Loose Leaf Notes

-The following first appeared in The Floyd Press on July 20, 2017

Locally grown flowers are always a welcomed sight at the Floyd Farmers Market.  Flower-grower Perky VanWyk is pictured  here working at the Perennial Uprisings booth.  Perennial Uprisings is the local business of Tree Gigante (left of VanWyk) that sells homegrown flowers, arrangements and bouquets.  VanWyk was also farm-standing garlic, cabbage, basil and beets, grown communally at Floyd’s Left Bank.

Earl White and Adrianne Davis of Willis’s Indian Farm Bakery say the reception to their artisan bread and desserts has been good.  The bakery opened in February and sells organic, non-GMO baked goods.  Indian Farm products are sold at the Blue Ridge Café and Black Water Loft. The farm will soon be branching out to provide their goods to other local outlets.

Jesse Henderson, an intern at Riverstone Organic Farm, passed out treats that featured the farm’s homemade jams, along with pasture-fed bacon and sausage samples.   The farm’s local eggs sold out.

Richie Ursomarso of Waterbear Farm CSA is pictured with his bounty of produce talking to a local customer.

Jessica Talley-Haynes, a local Functional Medicine Certified Health Coach, presented an informative pop-up presentation on the benefit of yellow foods, which included recipes.   Tally-Haynes is owner/operator of Bach and Blueberries, coaching for the body and soul.  She explained that functional medicine doctors look not just at symptoms but at why symptoms are there. They look at diet first when recommending treatment.

Ryan and Olivia Donayre take their time choosing just the right artisan cupcake at the Confectious Shenanigans booth.  Ryan and Olivia are the children of Ashley Donayre, visiting from New Jersey, and the grandchildren of Linda Fallon (pictured in yellow).

Cherry Jubilee, Green Tea Matcha (gluten-free) with orange frosting and cucumber mint cakes with (homemade) strawberry jam center were Saturday’s featured cupcakes at Confectious Shenanigans, made by artisan baker Shawna Williams of Willis.  Williams said that her goal is to create aesthetically pleasing cakes and a flavorful experience for her customers.  Her cupcakes are sold at Cocoa Mia and she custom makes cakes for weddings.

Summer business was bustling and lots of Buffalo Mountain Kombucha was drank.

Linda Fallon and her granddaughter Olivia enjoyed sitting a spell after a busy day in Floyd, which included attending the Farmers Market.