Cotati farmers’ market back in business, 7th heaven for fruit lovers
June 2 was opening day of the Cotati Certified Farmers’ Market at La Plaza Park, heralding another welcome sign of a return to normalcy. There was a delightful array of food vendors in attendance, including East Indian cuisine, crepes, pizza, kettle corn, shaved ice, spicy pies, hummus and cookies. What would a farmers’ market be without fresh produce? It was a veritable 7th heaven for fruit lovers. There were plentiful strawberries, peaches, cherries, blueberries and more, all of which looked delectably tempting. In addition to the food offerings, artisans were on hand with a variety of items to buy as a treat for yourself or as a gift for friends and family.
Melanie Dado, the owner of the Bus Shoppe, said she usually vends at music festivals but “was excited to be back in Cotati” vending at the market. Considering the difficult times we’ve been living through during the past year, smudge bundles were a very apropos item that she offered for sale. A variety of different types were on hand that she makes from sage, lavender, rosemary and healing crystals. She has a gemstone dictionary available for customers who desire insight into the various gemstone’s properties. Smudge bundles are used to promote healing and to cleanse a person or a space. The tradition of smudging originated centuries ago and has been practiced by many different cultures.
Barefoot Books is the name of the booth where Petaluma resident Kathleen von Raesfeld vends. She offers books that not only feature beautiful artwork but tell stories about the world we live in. They impart a sense of diversity, show different beliefs, and create a global vision. She has been selling them for 17 years. She read these books to her own daughters, who are now college age, because she felt the ideals in them were so important for children to learn. The books can be purchased in English, French and Spanish. A unique feature she offers is “grandma service” in which she keeps track of purchases so the same book will not be inadvertently purchased twice for the same child. The age group for the books is from birth to 10 years old. Besides vending in Cotati, she also has a booth at the farmers’ market in Novato.
Beth Ann Bakos-Matthews offers a wide variety of one-of-a-kind suncatchers. Her booth, Suncatcher Daydream, is making its debut at the market this year. She started making the suncatchers as gifts about two years ago, then started selling them around a year ago. She refers to her pieces as unique handmade recycled art. Her products can also be found in her Etsy shop of the same name.
With the help of her husband and brother, Cotati resident Irma Rodriguez creates a variety of eye-catching craft items. Her husband carves whimsical wooden animals, which she paints with bright colorful designs. She also paints her beautiful designs on glass, kitchen decorations and photo frames. She is a first-time vendor at the market and is happy to continue a tradition of artwork that she learned from her family.
Neither live music nor the sale of beer and wine were offered on opening day. However, according to Agricultural Community Events Farmers’ Market Executive Director Kelly Smith, both are expected to return sometime after COVID mandates are dropped.
The Cotati Certified Farmers’ Market takes place on Wednesdays from 4:30-7:30 p.m. and will run through September 29.
Marilyn Lane is a Sonoma County resident who worked as a newsroom employee at The Press Democrat for 27 years.
