A10
LOCAL
Wallowa County Chieftain
Wednesday, May 4, 2022
Seasoned and prospective vendors attend
the Farmers Market Vendor Symposium
By ANN BLOOM
For the Wallowa
County Chieftain
Joe Sims/Contributed Photo
This month’s noxious weed is whitetop (Lepidium draba).
Anyone fi nding the weed in Wallowa County is urged to contact
Wallowa Canyonlands Partnership Program Manager Joe Sims.
Noxious weed of the
month is whitetop
Wallowa County Vegetation
Department
ENTERPRISE — As
part of the Wallowa County
Vegetation Department and
Weed Board’s ongoing edu-
cation eff orts, in conjunction
with Wallowa Resources,
the Chieftain features a nox-
ious weed each month that is
on the county’s list of nox-
ious and invasive weeds.
This month’s noxious
weed is whitetop (Lepidium
draba).
The goal is to educate the
public, as landowners and
county residents are instru-
mental in identifying and
eradicating those weeds.
What: It is a perennial
that grows up to 2 feet tall,
has leaves that are covered
in short, soft white hairs,
and a distinctive fl ower
head of several small, white,
four-pedaled fl owers, giving
the plant a white, fl at-topped
appearance. It blooms from
May into mid-summer and
continues to grow until frost.
Where: Whitetop pre-
fers open, unshaded areas
and can be found in a vari-
ety of diff erent soil types. It
prefers moist sites or areas
of moderate rainfall. In Wal-
lowa County, it can be found
predominantly in the lower
Imnaha Canyon and contrib-
uting drainages.
Dangers: It grows in
Joe Sims/Contributed Photo
Whitetop is a perennial that
grows up to 2 feet tall, has
leaves that are covered in
short, soft white hairs, and
a distinctive fl ower head of
several small, white, four-
pedaled fl owers.
dense patches that domi-
nate areas, degrading pas-
ture areas and restricting the
growth of other species.
How you can help: If
you fi nd whitetop either on
your property or while out
and about, take note of the
location. You can contact
our Wallowa Canyonlands
Partnership Program Man-
ager Joe Sims at 541-426-
8053, ext. 61.
ENTERPRISE
—
Despite the snowstorm, pro-
spective Wallowa County
Farmers Market vendors
turned out to learn valuable
tips for success from sea-
soned vendors at the mar-
ket’s vendor symposium
held Saturday, April 16, in
Cloverleaf Hall.
The symposium included
a panel of current ven-
dors composed of Wendy
McCullough of Sally B
Farms, a goat milk soap and
lotion vendor; Anne Rob-
inson of Annie’s Southfork
Silverworks, a silver jew-
elry maker; and Christian
Niece and Ali Lyons, the
new owners of Backyard
Gardens, an organic pro-
duce farm. Each presented
their perspective on what
creates a welcoming booth,
suggestions for interacting
with customers and ideas
for marketing a vendor’s
product.
Jessica Bogard was
introduced as the new mar-
ket manager. She pro-
vided an overview of the
new rules for the market,
explained the setup of the
booths during the market
season and explained the
fee structure for participa-
tion, and how to apply to be
a market vendor.
Robinson said the mar-
ket not only off ers an
opportunity for vendors to
sell their wares, but serves
as a cooperative community
endeavor.
“It contributes to the
economy of Wallowa
County, and serves as a
vibrant community gather-
ing spot,” she said. “We are
a supportive environment
for fi rst time vendors to
share their wares and learn
how to promote and market
their product.”
She said it has been espe-
cially gratifying to see new
vendors go from being fi rst-
time vendors, to regulars,
to growing their business
Contributed Photo
The annual Wallowa County Farmers Market vendor symposium took place April 16, 2022.
to some even going on to
securing a brick-and-mortar
business location later.
The farmers market
off ers everything from fresh
produce to photos taken by
local photographers, to jew-
elry and pottery, to craft
items, meat, and baked
goods for sale. Music is an
integral part of the market
featuring local musicians
and bands at many of the
regular market days.
McCullough, a vendor
with many years of experi-
ence with the farmers mar-
ket off ered several ways to
help inexperienced, or new
vendors, succeed in their
sales experiences.
“You need to have a
story about your products
covering the highlights —
how you make them, ingre-
dients, how it’s grown,
etc. It should be short and
engaging. Entice people to
buy or at least ask you ques-
tions. People are interested
in what you do, and how
you do what you do. They
want to get to know you and
your product,” she said.
The panelists off ered
their tips for success includ-
ing how to set up an attrac-
tive booth, pricing, market-
ing and customer service
and words of encourage-
ment for when times are
slow, or sales are down.
“Each Saturday is dif-
ferent, so don’t get dis-
couraged if your sales are
down,” Lyons said.
“Hang in there. If you
are friendly, smile and
laugh with customers, have
a catchy story about your
products, have a good prod-
uct that is attractively dis-
played and priced right
you will be successful,”
McCullough said.
There is also the prac-
tical side of being a ven-
dor at the farmers market,
as Ali Lyons and Christian
Niece pointed out during
the symposium.
“Don’t hesitate to ask
for support from other ven-
dors. Bring layers of clothes
and hats for every kind of
weather and lots of water
for the heat,” Lyons said.
All the panelist vendors
stressed engaging with cus-
tomers as a top priority for
being a successful vendor.
“It’s a fun event and
builds community!” Lyons
said.
Robinson advised fi rst
time vendors to look at
their product and hone it to
what locals and tourists are
attracted to and need.
“Tourists especially love
to go home with a little
piece of Wallowa County,”
she said.
The Wallowa County
Farmers Market is accepting
applications for new ven-
dors. It is especially inter-
ested in vendors who would
like to sell prepared food
items. For more information
on how to become a ven-
dor at the Wallowa County
Farmers Market, contact
Bogard at wallowacounty-
farmersmarket@gmail.com.
Opening day of the market is
Saturday, May 28, at 9 a.m.
in the parking lot of Stein’s
Distillery in Joseph.
Trail-with-rails project plans update
Project still on
track despite
opposition
Chieftain staff
Now accepting applications for a new position:
Development & Operations Coordinator
For position details and how to apply visit: www.wallowahistory.org/nowhiring
Congratulations!
Enterprise High School Junior, Harlie Stein
daughter of Adam and Aneliese Stein of
Joseph is the new Queen of the
District 3 Idaho High School
Rodeo Association.
WALLOWA — The
Joseph Branch Trail Con-
sortium, the nonprofi t group
that hopes to establish a trail-
with-rails alongside the exist-
ing railroad tracks that run
between Elgin and Joseph,
will hold its annual member
gathering Saturday, May 7, in
Wallowa, according to a press
release.
The gathering will run from
4-6 p.m. at the Nez Perce Wal-
lowa Homeland Project and
will include project updates,
a short hike along the trail
route in Wallowa and compli-
mentary food and beverages.
There also will be an
announcement of the winners
in the group’s spring drawing.
Drawing prizes include two
seats on a fi ve-day rafting trip
on the Snake River, two nights
lodging at the Wallowa Lake
Lodge, dinner and drinks
for two at the Gold Room in
Joseph and an echo fl y fi sh-
ing rod.
A limited number of draw-
ing tickets are available until
May 7 via the website Joseph-
BranchTrail.org.
The consortium hopes
to establish a 63-mile route
along the tracks from Elgin
to Joseph, but objections
by landowners in Wallowa
County have led to the Wal-
lowa County Board of Com-
missioners denying condi-
tional use permits for the
project where it runs through
the county.
Wallowa County Commis-
sion Chairwoman Susan Rob-
erts, who is co-chairwoman of
the Wallowa Union Railroad
Authority, said Feb. 21 she
believes the project is unlikely
to go through.
“It’s doubtful it’ll ever
go through because people
were vehemently opposed to
it,” Roberts said. “Wallowa
County Planning (Depart-
ment) at this time is not
involved because it’s not in
our county.”
But Gregg Kleiner, proj-
ect coordinator for the consor-
tium, said in an email April 26
that he believes there is strong
hope for the success of the
project.
“Momentum is building,
our membership is growing
and we’re attracting major
funding and support,” Kleiner
said.
He added in a May 2 email
that the conditional use permit
was not formally denied, as it
had been withdrawn upon the
recusal of one commissioner.
All are welcome to join
the May 7 gathering, but an
RSVP is requested by send-
ing an email to info@joseph-
branchtrail.org.