Handmade and Homegrown

By Vicki Randolph

Saturday, April 11 is opening day for the 2009 season at the Ashe County Farmer's Market. Some may think it's too early in the year for a farmers market, but anyone who thinks that has obviously never visited the one in Ashe County.

The Backstreet in downtown West Jefferson will soon be all abuzz with vendors, shoppers and visitors. There will be fresh baked breads, aromatic candles, culinary vinegars, wooden furniture, handmade quilts, jarred jams & jellies, and even some early spring greens.

There will also be a couple of new attractions at the market this season: two brand new RainWater Solutions rain barrels have found a home at ACFM.

Thanks to Steve Ashley and his cohorts at Eco-Green, LLC, the rain barrels were donated to the Farmer's Market as a thank you gift for the organization's contributions to the community.

"One of the main goals at Eco-Green is to create a positive impact within our community," says Ashley. "The farmers market is a proactive organization that implements sustainable living practices and encourages all of us to think about where our food comes from, who grows it and how it gets to our plates ... creating a new level of consumer awareness and motivating individuals to make more eco-friendly buying decisions. I want to thank the Ashe County Farmer's Market for what they do for our community."

The two 65-gallon, hi-tech rain barrels are a great gift, and the vendors are already excited about having the water available to them when the market is open. Just a reminder: the barrels are for catching rain water to be used for watering plants, not to be used as potable drinking water.

The barrels, produced by a company in Raleigh, are made of 100 percent recycled plastic. Not only are they made in the USA, but they are made locally in North Carolina. The barrels nest inside of one another so that the company can ship mostly product, instead of mostly air. All of the barrels also feature child safety locks.

Thanks to Eco-Green for their generous contribution to the Farmer's Market. The community and the earth appreciate it.