Mountain Musings

Preparing for Market: Part 1

This past month has been a busy time around the Girotti house! Hannah and I have been accepted into the local farmers' market for the upcoming season. There is much preparation to be done before the start date of April 7.

One of my first tasks was to research and order packaging supplies at a good price. Large boxes have been delivered, unpacked, and stacked on our ping-pong table. You can get a little glimpse below of some of the cake boxes, cake boards, fudge containers, pie plates, pie wedge containers, and muffin liners that are all ready to go. I think I'm all set in that department for awhile now! :)

Hannah and I are splitting a booth, with her half being soaps, and my half being baked goods and candy. We want to try to set each half apart, so it will be obvious that there are two different businesses. My business cards are black and pink with some gold swirls, so I want to go with that color theme in my whole presentation - the table, the product packaging, and the way I'm dressed. I decided to make myself an apron to wear that would bring in those colors. A quick trip to Wal-Mart for the main fabric and bias binding, and I was ready to go.

 

I used a pattern that was bought at a yard sale and added a cupcake applique to the center to emphasize the sweets aspect. My scraps from past quilting classes came in handy for that - they even had swirls! A flower and leaves replaced the cherry in the applique pattern.

There's lots more to do - setting pricing, figuring out the table layout, receiving more orders, testing recipes, planning what to bring the first day, and of course...the actual baking every Friday. :)

More updates to come over the next month!

~Sarah

Knit in Public Day & Farmers' Market ~ Part 2

While Mom was knitting away, Hannah and I were close by at the downtown Farmers' Market. For awhile now, we've been wanting to go down there to observe and help my friend Sarah with her family's booth.

When we got there bright and early at ten til seven, Sarah and her sister Joanna had their tables, rack, and freezer all set up and ready for the start of market at 7. We slipped on some extra green aprons they had brought for us and chatted while waiting for the first customers. The row of 4 girls in matching aprons must have made an impression, because people kept commenting on them. :)

The Showalter's farm, Heartland Harvest, offers meats, eggs, grain, flour, baked goods, and produce. Sarah bakes 60-70 loaves of bread every week to take to the market...on Saturday we sold all but 3 loaves. Joanna manned the freezer of meats, and Hannah and I looked on and helped make change and bag the customers' purchases. This week Sarah couldn't bring any eggs, and many people were disappointed to not get any. One lady exclaimed to her friend, "They have the BEST eggs in the WORLD!"

The market ended at noon, and we stayed to help pack up. Another girl walked over to help, and with 5 people the work went fast. All in all, it was a very enjoyable experience, and we'd love to go help another time! :)

~Sarah

Saturday at the Farmers' Market

Hannah, Sarah, and I just returned from the Downtown Farmers' Market with some goodies: tart red cherries and free-range eggs from our friends at Heartland Harvest. Here's a picture of their vendor booth with Sarah (our Sarah's friend) selling her wares.

There were other booths of flowers, homemade soaps, rabbits' wool products, various meats and lots of healthy looking vegetables. But all the red peppers were sold out--that's what I went for! We enjoyed hearing a street musician playing her fiddle on the corner and collecting some change for her efforts.   

It was my first time at the farmers' market after living here for three years. Some photos from our excursion have been added to a new photo album--left sidebar.

I'll have to go back another Saturday morning.

~Deb