The Windsor Certified Farmers Market has been reconfigured due to construction underway on Old Redwood Highway, which might not be altogether bad news.
The market’s first Fall Harvest Jamboree drew a good crowd Oct. 26, even though Old Redwood Highway was closed between the Chevron gas station and Windsor Road as part of the Bell Village project, which will include housing and an Oliver’s Market.
Food vendors and crafts booths usually form an L-shaped market that runs from the library entrance and Civic Center area to one block of Market Street. On Sunday, they congregated along two blocks of Market Street, from south of the library area to Windsor River Road.
The reconfiguration along Market Street means that every vendor is seen, said Tina Castelli, the market’s manager, explaining that some people who attend the Sunday markets don’t explore vendors set up along the rest of “the L.”
“This will make the market more visible from Windsor River Road,” agreed former market manager Glenda Castelli.
The reconfiguration will likely stay in place through Dec. 14, when the market closes.
“The new layout will be under consideration for next year,” Tina Castelli said.
Ramon Monzon, an employee of EGB Farms of Rippon, said business was better Sunday than the previous week’s market.
“They love the way it is. I was on the L and it was slow last week with the construction,” Monzon said.
Rob Giusti of Novato, owner of Grizzly Bear Sweets , has been located on the L at the north end of the market. He said business was good there, but people seem to like the reconfiguration.
Miracle Mule, a Bay Area swampy tonk band, performed at the south end of the market Sunday. “Today was an experiment,” Castelli said. Live music performances usually have occupied the north end.
The sycamore grove was occupied by scarecrows as part of Scarecrow Days, along with craft booths, children’s events and games as part of the Fall Harvest Jamboree.
Kids painted faces on pumpkins, raced pumpkin cars, played pumpkin bowling and made their own scarecrows.
Linda Rosko of Sebastopol has volunteered to help kids make scarecrows for the past five years. She spends the year collecting extra and unsold clothing from garage and rummage sales.
The Windsor Farmers Market supplied the hay bales for stuffing, and Rosko brought the wood frames and twine to attach the scarecrows and the burlap for their heads.
“We made 75 scarecrows this year,” she said. “I was making scarecrows at 9 a.m., and I was picked clean by 12:30. The kids always have a great time.
“The adults have the most fun with it. Today seemed to be Dad’s Day. A lot dads were helping instead of moms. The kids can take the scarecrows home or leave them here. Then I will take them home.”
The Windsor Lions Club held a Cider, Beer and Wine Tasting, said Ted Barcelon, a 28-year member, and the Windsor Garden Club held its annual fall plant sale.
This year’s Biggest Pumpkin Show at the market drew a limited number of entries because of the drought.
Shiloh Gardens brought a 132-pounder, and other entries weighed 248, 251 and 330 pounds.
“There were some 1,500-pound pumpkins last year,” Glenda Castelli said.
Contact Windsor Towns correspondent James ?Lanaras at WindsorTownNews@gmail.com.
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