Sample tasting and the return of the L’Orient Dance Troupe will compete with the weather forecast at the Walnut Valley Farmer’s Market Saturday at the entrance to Island Park. Vendors are ready with tents and umbrellas.
Rain cut short last week’s market but early people walked away with tomatoes, watermelon, okra and cantaloupe.
A new vendor from Oxford was selling honey and another new vendor from Udall had plenty of fresh tomatoes while a third new vendor from Winfield was featuring frozen range-fed beef, said organizer Dolly Bonfy.
"Veteran vendors cannot remember a season when rain was so prevalent on Saturday WVFM schedule," she said.
After the rain let up last week, people meandered from tent to tent picking up flowers, jam, eggs, frozen beef, soaps, honey, pies, muffins, chocolate roasted pecans and cranberry scones. One lady brought a favorite blouse in order to match a necklace from a jewelry vendor while another perused a cleverly made sun dress for a child, Bonfy said.
Because of the rain there was no drawing. This Saturday the drawing will be a hand-crafted wooden Recipe box made by Vernon Hankins of V&V Crafts and a ‘Housewives Special" for sharpening a sack of kitchen utensils from Art Von Nostrand, the Dutchman Repair.
In addition, a pound of "whole beef ground meat" from Heather Faye of Faye Farms from Udall will be given away. Sign up at the market table.
The gypsy dance troupe will present the flare and flourish of contemporary gypsy dance. The graceful yet dramatic dance form celebrates the traditions and culture of the Rom people.
Also Rakasat Dahabeya, a bellydance troupe, will perform Middle Eastern cabaret, folkloric and ethnic fusion dances. Studio director Terry "Dahabeya" Dirks has over 30 years experience and directs the troupe which was formed in 2004, according to Bonfy.
There are only six Saturdays left for WVFM. The market is open from 7:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.