Saturday, April 6, 2013

Opening Day for Market 2013

Rabbit Fields Farm veggies
The first Saturday in April marks the beginning of the Farmers' Market in Bellingham, held every Saturday until the last one before Christmas. We see the wares vary with the seasons, and today I saw the annual "Tossing of the Cabbage." The tradition has been for the mayor of the town to throw a cabbage to a child, and if it is caught successfully, it portends a very good season. So the pressure was on for all involved.
Mayor Linville with the cabbage
Last year we had a little parade, since it marked twenty years of the Farmers' Market at this location, with a large rather impressive cabbage presented on a velvet pillow. This year, Linville said this is the largest LOCAL cabbage ever grown by this time of the year. And here is the person selected to receive the cabbage.
I didn't find out her name, but I learned her parents have a booth at the market. You can see all the photographers getting ready for the big event. But Linville didn't want to take any chances, so she stood only a short distance away from the girl, tossing it gently up into the air. I wasn't successful in showing it in mid-flight, but here you can see the successful catch!
I suspect that I will be in quite a few pictures of the toss, as I can see plenty of cameras pointed in my direction. Maybe one of them was more successful at capturing the cabbage in mid-flight, but I was pleased nevertheless. And then the bell rang, opening the market for the season. Although it isn't a very nice day, it wasn't raining at that moment, the wind cooperated for awhile, the toss was successful, so everyone was happy.
Does anything say spring better than pussy willows?
I wandered around the market for a short while, although I was beginning to get a little cold, since I had just finished a brisk six-mile walk with the Fairhaven walkers. The organizer, Cindy, started the walk from this location today, so that we could be back in time to shop, and for me to get pictures of the toss. I got this picture of my fisherman friend Gene with his parrot Poopstain, or Poopers for short.
He didn't really want me to take this picture, because Poopers is beginning to get really old (somewhere around 23 or 24) and doesn't have any new feathers growing in. We speculate that the bird had a stroke about a year ago, when the squawking stopped and it started spending most of its time on his shoulder hiding out under the beard. For years he thought the bird was male, but then it laid an egg. Gene still calls it a "he," while his girlfriend calls it a "she."

Now I am home and getting ready to fix myself a nice lunch. It was a good morning, and I'm warm and cozy, with my camera all primed for the season, too! I hope you have a wonderful weekend.
:-)

30 comments:

  1. i like your friend and his old bird. love the cabbage toss! and wow, that market looks good!

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  2. Poopers is still a pretty bird..they can live a really long time! I know you enjoy shopping at the market and I always enjoy your photographs! What did you purchase..veggies for sure! :)

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  3. Oh, those are precious photos, DJan. So colorful and amusing. Love the parrot, especially.

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  4. I love the posts you do during Market season. The parrot fascinates me. I don't understand how he keeps it from flying away.

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  5. oh what fun...i love the market as much for the produce as the characters you meet there...ha..rather like poopstain and his human...smiles...and good ont he catch as well for the kid...

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  6. Tell Gene his parrot is lovely! So sweet to hear how Poopers hides under Gene's beard, he/she must be very comfortable there.

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  7. Great way to start the weekend. Our market isn't open yet, but it won't be long. We have lettuce in the garden!

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  8. Gosh, that is a lot of pressure on the kid to catch the cabbage. Hope she wasn't aware of what all was riding on a successful catch.
    Poopers and his bearded owner make a great picture.

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  9. Wow, Gene reminds me of my salty uncle and he could tell a tale or two. Love the parrot. This cabbage tossing is a nice tradition. We are not any where near opening our market yet, but look forward to snow almost being gone, except piles here n there and still lots in woods, but spring has definitely arrived - our Canadian Geese arrived this past week and have rooted themselves out at the pond at edge of town. Hoorah - sure sign of spring. Have a wonderful evening. Love "poopers" name :)

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  10. Farmer's market treasures are the best!! So glad that you got these photos....
    I feel spring here...at your blog.
    What a beautiful feeling that is!
    Enjoy the warmth that spring is bringing; I look forward to my return visit here with you....
    Hugs,
    Jackie

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  11. What a fun way of opening the season for the Farmer's Market, enjoyed by all...
    You must have a large market compared to our small town one, since you have much more selection to choose from, and all so colorful !
    I like the parrot, they can be so entertaining.
    I've tried to leave you a message or two on older posts, but seemed to take forever to load, so hope this one goes through.
    Happy Spring dear friend.
    ~Jo

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  12. I always love your farmers market photos, and I especially covet that bunch of pussy willows. You've given me an idea about where to look for some, when the time comes around here.

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  13. Fun, fun, and more fun!
    As the snow continues to fall, I'm starting to get more & more of an itch to get our garden growing - that produce looks great!!

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  14. What a fun market. The tossing of the cabbage made me laugh. It sounds like something from a Seindfeld episode (maybe the airing of the grievances for Festivus). Poopy is adorable no matter how many feathers she has.

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  15. You make sure you get out to all the fun things. the first day of the market is a biggy. Our market starts the third weekend in may. I don't know if they have such a fun opening.

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  16. Glad to see the start of your Farmers' Market. We have ours year-round, because it is inside, and because people have greenhouses, and do cooking, and baking, and jam-making all year round

    Place looks great!

    Blessings and Bear hugs!
    Bears Noting

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  17. Good to know that the Farmer's market has a very good season ahead of it. (And what a great way to make the forecast!)

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  18. Poopstain on the poopdeck? Gorgeous parrot though.
    And I am glad the cabbage was successfully caught - have a magical weekend.

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  19. What a fun tradition - the tossing of the cabbage. I think our market is open year round but is usually pretty dead until that first nice weekend (this one, apparently).

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  20. What a great post! Aren't Farmer's Markets fun? Love seeing all the veggies, Cabbage toss is a hoot! And your friend with the parrot looks like such a fun character. I've always heard that parrots can live to be 50 or so... but of course that's probably 'not' the average.

    Thanks for sharing your wonderful morning. With your pictures, I felt like I was there with you.

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  21. Yes it's been a Spring weekend with better weather, at last, although a little chilly in the wind. I always enjoy visiting your market with you and sharing the traditions. That parrot is great!

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  22. There is such a lovely small town feeling to your Bellingham, and I swear, you have friends everywhere!

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  23. Love that bird, male or female. And wow, the market looks just fabulous.

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  24. You are so lucky, your market opens a month before ours. The cabbage toss is a great tradition, I'm glad it's a child that gets to catch.

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  25. Love poopers!! Glad you got a chance to get his photo. Birds are so photogenic. Oh the Farmer's Market. I do so love to explore all the goodies...homegrown just can't be beat.

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  26. I've always loved pussy willows. I'm so jealous that it is market season in your neck of the woods. I hope that since the cabbage wasn't dropped it means a good season for all of us. Fingers crossed.

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  27. Looks like you had a lovely time at the farmer's market. Glad it's open for a new season with lots of good stuff to eat.

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  28. I love the cabbage tradition. What a lot of fun. All your beautiful photos made us feel like we were right there. The Poopers photo is adorable.

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  29. Buddy and I love pussy willows. What lovely pics you have shared here.

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