Page County Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Committee starts new market
By Ryan Tibbs
LURAY, June 20 — Two tall flags greet visitors at the entrance to the parking lot across from Town Hall along East Main Street. Several canopies sitting on each side of the lot shade tables lined with local goods ready for sale. Each week, the number of vendors may fluctuate, but the Page Valley Farmers Market always offers products made in Page County.
The market is a project of the Page County Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Committee. Susan Corbett, the chair of the committee, described the market as a big project that they hope will help to promote farming and agriculture. She also wants to encourage people to join the Bureau.
“It is a membership organization,” Corbett said. “It is a national organization, and it does work to promote agriculture and support farmers in their local area.”
The Page County Farmers Market meets every Saturday between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. at 56 E Main St. The market began on May 9 and plans to continue meeting each week until October.
There are currently no fees or strict schedules that vendors must adhere to in order to sell their goods at the market. The only requirement is that they sell local products made in Page County and fill out an application at the Farm Bureau Federation office on Main Street.
Some vendors want to reach customers interested in more homegrown and natural products. For example, Peggy Bobick brought out some of her goods from Whipped Tallow Balm where she sells tallow based products such as shampoo bars, oils and sun cream. She started her business to create products that are less synthetic.
“I think some people are starting to get back to old school, back to looking to see ingredients,” she said.
Other vendors, such as Tresha Ward from Misty Mountain Farm, wanted to educate people as well as sell their goods. Ward not only sold plants and succulents, but also had a small plate with some budding flowers that she wanted to use to explain how to properly keep the plants alive and healthy.
Another vendor, Zissel-Rivka Duda, who runs It Happened on an Itty Bitty Farm, said that her products were infused with her Jewish and Ukrainian heritage and culture. She sold Ukrainian deviled eggs, jams, baked goods and could take special orders.
House Strunk Winemaking also came to the market to sell their wines and other goods like kimchi and duck eggs. They also offered a wine tasting with some tables set up for customers to enjoy a drink.
A smaller table was run by Maya Yousefi and Reza Norouzi, who began selling at the market for the first time on June 20. They sold homemade breads with nut fillings and toppings that Yousefi had baked.
Corbett, who was also a vendor at the market, had a booth selling goods from her farm, Rivers Bend Ranch. They sold products such as wagyu beef and an elderberry tonic.
Two customers, Sebastian Careloes and Sarah Eargle, attended the farmers market to see their goods and try to make connections with farmers. They are also volunteers for Picked! in Page, a group that aims to improve access to healthy foods and improve education on food.
Eargle expressed their excitement for the farmers market as a good opportunity for more people to see the importance of homegrown foods and agriculture.
“We’re happy that this market is starting and hopefully it will continue to thrive.”
If you wish to participate in the Page Valley Farmers Market every week or just once in a while,
contact Rachel in the Farm Bureau office on Main street at (540) 743-5082.
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