McMinnville Farmer's Market

This Thursday I'll be playing at one of my favorite summer events, the open air McMinnville Farmer's Market!
The Downtown Association coordinates booking vendors & musicians, & does a fine mob of making this a fun, well organized weekly event for 20 weeks. The Market opened a few weeks ago, & I've stopped by to pick up pepper plants from 'Simon,' a HS boy who grows a great variety of peppers for the home garden, & stop by my friend Kate's Herb booth.

McMinnville's market is well known throughout the valley, with vendors coming from the immediate area & from out of County. Produce fresh from the farms, jewelry, soap, honey, herb plants, meat, cheese & eggs from naturally farmed animals, fresh flowers, & representatives from the Native Plant Society & Garden Club . . . the list of this year's vendors is posted on the DTA site.

One of the features is weekly music, & I've played harp at the Farmer's Market since 2003, always a fun event! This year I'll be at the Farmers' Market: Thur, June 10from 1:30-6 PM.
This year, there's a seperate weekend market in the 'Granery District,' between 5th & 8th Streets. This market began in the fall, & is open year round, with a slightly different complement of vendors. Both markets are a great way to see your friends, buy some fresh produce, locally made jewelry, soap, & eat some great food.

Come on by!

Sweet Market

I'm SOO glad I played at the Market this week, & not last, as unexpected 'weather' had everyone scrambling to pack up - wind, pouring rain & a 'river' flooding one of the alleys!

T'was nice & mild yesterday, & the musicians rate a sun umbrella, which marks the space & provides a nice shade. It's early in the season, but there were many visitors. The harp is such a fascinating instrument, drawing children & adults into a magical circle.

I brought my fairy dust, & sprinkled cheeks - one little girl put a doller (from her grandpa) into my basket, then asked "but, what do I get??" I said "the music" - had forgotten I'd brot a vial of fairy dust (ultra fine glitter) . . . so I pulled that out for later visits. It's fun to see eyes light up, & hear 'I've always loved the harp!'

I always enjoy playing at the market, tho it's a long 'wallpaper' (background music) gig - 1:30 - 6 PM Thursdays. I didn't play anything a second time! I use coloured tabs in my books, to mark the different keys, allowing me to play a number of pieces without having to flip levers. Each string has two settings, with a lever acting like a guitar's 'fret' - flip the lever & the string is a bit shorter, & a half step higher. I 'set' the strings with A, B & E tuned to the flat; so to get the key of C, flip 3 levers per octave.

Monday the 15th I'll play harp for a private retirement party, & Sun the 28th at Third Street Spriitual Center, for their Sunday Service. Jacqueline Mandell, a Tibetan Buddhist leader from Portland will be the speaker.

Come & give a listen!