The Yachats Gazette, Issue 47, July 1 2015

 Click to download a printable version of Issue 47

Interview with Joanne Kittel,
Volunteer With the Yachats Music Festival

The Yachats Gazette was delighted to have a talk with Joanne Kittel about the Yachats Music Festival, which will be taking place from Thursday, July 9 to Sunday, July 12, at the Presbyterian Church in Yachats. Tickets are available at the door, from the Adobe Resort, or from the Yachats Visitors’ Center.

TYG: Why did Dr. Hazaiah Williams found the Music Festival [in 1981]?
Joanne: Well, he was out of San Francisco, and loved classical music, and also felt strongly that classical music belonged to everybody. Back in the 1950’s, 60’s, 70’s, only very rich people could go and be involved in classical music. So he sponsored a non-profit, which eventually became Four Seasons Concerts of Berkeley, California. He first sponsored his first concert in California, for all people to go to, with Marian Anderson—who was a famous mezzo-soprano—in 1958. Dr. Williams was the first African-American impresario to head a concert-giving organization in the United States. There’s a quote of his that I like: “The opportunity to hear, to know, understand, and appreciate good music will lead to far greater communication between races and people.” Over those last 42 years of his life, he was passionate about presenting concerts to a wide variety of audiences of all different economic levels. He would bring in seniors, by buses. He particularly catered to families and students to learn about classical music. And he was on vacation, because one of the volunteers, who still works with the festival, Barbara Bauer’s family, had a cabin at Ten Mile Creek. He came up to visit her and her family, and it was during a boat trip down Ten Mile Creek, where he was mesmerized by the beauty of this natural area that he [proposed] to bring the most renowned artists to the most beautiful area in the world to perform exquisite music. He was a minister, and then he met the then-minister of the Presbyterian church, Mickey McGuire. He worked with other parishioners, so that in one year they were able to have the first Yachats Music Festival, in 1981.

TYG: That is amazing.
Joanne: And you know what? The Presbyterian church as you know it now wasn’t even built yet. So for the first three years, they presented concerts at the Bauer home on Ten Mile Creek.

TYG: Where were they preaching?
Joanne: At the Little Log church.

TYG: So that’s not big enough for any kind of an orchestra. [laughter]
Joanne: [laughing] No, it’s not. Still isn’t! So it became a reality, with the intention to do it annually. Of course, as you know, it has been done annually.

TYG: 35 years!
Joanne: 35 years, yep.

TYG: I’ve been to several of them while we’ve been here. I don’t remember so much from the first ones, because I was only four and five.
Joanne: That’s neat! It’s exactly what Dr. Williams envisioned, was to have children attend. [...] The other part that he was very impassioned about was to make the concerts affordable. [...] Not just the Yachats Music Festival, but all the other concerts he put on in the San Francisco/Bay area, New York, Europe.

TYG: So what is your role with the Yachats Music Festival?
Joanne: This is my sixteenth year of volunteering as part of the public relations committee. We have Barbara Covell for the human interest stories, and Jan Brown, who is an excellent public affairs officer and can get the word out, and just old-fashioned distribution of posters! A number of the different committee members, like Nancy Hull and Curtis Brown, distribute.
We also have a reception. That’s on Thursday night, and it’s a little late—it starts at eight pm. It’s a wonderful [occasion] for the artists’ introduction—artists that are new, artists that have been coming for years—to work with the cast and the volunteers from Yachats, and they have a tour that comes up from San Francisco. So it’s a fun reception, and we use the volunteers from Yachats to put together this evening reception for people to socialize. It’s sort of like a warm-up to the Festival that starts up the next morning. 

TYG-Editorial Assistant: I have a question. I’ve gone all eight years that we’ve lived here, and every year I see a lot of the same faces who are not performers, and also some young adults. Who are those people who attend the festival every year? I think they’re people who are behind the scenes in some fashion, but I don’t know who they are and what they do.
Joanne: Well, they’re staff, and mostly volunteers [...]—some who are now maybe in their forties were kids who came as volunteers for the Festival. They’ve grown up with the Festival, coming year after year after year. They’re totally dedicated to this festival and to W. Hazaiah Williams’ vision. So they enjoy coming up here, because it’s so different from Berkeley, California. It’s really a close-knit family affair between the staff and volunteers of Four Seasons [...] and Yachats—it’s a reunion!

TYG: Are there any new artists this year?
Joanne: Let’s see... Chiao-Wen Cheng, pianist—it’s her first year here. Tom Rose, clarinetist—I don’t remember him coming before. And Betty Woo, a pianist. The rest have all come here before. Some of the ones that have been coming for most of the years are Leon Bates [pianist]—I think he started coming the third year; and Thomas Buckner [baritone]—these are people who travel extensively, but they’re from the East coast. Marco Granados [flutist] has been coming for a number of years; Joseph Kubera [pianist]; and then Rafael LeBron [baritone] and Ilya Martinez [soprano] have been coming since about year three. They’re husband and wife. Anthony Turner [baritone]: he’s been coming since about 2000. These have been really constant. And then, you know, there are people who have passed away, who were wonderful, like William Warfield, who was a very famous baritone. He starred in the movie “Showboat” in the 1950’s and immortalized “Old Man River.” And his last concert, before he passed away, was at the Yachats Music Festival.

TYG: Where are you from originally?
Joanne: I’m originally from Chicago, but I moved here via Minnesota, and I’ve been here 22 years; my husband and I have owned the property for 28 years.

TYG: What did you do before this?
Joanne: Before the music festival? Well, I’m a trained psychotherapist and I have a Master’s degree in clinical social work, and still do volunteer work—a lot of volunteer work. I was in private practice in the area of trauma and other areas of clinical practice, and now I volunteer on committees and boards, and do a lot of trails work, too.

TYG: Did you know the first director?
Joanne: Yes, I was acquainted with Dr. Williams. My husband, Norman, talked to him a lot. It was tragic that he died so early in his life, in 1999—it was a big loss for so many people. But that just made the staff and the volunteers even more determined to keep going the Festival going in his honor, his memory, his vision.

TYG: How did you get involved with the Festival?
Joanne: The first Festival Norman and I attended was in 1988. We were visiting here, and just coincidentally we stumbled across the Yachats Music Festival. Norman volunteered us to help do the public relations work. Neither one of us had any background in it, so we just started volunteering. And with the reception committee, many of the volunteers were having medical problems. So I decided maybe I would help with that too, and then kept going with the Reception Committee. The director after Dr. Williams passed away was Barbara Bauer and then the director after her is Janet Warzyn, even though Barbara still comes and volunteers.
Living in this gorgeous place, and listening to gorgeous classical music: it’s just magic. And we want to keep that magic going!

TYG: Well, thank you so much for your time!
Joanne: You’re welcome, and thank you!

Yachats Farmers Market
Continued

The Yachats Gazette continues last month’s series of discussions with vendors at the Yachats Farmers Market.

Interview with Nick Gade of Stargazer’s Gourmet

TYG: So, how did you get involved in the Farmers Market?
Nick: In the past, being a part of different communities... if there’s a farmers’ market in a new community, it’s always a good idea to join it! Got started with just making the candies, asking some questions, setting up the biz.

TYG: So how has business been treating you?
Nick: Good! Business has been good—I’m looking forward to the summer months. Had a good winter: it was nice being indoors for the winter up in Newport.

TYG: Nice! Well, thank you very much for your time!
Nick: Great to meet you—I love the Gazette!

Interview with Mickey of Velasquez Organic Farm

TYG: So, how did you get involved with the Farmers Market?
Mickey: A friend of mine, who’s Mexican; I’m helping him out because he doesn’t speak English. So I’m just being a friend and doing the market for him. He’s the one who chose the Yachats Farmers Market for me to contact, and I did, and we’re here! I like it. I like the people here—very nice people.

TYG: What kinds of things do you sell?
Mickey: Lettuce, carrots, onions, garlic, spinach, lots of kale, zucchini, and we have coming up beans, corn, peas, cucumbers, squashes, melons—they’re being planted now. But there are four different kinds of lettuce, four different kinds of kale.

TYG: So how’s business been treating you?
Mickey: Here? I love it. I love the people.

TYG: Okay—thank you so much for your time!
Mickey: Nice to meet you!

Interview with Jesse Wolfe of Alsea Valley Farm

TYG: So, how did you get involved with the Farmers Market?
Jesse: Well, we were looking for a local market where there weren’t too many other farm vendors, and we also just loved coming to Yachats here.

TYG: [...] How’s business been treating you?
Jesse: It’s good—I think it’s a little slower in the springtime. The market last year picked up pretty well toward the end. There seem to be more people in town come July, August, September. And that’s a good time for us, because most of our crops come in then: all the good tomatoes, eggplants, and stuff.

TYG-EA: Have you been growing here a long time?
Jesse: No, we’ve owned our farm five years now. It takes a little time to develop—I’ve been trying to put us completely off the grid. Everything on [the farm] is either run by solar power or hydro-electric.

TYG: I wonder if you have water wheels as well.
Jesse: Yes, I do—a little Pelton water wheel. It produces electricity that runs all the timers, that lead to the irrigation, and then on down.

TYG-EA: Nice! So you have a stream running through your place?
Jesse: Yes, we have two creeks that run through our property.

TYG: Enough flow to actually make some electricity?
Jesse: Yeah, I have about 122 watts from those.

TYG: Great, thanks so much!

Interview With Vicke Fronk

TYG: So, how did you get involved with the Farmers Market?
Vicke: Oh, well I’ve lived here quite a while, and I just started making shirts and giving them as presents, and somebody said, “Why don’t you do a market and sell them?” So I started, and I started spreading out when the economy got bad, and was trying some of my crafts on potholders. Now I’m into buying regular strips of material, because there are different things people want on them. Then I spread out into towels—there are some that are higher in value, and lower in value.

TYG: They’re beautiful! How has business been treating you?
Vicke: This is only the second market, so it’s a bit slow to start with. It always gets better when school’s out.

TYG-EA: Do you make all these yourself?
Vicke: I do all the appliqué or embroidery myself. I buy the shirts.

TYG: Beautiful. I just like that little cat sticking out, especially because that’s realistic. Because if you had thick snow, a white cat with blue eyes would look just like that!

Interview With Juan Ramos, Wire Artist

TYG: So, how did you get started with this?
Juan: Well, it was about ten years ago—I was birthday shopping for my sister, and I ended up making a wire sea horse instead of buying something.

TYG: They’re beautiful! How did you get started with the Farmers Market in particular?
Juan: Oh, well, I kind of moved around trying to learn more on the trade, the wire-working trade. We moved to Oregon about a year ago. We moved to the south coast of Oregon, so I try to stay local to where I’m living. So I learned about [Yachats] through the circuit of meeting vendors, figuring out what markets happen what days. In order to do this, you kind of have to fill up your slots so that there are still a couple of days of work you can have.

TYG-EA: Where do you get your ideas?
Juan: Oh, it’s a lot of different artisan tricks—I learned from a lot of different people. I can’t really put my finger on “Well, this person taught me this, and that person taught me that.” Because there are a lot of different things that go into each piece. So ten years ago, when I started doing this, my jewelry didn’t look anything like this. It just constantly changes. When you like doing something, you repeat and repeat it, and you get better at it.

TYG: So I assume that this is more covered wire, and this is more copper wire?
Juan: Yes. This is actually recycled wire, and this is craft wire. I don’t usually go out and get craft wire—somebody gave it to me, so I thought I might as well use it.

TYG: Beautiful!
Juan: Thank you!
 

Interview With Jean Hayes
of Jean’s Jams

TYG: So how did you get started—here at the Market, I mean?
Jean: Well, I retired ten years ago and got bored! [laughter] I was born and raised on a farm, and I’ve traveled all over the world. I worked in the City of Portland for a long, long time, and when I retired I bought property here, and retired here, and was bored! So I started [participating at] the Market!

TYG: What kind of jams do you have here?
Jean: All kinds. I make European-style, which is less sugar.

TYG: They’re beautiful—the different color variations, different densities—like these over here.
Jean:  Thank you! These are jellies, and they’re like wine jellies. And these are actual preserves: peaches, and pears.

TYG: Oh, cool! Is that for added flavor?
Jean:  Well, yes—they’re made to eat as a fruit, like with ice cream or something.

TYG: How has business been treating you?
Jean:  I do very well here, thank you.

TYG-EA: How did you get started doing jams and such?
Jean: I was born and raised on a farm, you know. My mother had six kids—you know how to can, and I’ve canned tuna and everything. The type of work I did for the City of Portland was not something I could sell, so when I got here, I had to go back to my roots. [...] And I do make fruitcakes, but that’s generally just for Christmas.

TYG: Thank you so much!

Interview With Bob Barter
of The Old Strawberry Farm

TYG: So, how did you get started here?
Bob: Well, we have a farm about 60 miles out on Highway 34, and we wanted to sell at markets, so we started in Newport; now we’re down here in Yachats. I think this is our third year here.

TYG: It looks like you do mostly woolen products, but some other things as well?
Bob: Almost everything here is from our farm in one way or another. The market bags are from feed—we started off when we were feeding our ducks. The soap is made from lard from our hogs. We sold hogs last year, but we’re not doing that this year. We sold pork shares—that’s where the lard came from.

TYG-EA: “Pork shares”?
Bob: Yes. If you want to sell meat, it either has to be through a USDA meat processor, or you can sell what’s called a share: If a person buys a share, they’re buying a portion of the hog before it’s slaughtered. Then, because it’s your hog, it doesn’t have to be USDA-inspected. We use Oregon Coastal Cutters, up in South Beach. They come out to the farm, and they slaughter the animal there, and then Eric [Clark] does the butchering there for people, also. We did that last year for our hogs, and we’re doing it this year for our sheep. You can buy lamb shares—we’ll be slaughtering in January of next year.

TYG: What’s the deal with the eyes?
Bob: Oh, well, the breed of hog that we raise is called the Large Black hog. They’re a heritage breed, so their meat is tastier than the average pork that you buy in the store, and the Large Black hogs have ears that flop down over their eyes. It’s very funny to watch them run! They have to bob their head up and down to see where they’re going.

TYG-EA: Do they run into things a lot?
Bob: Well, nothing much gets in their way! [laughter] They can see fine, they just have to get their ears out of the way. We have Shetland sheep, and we sell the lamb shares. We shear the lambs once a year, and so this is fleece, down there, from one of our lambs.

TYG: Can I feel it?
Bob: Oh sure! So, you take the fleece like that, that’s been cut off the sheep, and you wash it, and card it—where you get all the fibers to line up—and then you spin it into wool, and then you knit it into something.

TYG: Well, thank you so much!
Bob: Bye!

Interview With VeunKham Virasak-Holmes
of Veun’s Garden

TYG: So, how did you get started with the Farmers Market?
Veun: We started farming in 2001. We originally started to sell local restaurants and markets. We used to sell to Ricky’s in Corvallis, but they decided to sell their business. So we didn’t have a place to unload our produce, so we started to go to farmers’ markets in 2007.

TYG-EA: Where do you do your farming?
Veun: We farm in Corvallis, and we farm approximately 15 acres. Fruit, vegetables, blueberries, raspberries...

TYG: ...Strawberries, eggs...
Veun: Mm-hmm—a variety of stuff, so we always have something to do.

TYG: So how’s business been going here?
Veun: It’s been good, pretty good. Well, you know, the first couple of weeks are kind of slow.

TYG: Well, thank you so much!
 

Interview with Judy Kauffman
of Seeds of Oregon

TYG: So, how did you get involved here?
Judy: Well, I’ve been involved for almost fifteen years, doing markets. It started when it was out at the Galleries.

TYG-EA: Which gallery was that?
Judy: Touchstone.

TYG: Wow, that must have been the very start of it!
Judy: Pretty much, yes.

TYG: So, it looks like you have mostly jams, jellies, and some preserved fruits?
Judy: Yes.

TYG: Looks like you also have some stones over there...
Judy: Yes, it was my mother’s collection. She’s not with me any more, but I like to bring her rocks so people can see them.

TYG: Well, so how’s business been treating you?
Judy: Well, this is only the first time I’ve been here this year, but business is usually pretty good.

TYG: It’s always a little slow at the start.
Judy: Yes it is. It’s always better when we have our produce. [...] I’ve almost got broccoli ready to bring to market, and some lettuces, and of course the tomatoes will come later on.

TYG: Thank you so much for your time!

Interview With Ellen Oare
of Cowboy Cadillac Horseshoe Art

TYG: So, how did you get started with the Farmers Market?
Ellen: Well, I always loved coming to Yachats—I’m from Eugene, Oregon—and I love this market. So when I started, two years ago, I thought this would be a good place to tent my wares and see if it would be a viable business for me, selling horseshoe art.

TYG: You’ve got some really cool stuff, especially these little cup holders. They’re really cool.
Ellen: Mm-hmm, they’re really popular—and here in Yachats, the crabs.

TYG: And the spoon, I like that. [laughter]
TYG-EA: How did you get started doing horseshoe art?
Ellen: Well, I have horses, and I used to co-own a landscape business. I got a lot of experience welding with the equipment for the landscaping business. So when we sold the business a couple of years ago, I needed something to do. I made a few items for personal gifts and whatnot, so I thought I’d try it and see if people bought it. I came to Yachats, and I did really well.

TYG: Wow, thanks so much!

Interview with Charmaine Pesnell
of Fusion Art and Glass

TYG: So how did you get started with this market?
Charmaine: I started this market about five years ago, six years ago—something like that. I’ve been making my product about 30 years.

TYG: These are beautiful! What kind of gems are these?
Charmaine: The green and white are beach glass from Kauai—that’s where I used to live. I found the glass—it’s dated between 1890 and 1920—and then I did all the silver work around it.

TYG: Woah! So this is all beach glass? Cool!
Charmaine: The other glass is dichroic glass, and that’s glass I make in a kiln.

TYG: [gasps] Oh—this is beautiful!
Charmaine: Everything is my original design.

TYG: You fit in so well in this market! Beach glass, and the rainbow colors...
TYG-EA: How did you get started with that?
Charmaine: I just love to make things! I had to figure out how to make the glass on my own, because I couldn’t find any information. And the bead-work: I’m self-taught, and I was honored to win, in 2009, to win the top competition in the world, at Hiroshima, Japan.

TYG: Wow! Amazing!
Charmaine: I figured I’d be rejected, because I didn’t know what the rules were, and I’m sure I broke them all. I was in the Hiroshima Glass Museum for a year and a half.

TYG: Wow! How’s business been going for you?
Charmaine: We’ve only been open for the last two weeks, but business has been going good.

TYG: Thank you so much!
Charmaine: You’re welcome, and thank you!

The Yachats Gazette, Issue 46, June 3, 2015

Click here for a printable version of Issue 46.

Special Issue:
Yachats Farmers Market

Interview with Ellis Lampman

TYG: So first, one important question. Are you the first--I don’t even know what to call you, exactly!
Ellis: Market Manager.

TYG: Market Manager! Are you the first?
Ellis: Oh no, I’ve only been the Market Manager for the last three years. The Market has been going since the late 90’s, so it’s been around a little while.

TYG-Graphic Design: Who started it?
Ellis: That’s a good question. It’s kind of before my time--it might even be Peter and Lorraine Karrasik [who were] the original managers. Originally, it was by the Post Office, right between where Mila [Niemi] is, and Luna Sea.

TYG-GD: Oh, in that little grassy space?
Ellis: Yes!

TYG: No wonder they moved--it’s not nearly big enough!
TYG-GD: It’s really windy there!
Ellis: Well, there’s no place that’s not windy! [laughter] I think they moved to the ball field--at least one summer, they tried that. And that was way too windy. And then they moved to the parking lot by the Commons; you know, between the bank and the Commons. They tried that for several years.

TYG: They probably ended that practice because of inconvenience.
Ellis: Well, I guess it was a couple of close calls because of people trying to park, and not really realizing where the Market ended and the parking began. That’s when they moved to the sidewalk area of the Commons.

TYG: Which is where they are now.
Ellis: Well, no--when I took over, I asked the vendors what they thought about closing up 4th Street and setting up here. Because before, it was along the highway.

TYG: That’s risky. I can see why you made [that decision].
TYG-GD: And how has it been working?
Ellis: It’s been working great. Some vendors were unsure, but a lot of vendors said, “It sounds great, and if it doesn’t work, we’ll just move back.” Most of them wanted to give it a try. It’s been a success the last few years.

TYG-GD: So you have a booth here, and you do photography? What kind of photography do you do?
Ellis: I sell mostly aerial photography, with a drone.

TYG: Cool!
TYG-GD: Are you the guy that floats over the parade and all that?
Ellis: That’s not me! My rig’s a little too big, and I don’t fly over people.It weighs 10 pounds, so [if that fell] that would be bad. [laughter]

TYG: Wow! So what do you have pictures of?
Ellis: Oh, Cape Perpetua, lighthouses--the usual touristy spots.

TYG-GD: Do they sell well?
Ellis: Well, sometimes. [laughter] Sometimes not so much. You never know.

TYG: How has the Market been going since you’ve been in charge?
Ellis: It’s great! It’s been growing every year. Not only vendor participation, but they’re getting more customers. It’s kind of like a block party now. There’s room for dogs, people with strollers, and wheelchairs... more room for people to linger.

TYG: Plus you’ve still got this gravel area here [indicates the dirt in front of the Lion’s Club Thrift Store, and Bread and Roses].
Ellis: This area is actually the parking lot for these businesses and residents here, but it’s still a good place for people to kind of get together and talk.

TYG-GD: Are there actually a lot of farmers here?
Ellis: Well today, we’re missing two farmers [for personal reasons], but we have a good balance. We keep a 50/50 balance between food and ag[riculture] vendors, and craft vendors. Some of the farmers aren’t here yet--it’s how many we have signed up. Like Leo won’t be here till the middle of June--being on the coast, some of the produce isn’t ready yet. But that’s why it’s nice to have Veun’s Garden and Vicente Velasquez, who’s an organic farmer--he’s new. They’re from the Valley, so it’s nice to be able to have some stuff now.

TYG-GD: Do they find it a hardship to come all this way?
Ellis: Apparently not! [laughter]

TYG: By the way, when does the [Yachats Farmers Market] start?
Ellis: It’s usually Mother’s Day.

TYG-GD: Are most of the vendors from the local area?
Ellis: Yes.

TYG-GD: What’s the process for becoming a vendor?
Ellis: To become a vendor, you have to submit an application, and depending on the product and your location, you have to get approved--you have to submit photographs of what you’re selling.

TYG-GD: How much does it cost to rent a booth? Do you have to pay for everything up front?
Ellis: No, you don’t have to pay for the whole season. It’s $15 for the yearly fee, and then it’s $15 for each Sunday you attend.

TYG-GD: Really? That’s quite reasonable!
TYG: Yes, if you’re any kind of decent vendor, you’ll make at least double that!
Ellis: That’s the hope! [laughter]

TYG-GD: What kind of vendor would you like to see, then?
Ellis: Well, we’re actually full! We’re pretty much at capacity now, even though [there are some vendors who] are not here. We have over 40 signed up vendors. But yes--when we get rolling, we’ll be full.

TYG: Well, thank you so much for your time, Sir!
Ellis: Sure!

The Yachats Gazette was interested to wander around the Yachats Farmers Market and talk to many of the vendors, although not all had time to connect with us.

Interview with Andy and

Sherrie of The Mushroom People

TYG: How did you get involved with the Farmers Market?
Andy: Well, we’ve been hunting mushrooms for about 22 years. Peter [Karassik], who used to be a manager here, talked us into coming one week, and we’ve been coming ever since.

TYG: Cool! Where do you find these mushrooms?
Andy: We found these mushrooms up in the Cascades. We hunt around here for chanterelles, lobsters, cats' paws--the local mushrooms. We try to find local when we can, but we do go where they are.

TYG: How’s business going for you guys?
Andy: Today has been really slow. Yesterday we did a market in Roseburg and we did really well because it was warm. There’s not many people walking around today!

TYG: How is it for you guys to be at the Farmers Market? How are you enjoying it?
Andy: We enjoy the Farmers Market! We meet a lot of people, and we sell a lot of our product. It’s nice: we like it.
Sherrie: I have a new product line out now which seems to be working out really well.

TYG: Is that the jars?
Sherrie: It’s medicinal tea, the mushroom tea. We have Chantie Blossom, and Maitake Blossom tea. They make different types of drink. Like the chanterelle is one of the highest food sources of vitamin D.

TYG: Really? I never knew that.
Sherrie: And maitake... in Germany, they have it on their health system, their insurance, for metabolism disorder.

TYG: I bet that would help a lot around here--I mean, we just don’t get enough sun.
Andy: It’s our best-seller today!

TYG: I bet!
Sherrie: It really is! Here, would you like to try some?

TYG: No thanks. [laughter] Thank you so much for the interview!
Andy: Thanks, you guys!

Interview with Jon King
of Jon King Pottery

TYG: So, how did you get involved with the Farmers Market?
Jon: A friend of mine, who used to sell here bringing his wind-chimes and irises, was my neighbor at the Eugene Market, and he told me I should try it out! And I did.

TYG: Interesting! How are you liking the Farmers Market?
Jon: Very much! It’s a convivial, small place. I get to meet people from all over, and I sell some stuff, I have good conversations, I meet people like you...

TYG: What kind of stuff do you do? I see you do bowls, mostly.
Jon: I do all kinds of stuff! I have some platters, and bowls, vases, and trays...

TYG: Yes, I definitely recognize your handiwork from our home! At least a quarter of the dishes in our home must be made by you, judging from the style.
Jon: Me?
TYG: I’m serious. 

TYG-Editorial Assistant: How do you get these amazing color variations?
Jon: So, this is two different glazes. This one goes on first, and it’s a wax-resist design pattern. So this is where I paint on the hot wax, and then I pour or brush the second glaze on top of it. This is my newest trick.

TYG: I like the irregular shape of them!
Jon: Yeah! I’ve been so committed to the wheel for years, so it’s kind of fun to make things that are not round.

TYG: What do you use these for? Are they like strainers?
Jon: Yes, little colanders, or dairy bowls.

TYG: Well, thank you so much for your time--good luck!

Jon King can be reached via telephone at (541) 224-4156 or e-mail: jonk13@earthlink.net.

Interview with Kimi Pollett
of PBJ Fields

TYG: So how did you get involved with the Farmers Market?
Kimi: Well, I actually did the Waldport Farmers’ Market last year for Christmas, and my friends suggested that I check this one out. The products that I have are based on argan oil, which is a Moroccan oil. I do lotions, and body butters, and salts. All kinds of nice, wonderful-smelling, pampering products.

TYG-EA: What is argan oil?
Kimi: Argan oil actually comes from Morocco. It is a fruit that only grows in one specific region there. You break open the fruit, and in the seed of the fruit, when they break open that seed, is a little kernel. And then they hand-press, cold-press that. So it’s very, very labor-intensive, but in the area that it [grows] it’s one of the few things that women can do for industry, since it’s a very male-dominated culture. Farming is just watching trees grow and keeping the goats out of the trees. So it’s something that they’re allowed to do, that brings them an income without the social stigma.

TYG-EA: What is argan related to or similar to?
Kimi: It is a nut-based oil, so maybe the closest thing you can compare it to would be almond oil. But it doesn’t have any cholesterol in it, so when you put it one your skin, it just soaks right in and just leaves a light sheen. That’s why it’s used in a lot of beauty products. Most people use it--they call it “Moroccan Oil”--in their hair, and it’s very popular. But it’s also very, very kind on your skin--a nice barrier without a greasy residue.

TYG: I think I might be getting some of this!
Kimi: I have a little information sheet you can take with you.

TYG: Particularly the hair products!
Kimi: I use it in place of conditioner. When my hair’s wet, after the shower, I just put a couple of drops on my hair [and I work it in].

TYG-EA: Does it smell?
Kimi: It has a bit of a nutty scent to it. I do have essential oils that you can put in it if you want to, but most people don’t.

TYG: I like the scent!
Kimi: If you’d like to try a drop on your hands... it does soak in very quickly! I use it on my skin too, because I break out really easily. And this is an anti-microbial, so it helps kill bacteria.

TYG: Oh, it’s gone already! We’ll have to come back when we’re done!
Kimi: The exact same oil, I use in place of moisturizer, I use in place of lotion, and I use in place of conditioner.

TYG-EA: How did you learn about it?
Kimi: I learned about it from when I got my hair cut one time, and a woman said, “Hey, you should try this product.” I liked it, it smelled good, I bought it. I used that for a number of years, and then I was talking to a friend about it, and she told me to look on the back of my bottle [where] they list all the ingredients. And as you know, number one on the list is what they use most of, second on the list is what they use after that, and so on. And she told me to look on the back and see where on the list argan oil was. And on my bottle, it was number four. And she said, “Well, that means you cannot possibly have more than 25 per cent argan oil. Because you have 3 ingredients that have more percentage. Go to a health food store, and go find some.” From then on I started using it on my skin, and I absolutely love it. Amazing stuff.

TYG: Well, thank you so much for your time!
Kimi: Thank you, and enjoy your day!

Interview with Ruth Zimmer 

TYG: So how did you get involved with the Farmers Market?
Ruth: I’ve been doing farmers’ markets for years, ever since I emigrated over.

TYG: Where are you from originally?
Ruth: Denmark.

TYG: Interesting! So, how are you enjoying the Farmers Market? Is it serving you well?
Ruth: Yes, very nice. Friendly people. I enjoy it. It’s a little cold out here today.

TYG: Yes, it is!
TYG-EA: It had to be colder in Denmark!

Ruth: Yes, but I think I froze to death over there, and then I moved to California, and then here.
TYG: What kind of products do you make?

Ruth: Knitted and crocheted hats and bags. Very colorful!
TYG: They’re beautiful!

Ruth: Thank you.
TYG: Thank you so much!

Interview with Devonee Trivett
of Heart Felt Handmades

TYG: So, how did you get started with the Farmers Market?
Devonee: Actually, I used to waitress at a local restaurant, and someone came in and told me that this was a great market. So I was making stuff, and noticed that this was a good market, and I know people are friendly here, so I asked about it. I sent my pictures in, and everybody’s nice, and I’m glad to be here!

TYG:  So, I recognize these as ceramics, but what are these? These are amazing!
Devonee: Those are wall pockets, and I have plants in them.

TYG: I like those! They’re cute!
Devonee: Thank you very much. So, you guys are doing your own [newspaper]?

TYG:  Yes, I’ve been doing it for four years.
Devonee: Good for you! [...]

TYG:  How has business been, so far?
Devonee: Well, I heard it was good. It’s a slow day, but you have to just stick with it, and I’m sure it’s going to get busier.

TYG:  Oh yes. This is just the very beginning of the Farmers Market season!
Devonee: I think that a lot of our business is people that are visiting, so people will be visiting on Memorial Day and in the summer--I feel good about it. There are a lot of people who have come and looked and are thinking about it. I was at the winter market in Newport, and that was lower. So if I lived through that, I can live through anything!

TYG:  Alright!
Devonee: Thank you so much, I’m glad you came in!

Interview with Ron Vil,

Trader in Opals

 TYG: So, how did you get involved with the Farmers Market?
Ron: I live here in Yachats, see it going on across the street, and just thought I could get into this! I’ve been dealing with opal for a long, long time, so it just kind of presented itself.

TYG: Beautiful!
TYG-EA: How did you get into it?
Ron: Ah, my mother got me into it--years, and years, decades ago! When she was a little girl she would dig for treasure in the back yard, and kind of grew into going to Australia and digging for treasure.

TYG-EA: Did you grow up here?
Ron: No, not in Yachats; down in Florida. Been living here for a few years.

TYG: So how did you get ahold of these?
Ron: Had to go to Australia to grab ‘em! Go underground just like in these pictures.

TYG: That means you’re lucky--you got to travel the world!
Ron: I did, up till five years ago. I retired from mining.

TYG: So where do you get [the stones] now?
Ron: I don’t! I’m just cutting all the stones in the rough that I’ve gotten over the years...

TYG-EA: Did you do mining for a living?
Ron: Yes.

TYG-EA: I’m guessing larger quantities, larger volume kind of stuff than just pretty little rocks.
Ron: Well both, actually; opals can be very valuable.

TYG: Yes! I know once I saw an opal about that size, but it was all blue. And it was going for well over $2,000!
Ron: Oh yeah, they get that big. But they’re rare! But the reason they’re so valuable is because they’re rare.

TYG: You’ve got an amazing selection. Especially that one right there--that’s quite beautiful. Beautiful fire in all of these.
Ron: That’s a Lightning Ridge, contour-polished knobby.

TYG: How’s the Farmers Market done for you? Has it been good on you?
Ron: Okay! This is my third year doing it. I cut opal and bring it here. People like seeing it in the rough--most people haven’t seen it in the rough, ever. And I mined them, and cut them, and finish them.

TYG: Well thank you so much!

The Yachats Gazette focus on the Yachats Farmers Market will continue next month in Issue 47.

Interview with Katelyn Hordichok

Katelyn Hordichok is the Interim Executive Director for the Siletz Bay Music Festival, that takes place from June 24 to July 5, 2015.  The Festival will have performances at 4 different venues: Salishan Spa & Golf Resort, Congregational Church of Lincoln City, Lincoln City Cultural Center, and Eden Hall. Their website is www.siletzbaymusic.org.

TYG: What will these concerts consist of?
Katelyn: Well, these concerts will bring in a whole talented bunch of people to the Central Oregon Coast, the area that we all call home. You have classical music, jazz, cabaret, and some theater, which is a new component this year. Our role in coordinating the festival is to provide housing to all of these musicians; we feed them lunch and dinner.

TYG: What about breakfast?
Katelyn: Some stay in a hotel, and some stay in people’s homes--but wherever they’re staying, they eat breakfast with them. So lunch and dinner, we’re in charge of coordinating.

TYG: It must be insane trying to coordinate all that!
Katelyn: I’m learning! I started with the festival at the end of February--just a couple of months ago, really. And I’m learning the whole process, although there wasn’t much of a process before, so a lot of people are teaching me things.

TYG: So you have to start from scratch!
Katelyn: Well, not from scratch. There are a lot of people in the community that really believe in the festival, and they’re the ones that are helping me get this going, and teaching and mentoring me. So I’m stepping in and doing what I can. Marketing is a big part of what I’m doing.

TYG: What does a performance consist of?
Katelyn: It might be hard to believe, but these musicians all arrive in town a few days before the festival. Some are playing in the beginning, in the concert series at the [Lincoln City] Cultural Center, and some are playing in the orchestra portion at Salishan, so some stay for the beginning part, some are here at the end, and some stay the entire time. So these people, they all get together, they practice a couple times, and then they perform together on stage. This is not like they’ve been practicing for a long time as a group.

TYG: That is amazing! Although individually, like for the individual concerts, I bet they’ve been practicing loads.
Katelyn: Well, there’s not an individual concert per se. [...] They’re all professionals, and they practice a lot at home. [...]

This year, for the first time, we are featuring Adam Jackson, who is an eleven-year old pianist--I believe he goes to a music school in New York. He is very talented, and will be playing three or four movements of Beethoven. Yaacov Bergman, Yaki, is the conductor. He’s Israeli-born and lives in New York and he conducts for the Walla Walla Symphony and the Portland Chamber Orchestra. He travels around a lot, so we contract with him to come out and conduct and orchestrate our own festival. I had the pleasure of meeting him for the first time last month--he’s wonderful, his personality comes out and he’s quite something! He’s been with the festival for the last number of years, so obviously he’s a big part of our marketing and print materials--people recognize him.

I wanted you to be especially aware of the Children’s Concert on July 5 at 11:00 am at Salishan. It’s called “Carnival of the Animals,” and there’s also a piece called “The Noisy Intermission,” which is based on a story about what happens to instruments when musicians leave the room or take a break: they come to life. I don’t have a copy with me, but we have a local illustrator in Lincoln City who has done these beautiful illustrations of instruments that have faces, and their personalities are coming through. These are going to be story boards in the back of this performance. We’re all looking forward to that. And then, these illustrations are going to be put in a children’s book. And they’re hoping--I don’t know if they’ll be able to meet the deadline--they’re hoping to have the book available to kids at the performance on July 5th.

The other new thing is a Shakespeare performance--we’ve never had theater be part of the performance before. There are four actors, part of a troupe coming down from Portland, and they’re going to put on “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)”--all the stories, somehow fit in in maybe an hour and a half!

TYG: How is that even possible?
Katelyn: I’ve heard that it’s really funny!

TYG: How did this festival get started?
Katelyn: In 2011, there was a similar festival called “Sound Waves.” I believe Yaki was also part of that festival. It was a coalition, a group of people that came together and pointed out that in small communities, like the ones that we live in--Yachats, Waldport, up to Lincoln City, Pacific City--in all these coastal communities, it’s very hard to have full-time musicians of this talent that live and perform on a regular basis in our communities. So Sound Waves started. The Siletz Bay Music Festival was born out of Sound Waves. [...] Our mission is to bring quality music performances and education to the Central Oregon Coast.

TYG: Well, thank you very, very much!
Katelyn: Thank you, Allen!