Red Radishes, Green Bok Choy Fill First-of-Season Farm Basket

By RACHEL KOVAC

The West Tisbury Farmers' Market opened Saturday morning under a gray sky. And while the number of vendors is down this year, shoppers making a trip to the Grange Hall grounds still came away with the best of the Vineyard's farms and fields, along with homemade jams, baked goods, fruits and herbs.

"It's important to support these people even if you pay a dollar more for a bunch of radishes," said Jack Reed, who spent the morning selling wheat grass juice. As he ran the grass through a juicer, mixing in apple and mint, Mr. Reed reflected on his years selling at the market.

He can remember a time when there was a waiting list to get a spot at the market - now there is lots of space for people to set up shop. He also recalled a time when people had to wait in a line to reach the first booth. And the most disturbing trend for Mr. Reed is the age of the farmers at the market. There aren't any young people, he said. "You can make more an hour doing anything - even babysitting," he said. "Plants are not about industry."

Thirty-year-old Krishana Collins thinks she is probably the youngest farmer at the market. In her second year participating, Ms. Collins said she has been encouraged by the older farmers but sees how markets like the one in West Tisbury could die if young people do not get involved.

"I think the farmers need a lot of support," she said. "Young farmers need to be encouraged and land needs to be made available." As she pushes for change Ms. Collins will continue to farm and sell her Asian greens, baby bok choi and arugula every Saturday. For her this is the perfect place to be in business.

"It gives you a sense of community," she said. "You directly interact with your customers. There is a lot of glory in it to grow the vegetables and then see the people who buy them. Otherwise I'm kind of anonymous."

Nearby, eight-year-old Johnny Staley was making the rounds with his father. At every booth he asked, "How do you make that?" The Staleys passed vendors selling flowers, honey, salsa and vinegar. A bunch of red caught Johnny's eye, and he dropped his father's hand to rush to the radishes offered by Blackwater Farm.

"How do you make that?"

His father, John Staley, explained the vegetables start as seeds and farmers put them into the ground and water them. Biting into one, Johnny's turned sour. "Yuck," he spat, handing the vegetables over to his father.

"He's never tasted a radish before," Mr. Staley explained before taking a bite himself. "These are great." Encouraged by his father's positive expression Johnny grabbed for the radishes and proceeded to eat several, telling everyone who passed, "These are great."

The Staleys come to the market every year when they visit the Vineyard in the early summer. Mr. Staley said it is usually slow the first few weeks, but by the time his family is ready to return to New York city the market is busy. But this year Mr. Staley said he was surprised to show up on opening day and find so few people milling about.

"Maybe it's the weather," he said. "It looks like it could rain. But if the numbers stay low like this I would be very disappointed. This is one of my favorite summer places. You could pretty much buy anything you ever wanted to eat right here."

The market adheres to a strict policy - homegrown or homemade. Nothing from off-Island either. But in keeping with the times the market has branched out from just vegetables and flowers to homemade pies, wraps and lotions.

Suzanne Fenn sells fresh salsa and lemonade. It might not be traditional farmers' market fare, but she has been making her products by hand every Friday for 17 years.

"This is the way I make my living during the summer," she said. "It buys the gas and pays for the groceries." Ms. Fenn spends the winter in Boulder, Colo. She sees the numbers dropping at the Saturday market, but thinks some of that is due to the Wednesday market.

"This market got really busy and I think people started going to the Wednesday market," Ms. Fenn said. The Wednesday market begins on June 22. "The economy has a lot to do with it too."

Like many others Ms. Fenn thinks the farmers' market is the perfect place to do business. She said she wonders why people would buy vegetables at the grocery store when they can buy it from a neighbor who picked it from the garden that morning.

The farmers' market is more than a buying experience - it can be an education. Mr. Reed sells wheat grass juice, but he also tries to educate everyone who comes by his booth. A book boasting the benefits of the wheat grass sits on his table giving facts about the nutritional value of what grows in your front yard. It's all about the chlorophyll, which is chemically only one step away from blood, Mr. Reed said.

"It's supposed to give you a sense of well-being and energy," he said. He uses first-cut grass, grown in good soil enriched with organic supplements. "Instead of mowing their lawn people could juice their lawn. Mowing your lawn is like one big aromatherapy. You could live on your lawn," he said.

At the market Mr. Reed is able to interact with people and encourage them to get outside and not rush around. He uses the time to continue his quest to promote farming even on the most basic level.

"I think people need to garden like the world depended on it," Mr. Reed said.