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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Archives Revels Classifieds Real Estate Menu Guide Wedding Weather Subscribe Contact Us August 8, 2005 A GROWING endeavor Farmers’ market connects local growers with local buyers By Robert Plain Ashland Daily Tidings Lucille Lawrence supplies Betty Shelley with fresh carrots from the Lawrence Farm in Selma. The Lawrences have been participating in the Ashland growers market for 15 years. Below: more scenes from the Ashland Farmer's Market. Photos by Robert Plain | Ashland Daily Tidings Every Tuesday morning during the growing season, consumers have opportunity to find some of the freshest foods available anywhere, right here in Ashland. This is when the Rogue Valley Growers and Crafters converge at the National Guard headquarters on East Main Street from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The back parking lot is cleared out, and farmers and artists from every corner of the Rogue Valley come to town to share the fruits of their labor. From heady organic produce to delicious prepared delights to original arts and crafts, the growers and crafters market is part health-food store and part street party. Most of the growers operate from under awnings, to keep their produce from wilting, and throngs of consumers can be seen trying to pile inside to get a piece of the harvest. The crafters do likewise, their bright and beautiful art serving to further accentuate the scene. There are also street performers and political activists peppering the main drag. A young boy plays the saxophone, an older man plays the banjo, a hippie solicits a petition. For the consumer, much of it is mere eye candy, as the home-grown food is the main draw. “I do my weekly shopping here,” said a woman who identified herself simply as Valentine. “Pretty much anything I need to eat I can get here. I like to support local sustainable agriculture, and there is no better place to do that than right here.” “You can’t get food this fresh or this good from the supermarket,” said Jessie Jones, a summertime resident of Ashland. “This is delicious food, and it comes from right where we live.” Magda Staniek, a European transplant to Ashland, was stocking up on free-range eggs, fresh berries and a variety of vegetables. “In Europe, we have markets like this every day,” she said. “It’s a place to get some food, exchange some gossip. I wish it was held more often.” This time of year, some of the more popular produce items are just coming into season. The farmers rich in these crops last week were the ones with the longest lines. Manny and Lucille Lawrence, of the Lawrence Farm, were a popular stop all morning with their multicolored carrots. “This is how we make our living,” said Manny Lawrence, as he handed out bunches of purple dragon carrots as quickly as he could bag them. “Ashland is a very supportive community. We’ve been doing this market for 15 years.” Vince Alionis, from Whistling Duck Farm, said his stand, like many of the others, were having their best week of the season. He attributed his success to their abundance of tomatoes. “People get excited by the color red,” he said, noting that the cool spring caused summer crops to come in late. “We’ve been slammed all day. Every week there is more product and more abundance of product.” And for the consumer who is a bit less concerned with health, there is no shortage of sweets, either. One of the more popular stops for this type of treat is Daddy’s Donuts and Juices. At this stand, Jerry Painter makes donuts and lemonade while his customers watch. There is also organic fruit, homemade fruit and wild mushrooms. Trace Harding, who makes bags, gift cards and other prints with an agricultural theme, says the market is in full swing and many of the vendors are doing better business than ever. The more business it does, the better it is for the entire Ashland economy. “It’s really important to support local farmers,” she said. “The more direct connection there is between the food grower and the food consumer, the better it is for the land, the community and the individual.” The market runs through October, and the best of summer’s produce is just coming into season now. Staff writer Robert Plain can be reached at 482-3456 x 3040 or [email protected]. 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