Happy New Year

I must apologize for not getting out my New Years Eve post. One of the big themes for last year was not enough time. I realize that everyone has this problem and every time I had a little extra time I was so tired I feel asleep. So obviously this is something I need to work on this year. 

Very quickly the biggest hump we had to get over last year. The most prominent is all of the rain, we need water just not as much as Mother Nature as been giving us. The water is still laying all over the farm, when it dry’s up a bit then we can continue butting in raised beds.

The only other major thing is not having enough money. I know that is everyone's problem and I’m not going to delve into it any further.

Now lets look at this New Year and some of the positives from last year. We where able to make some connections last year that brings us into a better situation this year. First we did a first time festival called Vegfest, that was phenomenal for us. From that came the opportunity to sell over the winter at The Market at Westgate (which is a year long farmers market). This also is helping us to sell in more places, when we get back into local season produce. We have expanded are line to offer herbs and dry good. Some other things we are looking to add are home made soap (again time problem). I would like to sell some of my fiber items (woven to be specific and others). If I can get a fire under him I’m going to get Ed weaving baskets (we’ll see how that one go’s). For the spring we would like to offer Heirloom seeds, so this is what we have setup for this year we will see how it go’s.

I of course would like to weave more and I am going to try. I have many ideas I just need to organize my time to get them all done. Another goal for this year is more animals on the farm (this is more the money and time issue then anything else). So this year has a lot of potential and we will do everything we can to achieve these goals. All we can do is try.

Opening Day

Yesterday was opening day for The Market at Westgate and what an opening day it was. We had put the word out about the market and the response was big. A lot of people said they were going to come see us, most of them did. That and all the advertising that the mall did, we had an excellent day. As you can see from the picture we loaded up, that was just one side of our area.

 

 

  This picture is the view from the other side. Our spot is a prime location, we are the first vender you see when you enter the market area. With all growing pains of the a new venture we where a little cramped but it was workable. The bosses of the market feel the set up needs to be tweaked. Starting next week we will be set up right in front of the doors. This means that when you enter the mall at the main entrance, we will be the first thing you see. This not only gives us a super prime-location it also gives us more room. So if you came by to see us yesterday, next week we will be right in the front as you walk into the mall.

As promised I did take my loom and it will be there next week as well. Since I was not able to get it set up before opening day. I decided to take and set it up there. My thought was, the norm with weaving demo’s is the loom is set up and you just see the person weaving. You never see the process of setting the loom up so you can weave a piece. I changed that yesterday by setting up the loom there. The response was a good one, of course every one said they would never have the patience to do it. (I think if you just relaxed everyone could at least try it.)

I even had a couple of people very interest in what I was doing. To the point they where asking me things like how much is my loom (not for sale), where can they get one. Even though I was demonstrating, how easy is it to use, questions like that. Some other people wanted to buy my ribbon winning pieces (again not for sale). Now if i sell my ribbon winning pieces how will I show of my ribbons. (For you smarty's out there, yes I know I have to make more items for competition, to get more ribbons so I can sell the ribbon winners, not going to happen, the selling part any way.) 

As with every opening of a new business you have visits from local papers, radio celebrities, congress people and the like. We had two very special visitors, WLEV Scott and Cindy Morning Show hands out cupcakes every Wednesday from Warm Sugar bakery in Hellertown, PA. This week the market was the lucky winner. So Scott and Cindy where around handing out cupcakes to the vendors and boy are they really  good cupcakes. That was a fun surprise and a real treat for everyone.

The second visit was from Congressman Charlie Dent who was walking around talking with vendors and learning what we all where selling. The local papers where there as well. I don’t know if I made the paper but maybe. I will have to check that out and get back to you on that.

So as you can see we had a very exciting day and are looking for more in the future. If you are ever in the area on a Wednesday don’t forget to stop by and say Hi.

The Market at Westgate

I have some exciting news, starting Wednesday November 9th Ed and I will be selling at the Market at Westgate. The Market is located inside the Westgate Mall, in Bethlehem, PA. This is a bran new venture for the mall and both Ed and myself are excited to be one of there anchor vendors.

The market is a year round farmers market, that will have all you find at a farmers market. Ed and I will be selling produce of course, as described by FARE Farming (which is Ed’s blog). With winter coming upon us and fall already here we are not able to sell local produce. So we will have the freshest produce and possible (when available) organic produce. To this I added this season dried herbs, sorry it was to wet for me to harvest my own this year. So the herbs are from all around the world, they are wild crafted and some are organic as well. The herb inventory starts at allspice and ends with vanilla, and every thing in between except mint. (Sorry I can’t get my hands on just plain ordinary mint.)

Something that I am adding to the stock to be revealed at the Market is dry goods. What do I mean, let me tell you. Flours, sugars, sweeteners, dried bean and the like. To start I’m only going to have the basics and ask for your input to what you would like me to carry.

A couple of other things I am working on to carry is teas and maybe fair trade coffees. Ed and I are also working on a line of hand made soap, (more about that later). The teas we are working to get pretty quickly the other items won’t be available until mid -  winter, early spring.

The final thing will of course be fiber art Items. I'm saying fiber art because it will be more then just woven items. I would love to say that I will have pieces for sale on opening day, alas I will not. For reasons that are just a bit frustrating, but I will be demonstrating different forms of the fiber arts on a weekly bases (with a break here and there). Starting with weaving, so I will have my loom with me. As the market gets going I will be adding fiber items to sell. Yes I will announce it when that happens.

If you would like to keep up with all that we will be carrying at the market and come spring at what locations we will be at. Just look to the right of your screen above the followers. You will see a news letter sign up. This is a weekly news letter from the Two Country Gentlemen (Ed and I). This news letter will have all the latest info on what we will be selling, where we will be (when we hit that season again), recipes and more. So if this sounds interesting to you, please feel free to sign up and let your friends know as well.

If you are ever in the area or in Bethlehem to be more specific. On Wednesdays between noon and seven pm.  Stop by the mall and say hi.

Veg Fest

 

Veg Fest was a huge success, the festival was everything vegetable. From being a vegetarian to vegan, they had stuff for the kids, pets, gardeners, fitness and the budding chef. This was the first year for the festival and boy did it start of with a bang. A lot of people where there and from  what I gathered from the other venders they had and excellent day as well.

The festival started at 12pm This picture was taken at 11:30am people just showed up early, behind us there was a chef demonstrating, he was grilling watermelon with a rum sauce. Did I want to try it yes, did I, no. I wasn’t aloud to leave my post. You know who’s fault that was right.

All in all a excellent day, made some new contacts, some new possibilities have opened for us. So as time go’s on we will see what happens. Below are some more pics through out the day enjoy.

Ed and Cindy Wear, Cindy is a local radio personality

Ed and me

Booth

Loom

Veggie Fest

 

Just wanted to let everyone know that I will be at Veggie Fest in Bethlehem, PA. Veggie Fest is a new all vegetarian festival being held in Bethlehem, The fest starts at noon and runs until five. I don’t have the exact location of where I will be, but I will be weaving and Ed will be with me selling produce.

For more information just click on the Veggie Fest hyperlink.

Comstock Ferre

 

Please don’t yell at me, I know that this post is a little late. Ok, ok a whole month late, but its better late then never. On June fifth Ed and I had the pleasure of being in Wethersfield, Connecticut at the Comstock Ferre Seed Company. For there 200th anniversary, if that wasn’t enough they are also the oldest Heirloom Seed company. The company is located on main street in historic downtown Wethersfield. It’s really cool walking down the street and seeing that all the buildings are 200 hundred or more years old. For me that is over the top, being able to step back in time for a bit is a lot of fun. 

The festivities started at 10am and lasted until about 7pm. We didn’t stay that long but very close. Since we got there early we where able to walk around town and walk past there community gardens. I believe the gardens are run by the city, since Connecticut doesn't have counties and the gardens are behind the fire station.

 

 

 

 

 

 

From these two pictures you can see they have a large expanse of land at there disposal and I didn’t see any empty plots while we where walking  around.

 

 

 

 

 

By the time we where done with are walk the festival was starting. They had re-enactors and a cannon that they shot off every once in awhile, live music, the store was open of course you could buy seeds and plants, there where local business selling food and speakers through out the day. All in all it was a wonderful celebration and a great learning experience for us. We are certainly glad we made the trip up there. Below are some more picture through out the day please enjoy them.

 

 

  The gentleman in this picture is the owner Jerry Gettle.

 

 

Herb Sale

May 12th was the Herb Society of America Philadelphia Chapters annual herb sale. I was at it two years ago and had a wonderful time. I was not able to get to it last year, but got there this year. It was a gorgeous day that we got to see friends from the last time we where there and of course meet new ones.

The herb sale is held at an art museum and school. So every year the pottery school holds a sale the same day as the herb sale. I like to see if there’s always next year.they have any flower pots for sale (which they do) to plant one of my new herbs in. How cool is it to purchase a piece of pottery and then be standing next to the artist in line for the sale to start. She was so humbled by us taking a picture her with me, that was just to cool. So thank you Diane for making a beautiful piece for my eucalyptus.      

I have said this before you need to get to this sale early, if not you will be way in the back of the line. We get there between eight thirty and nine in the morning. By about quarter after nine the line is fifty people long or more and ten o’clock the line is going around the corner. So if you plan on going you should get there early or if you don’t mind standing in the back of the line. You can come on by later.

 

The sale its self is a decent size, with almost any herb you can think of. I even got soapwort this year (yes). Many deferent types of lavender, mint, basil, thyme, rosemary, scented geraniums and that's of the top of my head. They also offer a lunch a herb class and flea market area, plus they have antique rose as well. So there is plenty to see and purchase.

 

 

 

 

 

This year I only got a few herbs rosemary, eucalyptus, soapwort, comfrey, roman chamomile, cat nip (which Tucker already ate), lavender and mint – rose scented geranium (I thought it was strictly rose scented, but not bad to say the least). And after about twenty minute to a  half hour you are left with this. Not much left, well there's always next year.