Productive, Busy Weekend

Yesterday's Farmer's Market ~ what can I say? The weather cooperated, everyone was in a happy mood, and in the mood to shop.

Two different views of my booth. This set up seems to gain attention to those who don't want to commit coming into the booth.

One common thread between online sales and Farmer's Markets...the Spa Washcloths and Cotton Bath Puffs are popular. It was off to the yarn shop this afternoon to load up on lots of yarn to replace the sold items (as well as take advantage of the tax free holiday in Vermont) and HOPE to keep ahead of the game for Christmas. Once school starts I won't have as much time to devote to creating.

All 10 of my soap molds were filled this morning with new batches of soap. The house is smelling mighty yummy...like Christmas! I would have kept going and line cardboard boxes with freezer wrap but alas, I ran out of soapmaking oils...for shame!!! Here I've been so worried about my yarn supply that I failed to realize I was extremely low on soapmaking oils!

Farmer's Market Blues

I've been doing the same market for 4 years now. I have a lot of local patrons that look for me every year in the spring, bring their visiting friends by my booth throughout the summer, and load up with soap in the fall. The location is such that it is in a hot tourist market, and we have been known to have tour buses stop by every once in a while. This year, however, the market has been sparsely attended by shoppers and those that do stop by are just looking. This market has a nice variety of products to offer...baked goods, produce, and crafts of all kinds.

This past weekend the market was bustling with shoppers. I sold a lot of goodies, but no where near what I've sold over a holiday weekend in years past. I have been debating over whether I will continue with this market next year due to the fact that I drive 30 minutes one way.

I was fortunate to have a gentleman next to me on Saturday that invited me to bring my goodies to a Monday market that he set up. It is close to home, and best of all...no weekly fees. Just show up, grab a spot and set up. Can it get any better than that? I figured, it is only a quick jaunt down the road so there was no harm in giving this market a chance.

Showing up 20 minutes before market was set to open is never a good thing. The location is covered in shade trees so I didn't need the canopy (Thank God!). I reduced my inventory to soap, spa washcloths and bath puffs. I was ready in under 20 minutes...shocking considering that I was melting and overheating with the extreme humidity and nice warm heat that accompanied! I set up not expecting to sell much. Well, blow me over if I didn't stay busy, busy, busy most of the 3 hours. Who would have thought!!!

Something rather interesting that made me think...I had several tourists comment they were happy to find a Monday market because they were so busy on Saturday and shopping a Farmer's Market was not on the top of the list. Hmmmmmm

Gourmet Feast

There are those (I won't mention any names, but I commonly refer to him as DH) who thumb their nose up to the idea of healthier meals in schools. He is of the opinion that people should have the choice of what they want to eat and no one should be forcing them to eat healthier. Part of my job is being creative with the healthier food options. I have many healthier options that look appealing and taste great so the challenge to prove him wrong went into full swing today.

Fresh Garden Salad made with fresh greens purchased at the Farmer's Market. After having to buy lettuce in the grocery store all winter long, fresh baby greens hit the spot!

Due to technical difficulties, there is no photo of the pasta salad made with whole grain pasta. Does not change the taste, and the slight color variation of the pasta isn't noticeable. I mixed in peas, red onion, white albacore tuna, a bit of mayo, and garden seasoning with no salt.


Jamaican Jerk Chicken hot off the grill. Made with boneless skinless chicken breast. Always a hit when I make it. I love cooking extra so I can add some of the leftovers to a Garden Salad for lunch. A vegetarian option - the jerk spice mixture would be awesome on a piece of firm tofu then grilled. YUM!


And what EVERY Gourmet Feast should have...Rich Dark Chocolate cupcakes with Whipped Icing. I seriously don't know what happened to the first two or three cupcakes. I certainly didn't go "healthier" on the dessert, although I do have a recipe for chocolate beet cake that is excellent and no one even knows they are eating veggies! I figured I best just break him in "slowly" with the healthier options. After all, he had baby beet greens in the salad and he didn't know what it was.

DH had no complaints, but the look on his face was priceless when I told him today's healthier food experiment worked. He really didn't notice anything different about the baby greens (won't tell him about the beet greens) and the whole grain pasta went unnoticed. It has made him think twice about his earlier opinion.

Farmer's Market Begins!

The first week is always hectic after having the winter off. I'm not the only vendor that would admit that they had baskets misplaced over the winter, or something they couldn't find. The first few weeks of Market are typically slow until school lets out and the fresh veggies start coming on. The first weeks are a commitment to folks that "we are back and ready for business". It is important for me, now in my 4th year at this market, because I have locals that come seeking me out in the early spring for more soap.



This week my son used the canopy to protect the food items in his booth. If you missed the post about how this came about you can read about it here. He sold cucpakes, cakes, iced cinnamon bread, jams, jellies and preserves. He was bored until the first sale came in, then he was all business and liking how this will work out for the summer.


I'm hoping to have my new canopy ready and here before next weekend, along with the new table coverings. Everything is coming up "spots" these days. I'm going to be loud and stand out in the crowd. No plain jane canopy tent for this chick! Will most definitely share the end result.

It was a very windy day yesterday. I was so glad I didn't have a canopy to contend with. I've always been a stickler about staking down the canopy even if it isn't windy or breezy in the mornings. You never know when a gust of wind might decide to kick up.

We had one vendor that lost their canopy in the wind yesterday. A gust of wind blew up and picked up her canopy, stakes and all, right out of the ground. It went airborne and landed on the brand spanking new canopy of the vendor next to her. The canopy for the vendor next to her was OK, but hers was toast.

Creative Thinking Saves the Day

My son is the lucky elected soul to help with Farmer's Market this year. My oldest daughter no longer lives at home, my younger daughter is working on Saturday's as is my husband. When I mentioned Farmer's Market was starting up again his exact words were "Good luck with that!".

As I have a hard time managing the tent and set up alone, and don't feel it is fair to rely on my "neighbor" vendors at market every week, I need someone to assist me. When I told him he was manning the booth next to me, he became interested in the idea. I decided there wasn't enough room under one tent to house the soap, candles and bath accessories AND all of the jams, jellies, extra garden produce and baked goods. I mentioned that he could split the profits with his sister from that booth each week IF they help with the garden, baking, canning, etc...and he has to sit in the booth each week (weather permitting). His exact words... "Now you're talking my language!" I was relieved he didn't say he was going to be praying for rain every weekend. My daughter is also enthusiastic in that she will be broadening her baking/cooking skills with this endeavor.