Maggie Renalds, co-owner, Louise Pizza

Renalds and her husband Kyle own and operate Pizza Louise visiting the Farmers Market on Tuesday and Saturday. They started in 2020 during COVID-19 when they only used sourdough bread. However, they now cater events and sell other types of pizza.

“We brought our business here. We just do it for love of sourdough, love of pizza” Maggie Renalds said.

“I’m doing good so far. Tuesdays are kind of slower, but we always love being at the market.”

By Pierre Amaya

Curtis Yankey, produce farmer

“So I’m a produce farmer. We do 10 acres, vegetables, naturally growing, so no chemical sprays, fertilizers.Our Name is North Mountain produce. We’ve been coming here for I don’t know, 15-17 years now. So yeah, it’s great to be able to interact with the customers. If they got questions about the products they can talk directly to the farmer, you know. I just love it. It’s great. We chose Harrisonburg because really it’s the closest big town near us. It’s an all year round thing for us. We’re here every Saturday. Our selection does go down a little bit with the produce, but yeah we still have a lot of storage stuff and greens in our greenhouse that we can sell all winter long. My favorite thing to grow I guess is peppers, but my favorite thing to eat is tomatoes. I love when tomato season is in.”

By Jonathan Alston

Theresa

“I’m very close to these people, not just because they feed me and nourish me, but because these vendors have become dear friends in my life. It was just surprising how the community gathered together with human support,” said Theresa, who refused to give her last name saying, “It’s like Beyoncé.”

She said when her husband died, it was the vendor community who came to her rescue and showed up to support her.

“Can you imagine that the coffee guy came? He brought me coffee and he prayed and sang. The vegetable guy came, prayed and sang,” she said.

Theresa said her favorite part of the Farmers Market is the amazing friends and sense of community she gained that ultimately gave her strength during tough parts of her life.

“This community has its heart at the Farmers Market.”

By Lulu Enke

Paulina Valenica, Friendly Neighbor Garden

‘’It’s an easy way to start a business if you ever want to. It’s not easy, but it’s a good trial. If you have a business idea, it’s the best way to launch your business.’’

At the Harrisonburg Farmers Market, her stand overflowed with radishes, carrots and beets with dirt clinging to their roots. With a bright smile, she spoke of her love for farming.

“I’ve been interested in agriculture, so I started working at the farm as an exchange for vegetables as a volunteer, and they will pay me with vegetables.’’ 

By Za’Nia Jackson 

Halee Jones,  market manager, Harrisonburg Farmers Market

“It’s important for people to be eating local food and supporting our local economy,”  Jones said.  “The Farmers Market is a great way to do it.”

At the Harrisonburg Farmers Market, vendors sell their unique goods, everything from honey to coffee to peaches. Jones came to work here because she always enjoyed volunteering at the Farmers Market.

During COVID the market’s old manager quit and that’s when Jones became the manager.

Jones said the large number of vendors at the market “impacts them positively because they have a way to sell their products directly to consumers.”

She said she also enjoys working with farmers, small businesses and the community.

Jones said, “I love seeing a bunch of kids come in and get a vegetable and be really excited.”

By Cole Melchiori-McCabe

Tansy Senturk, owner

“I do mosaics and jewelry from broken China. I want to reach the community and share my practice with my community. I’ve been doing jewelry for two years, but I’ve been doing mosaic and painting for the last 20 years. As a crafter, I don’t get to see people too often, but the Farmers Market is a place where I can go and interact with people. I really want to inspire young people to get into crafts and hobbies. I also have a youtube channel and sell stuff in oasis” she said. Tansy said she sells at the Farmers Market because it is a place to meet new people and help the community. “It’s not the most profitable business, but I really like making connections with people and making them smile.”

By  Anna Louise Birkland

Bruce Folks, owner, Bruce’s Syrup and Candies

“You can develop relationships with your customers, you know, get to know your customers and what they’re looking for. The fellow vendors, you’re kind of like a family once you do it every couple days together.”

Bruce’s Syrup and Candies provides a diverse variety of products, ranging from maple syrup, to candies, to fudge, and all kinds of other products. The way Folks usually markets most of his products is through things like markets or festivals. He  says selling his products at theHarrisonburg Farmers Market is productive work.

He said his favorite parts of the Farmers Market are marketing his products, and that he can see people on a daily basis, and develop friendships with them that last.

By Virginia Tompkins

Rose Shenk, farmer and author

Shenk, is a farmer from Harrisonburg who works with her family to provide fresh, locally grown products to the community. Her farm sells a variety of items including fresh meat, eggs and other locally produced food.

“It’s really important to know where your food comes from, We’re careful about the food we give out to the community,” Shenk said. “This market has had a really big impact on me but I really enjoy working with everyone here and building a connection with my fellow vendors.”

By Alice Nutter

Shara McGee, owner, Sweet McGee
“I would say it’s more of the social part for me than it is business,” McGee said of her business that specializes in desserts, catering and gifts. McGee and the staff provide croissants, focaccia, cookies, confections. McGee said she likes to come to the Farmer’s Market frequently due to the social aspect. “The vendors have been very welcoming. The customers have been very welcoming, and it’s worked out really well,” McGee said.

Before Shara joined the Farmers Market community, there was a bread-making business before her that decided to retire. As the community had to say goodbye to one business, they welcomed Sweet McGee into their group.

McGee said she gets more sales and gets to socialize with the community at the same time. Above all, McGee said she favors the social aspect of the market.

“I personally don’t really go out and do a lot of social gatherings and doing [the Farmer’s Market] has kind of forced me to be more social. The vendor community is really great, and the people I’ve met, like the customers, I’ve had some regular customers that come and talk and all that different stuff at the market.”

By Seher Quraishi

Shara McGee, owner, Sweet McGee

“The people are really nice here,” McGee said. “You have to keep going and hang in there because it’s gonna be rough for a little bit, but then it gets better.”

McGee said she went to baking school but did not have a great experience with it. Afterward, McGee said she decided to start her own business where she mainly sells croissants, cookies and banana pudding. Her favorite part about coming to the Farmers Market is meeting new people.

“They welcomed me without a problem.”

By Khloe Nicholson

Eva Didot, owner, Crêpe Didot

“I love making crepes. I started doing it in 2017. After going to Montreal for a trip, I just had an idea to start making them.” For now, Didot said she just makes them at the Farmers Market. “People love to come out and to see me. The Farmers Market is a great community. I love being here.”

By Bradley Wilson
MORE INFO: “Didot starts crepe business”

Eva Didot, owner, Crêpe Didot

In 2017, inspired by the crepes shops in Montreal, Didot created Crepes Didot and sells crepes and a refresher. The Farmers Market lets her have a more intimate experience with the customer and lets the consumer know they are “getting fresh quality food they can trust.

“We’re pretty weather dependent.”

Didot says the biggest challenge to her business is often the weather. For example, due to the recent Canadian wildfires that have impacted air quality, Didot didn’t want to sell in the unhealthy air. Other factors can also be challenging to the business. Didot has changed the strawberries to strawberry jam in one of her recipes in response to the recent cyclospora outbreak. While the outbreak hasn’t really affected her, she doesn’t “want to risk it.”

By Wystan Way