This last week at the Homer Farmers Market may have been hazy with distant fires, but the crowd didn’t seem to mind. One friend said she wasn’t there for the vegetables anyway, but for the hugs from the friends she knew she would see there.
It’s true. Not everyone comes to the market for vegetables. Some come with their knives drawn — dull knives in need of sharpening. Vendors themselves were the first to catch on to how valuable it was to have Grey Wilson with Wilson’s Proper Edge and his practical service available. Quilters, hunters and chefs all love the Proper Edge.
Wilson drives his little shop on wheels all around the peninsula, Saturdays in Homer and other days parked at various locations up north. We’re lucky to have him here so regularly, so plan to bring your knives or scissors or other blades with you to the market. Please remember to bring a towel to wrap your newly sharpened knives in so that you can get them home without getting anything (or anyone) cut or your knives dinged.
This last week, the market also hosted Linda Tanehill from Cooperative Extension offering the service of testing your canner gauge. I admire all the folks who came down with their canner gauges in hand, but I simply forgot. Since she is not always there like the Proper Edge, it is best to sign up for the market newsletter so you can get weekly updates on what is coming up. Linda will be back later in the summer, so stay tuned.
But those aren’t the only services the Market provides. Some of the services are less obvious, but help the vendors and the customers, such as the credit card machine that the Market runs. It makes it so that each individual vendor doesn’t have to invest in a card machine, but that every customer can use their credit card or SNAP benefits card (and get coins to spend).
So come on down to the Market on Ocean Drive this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. or Wednesday from 2-5 p.m. and see what best serves you.
Kyra Wagner is the coordinator of Sustainable Homer and the Homer Farmers Market’s biggest fan.
