Field Tripping to Cache Valley’s Gardners' Market

The Gardeners' Market in Cache Valley has been going on for as long as I can remember. But this year is the first time I didn't just drive by. I wanted to experience the cultural event first hand and learn about the community's summer weekly event, but it was nothing I expected it would be. 
Something I didn’t expect from the Gardeners' Market in Cache Valley was more craft booths than produce. But as my wife, daughter, and I explored the local vendors' goods, we came to find good, wholesome, natural items being sold by everyone who participated. From spinning wool into beautiful, fluffy scarves, to homemade, sugar-free jam, natural honey, flower stands, gluten and dairy free mixes, and quilts made in the old fashioned tying style, the Gardeners' Market is a one-stop shop for those looking for local, natural goods. 

Going blindly into my first garden market was a bit overwhelming and, at first, a bit disappointing not seeing as many produce stands. But as the morning wore on, I found myself enjoying the music, sights, and smells that awaited me around every corner. The smells of love grown flowers, fresh, natural honey, rosemary, mint, and cherries; the sights of beautiful quilts, masterfully crafted wooden cutting boards, rolling pins, and chess boards; all narrated by acoustic guitars and country vocalists made for a great atmosphere for families and friends to enjoy Saturday together. 
We ended up buying products from three booths which I will highlight and post pictures of below. The first booth we stopped by was a local jam maker. Jams that were for sale were sugarless or small amounts of sugar added, locally grown berries and fruits used (except for the fruit that is only found in certain climates), and free samples were provided. I did ask the seller if they were the ones who make the jam and only one of the two participated in the production process. The actual producer was ill but does usually attend the market.

Butcher's Bunches Raspberry Jam

The next booth we purchased goods from was Vivian's Live Again products. Local entrepreneur, Vivian, has found her niche in the gluten free and dairy free market by making muffin mixes, soup, dip, gravy, and pudding mixes for those with gluten and lactose intolerances. What is even more awesome about her products is she was able to get Lee's Marketplace to sell her goods as well. 

Vivian and Daughter

Vivian's Live Again Products

The last booth we visited was a quilting and craft booth. Quilts always catch my eye because my grandmother used to make quilts. I surely admire the work that goes into quilts; they are masterpieces. 

Tammy Macdonald

Tammy also makes animal-themed purses, stuffed animals, and rice bags. 

Though her goods may not be food themed, she and her husband are currently raising goats. Tammy also uses her own herbs in her rice bags. The bag pictured above has homegrown spearmint. 

After visiting the Gardeners' Market I decided to learn more about the specific rules and regulations about the weekly gathering from their website. Their mission statement reflects values I would expect a local event such as this to have. They sell "fresh and local" produce, artisan foods, and crafts. The ways they work to follow their mission statement are: fostering "commercial and educational relationships between our vendors and city-dwellers"; serving "as a small business incubator for local Small family Farms, artisan food producers, and craft artisans"; and by enhancing "the region's quality of life by encouraging environmentally sound agriculture and access to local, healthier foods." Looking around at each boot, and speaking with a few vendors, I truly believe these ideals are met and maintained by all those who participate. I will definitely visit again. Being able to have food and events this close to home that have our community's well being in mind is refreshing. This event has not only changed my culture and my family's, but the community's as well. I am grateful I had the opportunity to go and learn about what Cache Valley has to offer. 

http://gardenersmarket.org/

Dairy Cattle: A Waechtler Farming Heritage

"Before we moved into the city and were able to own more cattle, we would hook the cows up to our milking machines," my dad tells me as we converse on the phone, "when we moved into the city we had to reduce the number of cattle we housed, so we started milking the six cows we owned by hand." Traditionally, in Germany, my great-grandparents on my dad's side would milk their cows by hand. They taught my grandpa Waechtler to milk by hand and he taught my dad and his siblings, seven total, how to milk by hand as well. I remember my dad telling us while we were growing up in Magna how he used to shoot cow’s milk into the farm cat's mouths at 4:30 in the morning when he would milk the cows on their Hyrum property. 

Though we grew up in a small town near West Valley City, Utah we didn't own cattle. Some would probably say that we were privileged to grow up in a town where we didn't have to worry about feedings at 4:00 in the morning, or having rough hands from milking cattle, or living in a place where we had every convenience and opportunity given to us; but I envy those who were one with the earth and earned everything they had. 

The conversation with my dad today, that is folklore right there. Memories passed on through oral tradition have carried on to me from my dad who got his them from his dad and so on. I hope to share these memories with my children when they are old enough to understand what it took for my ancestors to get to where they are today. And who knows, maybe someday I will be able to learn to milk cows from my dad.

Urban Farming and S.B. 122

State Bill 122 Urban Farming Assessment Act states that "this bill provides that land in a county of the first class that is used for urban farming may be assessed based on its value for agricultural purposes" which brought to mind the Green Bronx Machine project by Bronx 6th grade teacher Stephen Ritz. Utilization of local land in a positive way should be the goal of every community, especially use of land that has been abandoned and unusable for other industries. I fully support legislative acts such as these to be presented not only statewide but nationwide as well. 

In my hometown, Magna, I remember walking down 8400 West and seeing fields instead of buildings, small offices rather than corporations, and cattle housed in nearby farms. As the years have quickly passed by I have seen the landscape slowly change from farmland to houses, shopping centers, and business offices. But amongst all the growth there have been many abandoned lots that sit unused. 

There is an abandoned parking lot about two miles from my parent's house  in south Magna that has been sitting for many years. The company that owns the lot laid off many employees and never got back up to the status they once were as a business in our community; the parking lot has been left untouched ever since. I often wonder if the lot will ever see use again and hope, every time I drive by the lot, that it will come to some better use than sitting and waiting to decay.

I know in the LDS faith self-sufficiency and preparedness go hand in hand. Food storage is built, thrift stores and storehouses are utilized, not only by the members of the faith but the community as well, and gardens are cultivated by volunteers who want to know more about gardening and producing their own crops. This is a great use of old land. The Bishop Storehouse in Magna has a garden on the same property where people can volunteer and help the community prosper through growing fresh, local produce. 

I love the Green Bronx Machine!!! I think the project is a wonderful idea and would help so many communities not only in the United States but around the world. The project has definitely inspired me to be creative in growing crops in our tiny townhome in Logan.

Maybe one day we can all have housetop gardens that we can share with our communities, families, and friends.

http://www.le.state.ut.us/~2012/bills/static/SB0122.html

http://greenbronxmachine.org/