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Vendors Bring Early Produce, Arts, Crafts to New Season of Great Falls Farmers' Market (greatfallstribune.com) |
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The Hydroponic Garden--A Guide to Hydroponics
Hydroponics allows us to grow the plants, fruits and vegetables of our choice--even in limited space--without using soil. It's an amazing way to produce perfect specimens and offers TONS of advantages that traditional gardening can't come close to touching!
Author: Stacy Byrne - Tribune Staff Writer
June 6, 2008
Great Falls Farmers' Market offers one-stop shopping for the brightest blooms; radishes, rhubarb and green onions fresh out of gardens that will yield truckloads of produce in a few weeks; assorted pies, breads and other homemade goodies, some even for furry family members; handcrafted items like jewelry, clothing, blankets, birdhouses, soaps, candles and wands; photography, paintings and a lot more.
"I just love all the people," said Diane Kaplan of Gnitty Gritty Tie Dye. "It's a chance to see people you haven't seen all year. It's a gathering point for all my friends."
It's the season of fry bread and porkies on a stick for breakfast, pony rides, the sweet sounds of "Julia" Jing Yi Yuan's guzheng and all the locally grown produce you can stuff into your tote bag.
Farmers' Market starts Saturday and runs through the last Saturday in September. The market, spread across the area south of the Civic Center, is open each week, rain or shine, from 7:45 a.m. to noon. No dogs are allowed.
Starting July 9, when the produce really starts rolling in, another market is added Wednesdays from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Market manager Marv Brewster said about 170 vendors are returning from last year, and he expects more than 200 to pass through the market this summer. There's room for 130 vendors each week, and anyone is welcome to peddle goods as long as the items are locally and legally grown, homemade or handcrafted.
"They just have to check in with me, sign a form and get instructions," Brewster said.
Vendors pay a $5 flat fee plus 10 percent of their profits, not to exceed $40, for a spot at the market.
Some of the oldies but goodies returning this year include Kaplan and her assortment of tie-dyes for folks of all ages and sizes, from wee ones to triple X's.
"I really love the carnival atmosphere," said Kaplan, who's been twisting rainbow colors into
clothing for the past nine years. "And I do like the aspect of making something and turning that into money."
She also likes the camaraderie among the vendors and mentioned that they support each other's products and cheer for each other's sales.
The cotton candy girl, or rather her mom, is back this year with those $2 bags of sugar spun into yum offered in 10 different flavors.
"The most popular are blue raspberry, watermelon and green apple," said Annette Johnson, whose daughter Kimmerlee will be working in Arizona this summer.
The pony lady, Char Gilcher, is returning to delight the younger market-goers, and Yi Yang will be selling CDs of her harp-like guzheng music.
Brewster said the pie lady, Barb Savoy, as well as the Swiers from Valier will be selling all sorts of sweetness. Dozens of crafters selling everything under the sun will be there, too.
Earl and Ben Colbry of Chester are bringing hydroponic tomatoes they'll sell for $1.50 a pound.
"They are sweeter than a tomato that's picked and shipped in," Colbry said.
Fairhaven Colony, one of five Hutterite colonies at the market, is bringing early vegetables such as radishes, green onions, rhubarb and potatoes, "still nice from last year."
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