Ann Arbor Farmer's Market - Wow!

Ann Arbor, Michigan. Year-round farmer's market.

I was visiting family in Michigan a couple weeks ago and was determined to visit a local farmer's market for a variety of reasons, though what I was most excited about was the opportunity of seeing what other markets have to offer. The best option was 20 minutes away in Ann Arbor. This town clearly values their farmer's markets as there is a permanent structure dedicated to sheltering their vendors, which I was told was built by the WPA during the depression. How cool is that? It was set up as a "T" shape with vendors up and down all the sides (though I notice there were a few spaces empty for what reason I didn't ask).

Being the apron maker that I am, I zeroed in on a vendor who sews and, to my delight, discovered she made unique children's clothing using - get this - vintage aprons as focal points. I wish I had taken a picture of her work as it was beautifully inspired. She used the accent pieces from handmade aprons and transformed them into accent pieces for a child's dress. Simply lovely.

Michigan is the land of cherries and our timing was such that the native cherries were everywhere and imagine my joy when I was able to find an organic option. Super fresh cherries and organic to boot. Man alive! And some vendors had the sour cherries, which are incredibly delicious when made into cherry pie. I remember my mother pitting these tart cherries with an antique cherry pitter and using them in her pies. I haven't had a homemade cherry pie since my childhood and if my family weren't such cherry wimps and if I could get my hands on a cherry pitter, I would have tried my hand at a pie. Somehow the prospect of hand pitting cherries put me off that idea...

Cherries, cherries everywhere!

 I discovered I have great fun visiting other farmer's markets, especially markets in other states. It's fun to see the local offerings and look to see if there is space for me. That would be fun - to be a traveling/visiting vendor to markets all across the country. Hmmm, I think I'll ponder that one a bit.

L.L.Bean + Farmer's Market + Aprons!

It's looking like clear skies and sun, sun, sun for tomorrow's opening day of the Freeport Community Market on the L.L.Bean campus. Rain was predicted earlier in the week for Friday but I had faith in the changeability of Maine's weather and lo and behold - beautiful Maine weather for us after all.

With Friday heralding the official beginning of the Memorial Day weekend and the "beginning" of summer, the town will be chock full of visitors. And what is the ultimate destination for all those Maine visitors? Why L.L.Bean, of course. And who will be waiting for them when walk by on their way to retail Mecca? Why, the Freeport Community Market members in all their glory, selling an amazing variety of goodies from instant food gratification to plants for your garden and an incredible variety of gift ideas.

We will be in attendance every Friday afternoon from 3-7. It will be rain or shine for many market members but unfortunately, not for my aprons and me. Catch me on a dry day but don't look for me in the rain.

See you there!

I'm getting there, slowly.

I am just beginning to recover from a debilitating fate, one which I hope no one falls victim - death of my laptop (gasp). A laptop that holds much of the information of my tech life and from which I am still recovering, literally. While I finally figured out how to migrate the old files to my new OS, many of them are no longer compatible. That means contacts, photos, music, apps (of the iPhone persuasion) and things I am sure I haven't realized yet.

But enough of that sad story. 

Today is actually a great day as it marks the first day of the Cumberland Farmer's Market. Up and at 'em, rise and shine and I'm out the door. The car is packed with all buy my aprons and I sure hope I haven't forgotten anything since my packing list for the outdoor markets is one of the files that I haven't yet figured out how to open.

I will be wearing extra layers of clothes to stay warm this nippy Maine morning and until the sun is high enough in the sky to thaw my chilled body I'll be dressed to keep out the chill. On my way to Cumberland I'll pick up one of the incredible breakfast sandwiches made at Edna and Lucy's in Pownal, which have become the highlight on my hour drive. Totally yum.

I hope to see you at market!

Bye-Bye Brunswick Winter Market (for now)

Another Brunswick Winter Market is behind us. What a wonderful market it is and I feel lucky to be able to sell my aprons there during the cold winter months. With the loyal following and new people discovering this market each week, it makes for a vibrant and exciting place to be.

Now to get ready for the outdoor markets with a whole different setup with canopy and a new hanging configuration, hauling everything needed in my Honda Civic which, by the way, can hold a heck of a lot of market gear.

The word is out! Read all about it.

http://www.theforecaster.net/content/n-fptfarmers-1

L.L.Bean is knocking on our door

 If you look to the left from this scene you will find our market!

During the spring/summer/fall market seasons, Freeport is one of the Cumberland Farmer's Market setup locations. In the past we could be found in the parking lot of the town office on Friday afternoons. This year marks a significant change in our Freeport experience because we have been invited by L.L.Bean to set up on their campus as the Freeport Community Market.

Freeport has always been a good market for my aprons and we could always count on a modest number of tourists stopping by our market to see what's going on beneath all the brightly colored tents. This spring we will now be within the actual realm of that legendary store and within spitting distance of the thousands of visitors who come to the mecca that is L.L.Bean.

Excited? Yes, I'm excited. Unlike the farmers who sell consumables to their regular customers each week, fresh faces are necessary when selling non-food items. And to be in the middle of all those fresh faces each week throughout the "tourist" season - well, you can't get any better than that.

My aprons and my daughter's jewelry (check out her wares on etsy) will be ready to go on the official opening day on Friday, May 28th, from 3:00 through 7PM.

See you there!