If you pay any attention whatsoever to the Washington Court House news, you probably have at least a passing acquaintance of Debra Grover, for she is intensely active in this community and volunteers and gives back in many, many local venues. We are thrilled to share a little bit more about this long time, and very special Fayette County Farmers Market volunteer.
Debra, a Texan through and through, moved to Ohio “for a few fun years to enjoy long springs, cool summers, colorful falls, and snowy winters.” She then met the “love-of-my-life Bill, through our mutual fondness of large-breed dogs.” Bill and Debra have been married for 32 happy years; they moved to Fayette County in 1994 to “gain room for horses and grow our family.”
In around 2009, Debra was at the market taking votes for the Humane Society Calendar contest. When the Info Booth volunteer became ill, Debra stepped up to help out while taking her calendar votes. She is devoted to the market and says, “After getting to know the farmers, artisans, artists, and bakers while enjoying the fresh foods, you couldn’t keep me away. Twelve years later, our Farmer’s Market family continues to grow and improve our community in many ways. I volunteer to help in some small way to make our market and community better.”
You’ll know Debra by her quick and warm smile (she might say it’s a Texan Smile!), her creative “kids’ crafts, and support (yes, she’s still there) with the Info Booth. In addition to her volunteerism, she notes that she loves “teaching kids, adopting animals, growing veggies/herbs, and having fun with people from all walks of life.”
Speaking of Debra, she has partnered with Ms. Christina, our Sulphur Lick Treasures vendor, for the children’s craft. Kids will visit Christina at the Sulphur Lick Treasures booth to pick out a “handmade wooden pocket-pal,” and then come to the Kid’s Activity Table at the Info Booth to decorate their pocket pal with Mrs. Debra.
And we have something special for parents as well this week. Nationwide Children’s Hospital is partnering with agencies in Fayette County to provide FREE Positive Parenting Program (Triple P) services for caregivers of children ages 12 and under. The trained Triple P facilitators can help you understand the causes of your child’s behavior, strengthen your relationship with your child, and give you tools to help guide your child’s behavior. Services are available in groups and brief one-on-one sessions. Join Ashlee Watson at the market community tent to learn more about this exciting opportunity, provided by Nationwide Children’s Hospital and the Ohio Children’s Trust Fund.
And, the Carnegie Public Library staff will be at the market with books for checkout or purchase from their book bike! From 8:30 a.m. – 11 a.m., books will be available to borrow and purchase. You can also register for a library card!
The Market is open Saturday morning from 8:30 to noon. It is located in the municipal parking lot on the corner of South Main and East East streets in Washington C.H. SNAP EBT food benefit cards and credit/debit cards are accepted. Those using the SNAP EBT card for food purchases receive matching dollar “Produce Perks” tokens ($1 for $1) good only for fruits, vegetables, and food producing plants. So,”buy one, get one” for up to $25 EVERY market day. Five dollar coupons will be available again for FAYETTE COUNTY Farm Bureau members at each Saturday market; these can be spent at both the Wednesday and Saturday markets.
The following list contains the names and products of the vendors that expect to set up this Saturday. Other vendors may participate as well.
Barbara’s Embellished Stretchy Bookmarks (Barbara Black): Bookmarks in dozens of different handmade designs dealing with sports, nature, hobbies, OSU, beach, and more.
Bridge View Garden (Hunter & Lorelle Rohrer): Seasonal produce including tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, green beans. Homemade breads (yeast, savory and sweet) and rolls.
Cozy Baby Blessings (Nancy Cutter): Wax melts, beaded pens, crocheted dish cloths, pot scrubbers and shower poufs. Baby essentials including, crocheted blankets and hats, flannel receiving blankets, burp cloths, crinkle toys and bunny ear teethers, silicone tableware, teethers and pacifier clips.
DSC Produce Farm (Darren Cox): Salsas (including Carolina Reaper), dressings and peach and strawberry jams. Sampling wild mango salsa. Pickled beets.
Edlynns Attic (Robin Dement): Cookie and pancake mix, natural glycerin soap, flour sack dish towels and stone coasters from Shelbee’s Dry Mix Company. Hand knit baby hats with fur poms, booties, knit pumpkins, knit animal baskets , cup, chapstick and earbud cozies, acrylic and alpaca yarn and wool dryer balls.
Greens & Greenery (Katrina Bush): Baklava. Strawberry (specialty) jams, local honey, sourdough crackers. Cucumbers, green beans, onions, tomatoes and other seasonal produce.
Jim’s Premium Ground Beef (Jim Hobbs): Premium ground beef in assorted packages (patties, bulk tubes).
Julie G’s Cookies (Julie Greenslade): Chocolate chip, sugar, ginger, snickerdoodle, oatmeal raisin, oatmeal, peanut butter, peanut butter jumbos, peanut butter fudge, chocolate peanut butter bars, pineapple cookies and lemon bars. Garden produce.
Little Farmstead Flowers (Eicher family): Seasonal fresh cut flowers by the stem or bouquet.
Lorre Black Umbrellas (Lorre Black): Umbrellas to match your personality, your friends’ and family’s personalities, too. With every umbrella you purchase, you help your community by helping LBU build our very own Umbrella Alley in WCHO.
Ohio Artisan Beef & 1 Body Life Skincare (W.J. & Lanita Fannin): individual cuts, ground beef & beef patty bundles, griller’s boxes and other variety boxes & 1/4, 1/2 and whole beef reservations. Clean, natural, all plant-based, fresh, small batched skincare products.
PPCF & S. Plymouth Raw Honey) (Julie & Dennis Mosny): Local raw honey and honey. Homemade baked goods.
Sulphur Lick Treasures (Christina Skaggs): Bring new earrings, new signs, funny plant stakes, air plant holders and wooden crafts. STOP HERE TO PICK UP YOUR POCKET PAL for the Kid’s Craft!
Tom’s Tool Shed (Tom McMurray): Tom will sharpen hand tools, mower blades, axes, and garden tools for a small fee.
Wood Designs by DW (Debbie Welch): One of a kind handcrafted wood items— birdhouses, signs, tables, gnomes. Crocheted items including kitchen towels, pot scrubs, pot holders, baby booties, and afghans. Will take custom and special orders.