state forest. After about a 1/2 hour the came back, landed in the pasture again dropping off the deputy and took off for another search of the forest. Eventually we were told that some guy had threatened to harm the woman he was living with,set his truck on fire, and threatened to harm himself and others. He had run off with a big knife and was hiding out in the woods surrounding our houses. Oh Joy!

Today, they still have not found him. He showed up on one lady's back porch and she called 911. But he managed to get away again. They said that he is very familiar with and comfortable in these woods and suspect that he retreated back into them. they also suggested that we set up a neighborhood watch system. Not an easy thing to do since this is a rural area and we all live on acreage and are spread out, not in a housing track. They also told us that if we see him, he is dangerous to not approach him. DUH!!

Needless to say, I didn't finish my work out in the shop last night. And when Matt made his nightly call from work and I told him what was going on, he came straight home. Neither of us slept well last night. And he had to go back to work tonight so I won't be sleeping well tonight. And, I'll only be working in the shop during the day now, with the door locked behind me. I also now take the 3 dogs with me to do chores. Feeding the chickens morning and night, checking the garden, feeding the fish in the pond, filling the bird feeders. Where I once used to wander with thoughtless abandon, I now have my pack with me and my guard up. I do hope that they find this man soon, so that everyone that lives in this peaceful valley will have their peace back once again.