Farm Market Report for April 12, 2016 Keith Helmuth

While some pundits think New Brunswick’s economy should rely on exporting into the global market, the best economy for many smart people is now tapping into local markets. We see this all the time in the farm market movement. For example, two new, high quality craft producers are now vendors in the Woodstock Farm and Craft Market.

Cortney Rector’s business card says “Unique Folk Art for every Holiday, Season and Special Occasion.” And, indeed, her designs and products are unique to the Market. We haven’t seen anything like them before.

Cortney works with polymer clay to sculpt and craft a variety of delightful decorative and wearable items. Her display includes garden theme items like miniature vegetable pins and animal figures. The caterpillar necklace is particularly eye catching. I have my eye on a turtle design that comes in both a lapel pin and a refrigerator magnet.

You will find the Cortney Rector Designs on the right hand wall of the alcove just past the Market Café.

Another kind craft product we are happy to welcome to the Market comes from leather worker, Ashley Brown. Her business is called Hammer Threads: Leather and Natural Crafts. There is something about tooled leather products that is especially appealing. You can see both the carefully worked out designs and the expert skill that goes into Ashley’s creations.

Hammer Threads products are displayed in a stall just right of centre on the back wall of the Market.

New Products from an old vendor

Gladine Berry told me a customer came to the Market recently looking for toddler and child size knit socks to wear with rubber boots now that mud season is here. She went looking and found only one pair. That put a bee in Gladine’s bonnet, and her Market stall now has a whole selection of different size boot socks for kids.

Not only that, Gladine has gone into the painted river rock business. Remember the “pet rock” fad? Well, Gladine and a co-worker have gone way beyond that. They are producing painted rocks in shapes, designs, and sizes that are not only decorative but useful. Some are doorstop size and some will make dandy paperweights. Some, like the ladybug rock, would go well along a garden path. They have put “Woodstock NB” on the bottom to appeal to tourists. Talk about making use of local resources!