New farmers’ market off to a good start in Clarendon
Photos by Ginny Kropf: Nyla Gaylord, who pushed to start a Farmers’ Market in Clarendon, holds her pet chicken Goldie during the market’s opening day Thursday. At right is vendor Terry Garrison of Albion, who sold homemade hand towels and other crocheted items. Gaylord also sold brown eggs from her farm.
Theresa Jewell of Clarendon demonstrates weaving alpaca during opening day of the Clarendon Farmers’ Market Thursday.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent
CLARENDON – For the first day, the Clarendon Farmers’ Market was a big hit.
Understandably, vendors will increase as produce becomes more readily available, but market organizer Nyla Gaylord couldn’t have been more pleased.
A variety of vendors offered tomatoes, garlic bulbs, plants, crafts, beef jerky, fudge, baked goods, spice mixes, vegetable and flower plants, crocheted items and goats milk soap, to mention a few.
Gaylord sold out of her brown eggs, and enjoyed showing off her pet chicken, Goldie.
Many who stopped to shop took time to listen to the band Fox Run play country/western music. The band, whose members are nearly all in their 80s, was started by Gaylord’s aunt Joyce Tyler of Brockport and Marilyn Lafferty.
Kim’s Kitchen offered samples of homemade fudge and used the market as an opportunity to promote their new business which offers a variety of soup and spice mixes, gluten- and sugar-free meals and catering.
Gary and Rita Casale with their homemade beef jerky were among the vendors for the first ever farmers’ market in Clarendon, which opened Thursday afternoon.
Another vendor was Theresa Jewell of Stoney Meadows Alpacas and Stone Mountain Looms on Glidden Road, who was weaving an alpaca shawl. She was also selling a book she and Ashley Couch wrote on continuous strand weaving, which she said was selling very good. In addition, she had goats’ milk soap which her daughter makes.
“I think the market has potential,” Jewell said. “There has been a lot of community support and when the produce season gets going, I think it will bring more people out.”
Gary and Rita Casale, who make homemade beef jerky, were delighted with the local opportunity to sell their goods.
“When it’s this easy and this close, we’ll be here every week,” Gary said.
The market will run from 3:30 to 7 p.m. every Thursday through the end of October on the grounds of the Clarendon Historical Society. Any interested vendors or entertainers are urged to contact Gaylord at (585) 703-0564 or by e-mail at Clarendonfarmersmarket@aol.com.
Shoppers take a break to listen to the country/western band Fox Den during opening day of the Clarendon Farmers’ Market.
