At Sequim Open Aire Market, where everything is handcrafted, homegrown, and juried for quality and originality, you’ll never need to ask if an item is made in the USA. From early May through late October, local artists, farmers, cooks, bakers, and crafters from this charming Olympic Peninsula town in Washington State offer their fascinating wares for sale.
Or Alaynna Little of A Little Faythe Designs, who recycles jeans into adorable skirts and accessories.
Or Steve Slatin of Hippo Pots, who throws mighty impressive pottery.
Or Ann Norton of 3 Strands Handwovens, weaver extraordinaire.
I was personally drawn to the soft, knitted caps of master milliner Rene Ewbank and purchased one of her Afghan-inspired designs with flaps to cover my ears from the cold Northwest wind. All her hats ~ Fresh Hats ~ are made without electrically … she lives completely off-the-grid and is proud of it. Her motto is from Kahlil Gibran:
Work is Love made visible.
John of Viaggio Pizza (viaggio is Italian for travel) ~ a traveling Neapolitan pizzeria ~ drives to market with his portable wood-fired brick oven and red umbrellas in tow. As the noon hour nears, customers swarm his stand to get a taste of what smells so tantalizing!
The Sequin market experience ~ like other farmers markets springing up throughout America ~ is often enhanced by live music performed by local musicians. Shoppers appreciate upbeat audio as they seek out the best veggies, freshest flowers, or exchange news with the vendors.
With more people understanding the many benefits of supporting local enterprises and rejecting the oppressive marketplace dominance of multinational corporations with their boring litany of mass manufactured products, we are seeing a welcome return to community-based businesses that promise sustainable regional economic health. A resurgence of local innovation and craftsmanship and the passage of this knowledge to the next generation open meaningful teaching and learning opportunities that bring hope for the future. Therefore, it’s no surprise that farmers markets are growing in number throughout these Fifty States (locate a farmers market in your area).
I’ve never forgotten a bumper sticker I read while sitting in L.A. freeway traffic back in the 70′s:
TAKE A FARMER TO LUNCH: S/HE GREW THE FOOD.
Then, who could have known the farmer. Now, it’s actually possible.
If you liked this post, you’ll enjoy: Summer Fun.
Image ~ above rt ~ Downtown Sequim, Washington.
