My friend Linda and I run a farm and artisan market here in town – it’s a once-monthly affair on the second Saturday of June, July, August and September. This is one of my great joys in life, seeing friends, neighbors, vendors, artists, even dogs and their people… come together to buy stuff from local farmers and artisans, chat with each other, make new friends, visit with old… I see hugs, smiles, giggles, out-loud laughter – Just.. all the good stuff of life, you know?
Refreshing, it is.
The icing on the cake here is the market is held on a farm owned by the town we live in that has been restored mainly by volunteer power of it’s residents and local businesses. The husband and I have been a part of the efforts and there is nothing more rewarding than seeing the finished product… a place where the community gathers to enjoy the outdoors and each other through the various events now taking place. I strongly encourage all of you – in what ever capacity you’re able, and that differs for all of us … to get involved in a project in your community. The effort doesn’t have to be a huge commitment of time or money – volunteer for what is comfortable for you in a setting and for a cause that you believe in. Talk about restoring ones faith in humanity…
So… about those fairies…. This fairy in particular is a good friend of ours and you may be familiar with her blog –
The Herb Shed. She’s known as Raven… and in character here as Queen Bee.
In her fairy life she visits sick children at hospitals, she’s an actress in the Renaissance fairs you may see in the region.. and this was the first time in all these years I’ve known her, that I got to see her in action. WOW… not only does she captivate the children, but the young at heart as well. My husband may still have a little blue glitter stuck to his person 🙂 As soon as she arrives, she is in character, speaking in a completely different accent than the one I am used to. It’s musical!.. and she is a trained actress, so she projects her voice well. The joy of that for me is.. I can still hear some of it! Queen Bee was accompanied by her friend from the Glen Wood, Peasblossom and together they were enchanting.
Besides mingling with the crowd, there was story time as the fairies read to the children, including song, and much.. much.. *.*.*.*.GLITTER*.*..*..
Some of the children wore their own fairy wings!
We will invite the fairies back to the market for sure.
As for market day, we had glorious weather and the crowds showed up, always rewarding to see plans come to fruition. The farmers and artisans work hard throughout the year and these markets are so important to their survival. When you see them advertised or pass by them in your travels, take a few minutes to stop in and browse the market for fresh foods or artisan pieces you and your family can enjoy. Farm markets are a huge advocate for eating healthy, we need to encourage their existence lest they cease to exist.
The smiles!…
Is he not the cutest? There’s always one in the crowd who captures my heart.
For those of you in the know, you’ll notice my family is dispersed throughout this post. I so appreciate their support in my endeavors too…
This month we held a car cruise on the front lawn of the farm to help bring crowds in and to give the men something to do while their wives and children enjoyed the market and fairies…
All in all, it was a very good day – if you’re reading this and you came to visit with us at market, a huge thank you for your support.
