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1. Wellsboro Growers Market Opening is Success Despite Some Rain; Next One is This Thursday, June 4
2. Well Armed Woman Shooting Chapter, Tioga County, PA to Host Special Shoot #NotMe This Saturday, June 6

Diane Eaton
dianetn@ptd.net
(570) 724-3800

WELLSBORO GROWERS MARKET OPENING IS SUCCESS DESPITE SOME RAIN; NEXT ONE IS THIS THURSDAY, JUNE 4

“For our first time since the COVID-19 quarantine, I think it went very well, better than we expected,” said Ann Vayansky about the Thursday, May 28 opening of the Wellsboro Growers Market.

She and Kim Furry brought shrubs, small trees and flowers, all native to North Central Pennsylvania, that they raise and sell under the name of Growin’ Native.

The May 28 market attracted six vendors who set up outdoors on the lawn between the front of the First Presbyterian Church at 130 Main Street and the Green Free Library’s driveway.

“There were more people there than we thought would be,” Vayansky said. “Almost everyone was wearing a mask and was in a good mood.”

For the next two Thursdays, June 4 and 11 Vayansky and Furry will bring more shrubs, small trees and perennial flowers to the market “depending on what is available.” One of the perennials they are raising is the obedient plant so named because the individual flowers can be bent in any direction. Others are: swamp milkweed, buttonbush, columbine and winterberry. “More seedlings are coming up. We just need to get them potted,” Vayansky said noting that perennials grow in sun, others in shade, some in moist soil and others in dry soil.

In addition to live plants, the two women also sell garden accessories such as teacup bird feeders and garden fairy crowns for youngsters to wear.

“Our May 28 opening was awesome,” said Liz McLelland of Yorkshire Meadows. “The market opened at 2:30 p.m. and by 3:30 p.m. all of the baked goods I had brought were gone. I only had some jams and jellies left by closing time. “I am baking like crazy to make sure I bring more goodies for the June 4 market and will do that again for the June 11 market.”

For those with a sweet tooth, McLelland is making scones, rhubarb dream bars, shortbread cookies, a cookie assortment, lemon curd, lemon zucchini cake, chocolate zucchini cake and carrot cake. She will also bring assorted jams and jellies and fresh garden lettuce packaged in four ounce bags. “I prepackage all items.” To guarantee that customers get what they want, McLelland invites them to call her at 570-549-2299 by 6 p.m. on the Tuesday before an upcoming market.

“I did really well on May 28, especially since I couldn’t do wine tastings then,” said Frank Maffei, owner of Staggering Unicorn Winery in Athens. “We make sweet and berry wines from real fruit grown locally with some purchased frozen,” he said. “Customers who had bought our wine in the past came back to get more. Since the green phase started on May 29, I will be able to offer wine tastings at the June 4 and 11 markets,” he said.

“For the first 30 minutes the market was open on May 28, it was misting,” Maffie said. “It turned out to be a really nice day. The market closed at 5:30 p.m. I had time to load two items before the heavy rain started three minutes later. I drove home soaking wet.”

Hillstone Farms will be at the June 11 market but not this Thursday. “May 28 was pretty good,” said Todd Webster. “We will be better stocked June 11.” He will bring beef steak, Delmonico, New York strip and sirloin steaks, ground beef, minute steaks, stew meat, short ribs, soup bones, ground beef patties and beef snack sticks. He will also have beef and pork hot dogs, pork chops, bacon, shoulder roasts, sausages, smoked ham and ham steaks.

Also participating at the May 28 market were Between Two Rivers Maple Products
 and Pinafore Run Farm with honey. They and other vendors such as Scentillating Creations with handcrafted and hand-poured candles, Shortsville Green Grower, Udder Merry Mac Farms, Lulu’s Embroidery and Keeney Farms will be attending upcoming markets with their products.

“Our Growers Market is operating under safety guidelines and all vendors and the steering committee are asking all customers to please wear a mask while at the market and to practice physical distancing of at least six feet,” said Thomas Putnam, organizer. “We are under the auspices of the First Presbyterian Church and are seeking to comply with their coronavirus guidelines of safe practices for all. If there is a downpour or constant, heavy rain, the market will be canceled. We cannot use Fellowship Hall when the weather is bad due to those safety guidelines,” Putnam said.’

The market will be every Thursday from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. through October 8, weather permitting. Email wellsborogrowersmarket@gmail.com or visit the Wellsboro Growers Market Facebook page for updates on who and what will be at the market. Vendors who want to participate are asked to contact Putnam at (570) 439-2000.

WELL ARMED WOMAN SHOOTING CHAPTER, TIOGA COUNTY, PA TO HOST SPECIAL SHOOT #NOTME THIS SATURDAY, JUNE 6

This Saturday, June 6, the Well Armed Woman Shooting Chapter, Tioga County, Pa. is hosting a special shoot called #NotMe (hashtag Not Me) where women that have a passion for the shooting sports will get together to shoot three shots, one each for Empowerment, Prepared and I Will Not Be A Victim.

The #NotMe Shoot will start at 10 a.m. at the Mill Cove Shooting Range, 3036 Mill Creek Road, Mansfield, PA 16933. It will immediately be followed by an open shoot. Both are free.

Women do not have to be a member of the Well Armed Woman chapter to participate in the June 6 shoots. “This is a chance for women who are not members to come out and see what TWAW does,” said Marilyn Jones. She and Patricia Butts co-chair the local TWAW chapter.

Those who want to participate in the #NotMe and open shoots need to bring their own pistol or revolver and 200 rounds of ammunition. “If a woman doesn’t have a pistol or revolver to take part in the #NotMe and/or open shoot, she may borrow a .22 semiautomatic to use, but will need to bring 200 rounds of .22 long rifle ammunition for the borrowed pistol,” Jones said.

For more information, contact Jones at (570) 549-2794 or jones_mk@yahoo.com.