Photo by Lester Smith
Local gardener and television personality Julie Harrison holds a sample of the complete table setting for six she offered in an unusual silent auction at the February 10 Winter Farmers’ Market. At the left is the array of potted flowers, succulents and cactuses she more commonly produces. The market on February 10 was the last of the season.
The February 10 Winter Farmers’ Market was announced as the last of the season, and with good weather, plus that warning, the turnout of sellers was impressive. There seemed to be a good many visitors as well, including customers, browsers, and families with kids having a look at the goats, sheep, and chickens in the adjacent pens at the Suffield Agriscience Center’s Large Animal Facility.
The sales booths ranged from Cupola Hollow Farm’s collection of jams and preserves, cookies, spices, and such and Simpaug Farm’s greenhouse spinach, arugula, micro-greens, eggs and pork to Jim Kozikis’s array of custom-printed mugs, coasters, T-shirts, etc, and Julie Harrison’s assortment of potted plants and garden accessories. Added to that were the booths full of knit wear, artisanal signs, home-spun products and much more, along with the Agriscience students’ floral arrangements.
Julie Harrison, who attended the Suffield Agriscience Center and went on to study landscape design at UConn, lives on her family’s small farm just down the street from the high school. She is familiar to many for her several years’ appearance as Julie the Garden Fairy on WFSB TV and for the gardening and small-farm blog she produces. As announced in last month’s issue of the Observer, Julie offered a special feature at the Winter Market. She had assembled vintage flatware, china, glasses, linens and nice accessories in a table setting for six, to be sold in a silent auction during the market. The setting sold for a bargain $100, which will benefit the Suffield Agriscience program.