Arlee market returns
Market Fresh
Karen Peterson
Cousins Moses and Carter Curtiss, 9, sell rhubarb and mint from their Grandma Rosie’s garden.
Karen Peterson
Petunias and marigolds gallore.
Karen Peterson
Vegetables and and herbs are also for sale at Arlee’s market.
Karen Peterson
Shopping in fresh air and sunshine ... local growers know their inventory and have helpful planting and growing tips.
Karen Peterson
Karen Peterson
Karen Peterson
Karen Peterson
Karen Peterson
Karen Peterson
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ARLEE – Flowers, herbs, and vegetables colored the Arlee Farmers Market on Wednesday.
About half a dozen vendors set up at the new location on the south side of town where the highway forks into two sections, and they will be back again for subsequent markets until the end of the season.
Nine-year-old cousins Moses and Carter Curtiss sat under a kid-sized stand selling rhubarb and mint.
“I just really like rhubarb, and I wanted other people to get the chance to try it,” Carter said, adding he likes the sour taste of raw rhubarb.
He said the produce came from Grandma Rosie’s yard, otherwise known as Rosie Longacre.
“Carter looked up on the Internet how to pick and cut the mint,” Longacre said as she sat under the shade near the boys.
The cousins paid their market dues for the whole season so they will be back with more goods, although they have some fun summer stuff to do next week.
At another stand, Randy and Patty Tiensvold of Mountain Home Greenhouse in Arlee displayed dozens of flowers from black mambas to purple petunias with yellow centers.
A few years back, Patty wanted to add plants to their home landscaping, so Randy decided to grow her some, and he grew so many that he decided to start selling them. He also grew vegetables for the market including tomatoes, cabbage, cucumbers, kale, green peppers, and more.
At Judie Miller’s stand, every flower and vegetable was organized and labeled to make them easier to identify. The goods were from Gardens of Summer in Dixon. Miller was at the first market of the season in Arlee the week before.
“Last Wednesday, it was pouring rain and we got wet,” she said. “You just never know what the weather will be like, but we keep going.”
Pies and tarts of all kinds were at the stand set up by Home on the Range Pies. Rusty Carl was dishing out pie by the slice. He said his wife’s grandma used to make “Walking Around Pie” so the ranch hands could walk and eat after lunch, and the couple continued the tradition.
Elina Moore is a junior high student in Arlee. She displayed her culinary creations under a shaded tent including cupcakes that look like small hamburgers, topped with lettuce and tomato icing under the bun. She is raising money to go on a Girl Scout trip to
London. She plans to sell more treats during the summer market. “It’ll take me a few years to earn $4,000 for the trip,” she said.
Bickering Sisters sold their homemade jam. Taylor and Peyton Lammerding started selling the fruit-filled jars about eight years ago to save money for college.
Fresh produce from the early harvest was also available from Sophie’s Farm and Orchard and Harlequin Produce, both in Arlee.
Arlee High School students in the junior class prepared a “sloppy joe” dinner to raise funds for their senior trip. Lane Schall jumped around on the side of the highway, well away from traffic, to bring people into the event. He said his class is hoping to go to Disney Land.
Windy Windy Boy sat under a shaded tent ready to sign up any newcomers to the market. A spot at the market is $10 or $144 for the season. She said more information is available on the market’s Facebook page.
“I love this community,” she said. “And I want everyone to be as healthy as they can with fresh things from the market. This also gives people an opportunity to share what they’ve grown and created.”
