MEGAN LEE Star-Tribune staff writer | Posted: Monday, August 18, 2008 12:00 am
Ray Pat sells honey - honey in jugs, honey in jars, creamed honey the consistency of butter, honey candy, honey walnut ice cream topping, honey straws for tea and even honey barbecue sauce.
In business since 1966, most of Pat's product goes to the Sue Bee corporation and is mixed with other honey, but "this is way better than theirs because they blend everything." He sold honey at the first ever Master Gardeners Farmers Market, 27 years ago, and still sells at the market today.
The market was in full bloom early Saturday morning at the University of Wyoming Agriculture Extension Building in Casper for its third week of the season
Pat said he hasn't noticed any difference in the number of people at the market since the new Downtown Community Farmers Market opened earlier this year. Pat only sells his product at the Master Gardeners Market, he said, because he doesn't have enough product to do both markets and keep his store stocked.
"We do about the same thing every year," he said, adding that his customers appreciate consistency. "We have a lot of regulars who come here instead of going to the store."
Selling chives, dill, catnip, parsley and other organic herbs down the row from Pat, Carol Arthur is a newcomer to the market scene.
Now in her third week of sales, Arthur said she decided to participate as a vendor at the market because "I shop here a lot, and I thought I would try to grow the herbs and see if I could sell them."
Because her back yard is too shady for gardening, she rented a plot of gardening space in the community gardens adjacent to the UW Agriculture Extension Building.
"It's a great deal - they supply the land and the water, and you do all the work," she said.
Arthur hopes to begin including craftier items at her sales table, including brightly colored cloth checkbook covers and glasses cases and vases (to be sold with the sunflowers that already grow on her gardening plot).
Throughout the market season, from late July to September, vendors old and new peddle everything from vegetables to crafts to fresh meats, said Master Gardener Burl Maurer.
"We get a lot of different people out here, and it all changes depending on what's in season," he said.
Maurer said he thinks the market gives patrons "a chance to buy fresh, local produce and it gives them an alternative to supermarkets."
"It helps people and our community. It beautifies our community," added Master Gardener Barbara Reish. "We educate people in that area, and they become prouder of their homes and their gardens."
Contact reporter Megan Lee at (307) 266-0589 or megan.lee@trib.com