So our tiny mascots had more adventures this weekend. We just did a two-day craft fair and had some amusing, frustrating, head-scratching, and uplifting conversations over the course of the two-day event. We were set up under my daughter’s Ashtree Wildcrafting banner at this fair. We set up the booth under my own banner at wellness fairs and her banner at craft fairs.
A fellow believer around Dad’s age is wanting to be sure I’m getting my name out there however I can, took my coaching brochure and agreed to add me to his prayer list.
Two witches came by who we’ve sold tea to in the past at wellness fairs. One was going to buy from us again till she remembered she’s on a strict detox diet to try to clear mold and it’s effects from her nervous system. A lady with them who will be hosting a number of witches for a visit soon, was asking us what teas would be suitably witchy! We have no clue?! Just because we are friendly toward them doesn’t mean we do what they do. Just because I have some understanding of various things they do doesn’t mean I actually do them or have any idea of nuances involved. This woman then observed that all our teas are forest ingredients and therefore must ALL be witchy! All I could do at that moment was stare off into the distance wondering how on earth to field this misunderstanding. Ashley was trying to explain that they are all herbal teas and that we honestly don’t know what would be considered witchy.
A different lady on Saturday was determined to describe our mini-me trunk that we purpose-built to look like the larger apothecary, as witchy and would NOT accept our intents and purposes for this little display piece. Ugh! We’re at a Christmas craft fair remember. . . not at a wellness fair!
A horticulturalist from Vancouver Island lit right up when we started talking latin plant names with her. A BC forester was fascinated at the plants she didn’t know she was walking past every day that we had made teas from, and both are interested in foraging workshops at some point in the future.
We will be at several more fairs before Christmas. The Dogwood date is in their nursery greenhouses at the end of the month, and the Reel Christmas market is fully outdoors under tents mid-month of December. So, a chilly end to the fair season for 2024 weather-wise, but looking forward to it.
Then it’s on to planning for 2025 and so far, we are booked for the Vernon Wellness Fair in April, a craft fair at the end of March, another craft fair first Sunday in May, and hoping to be back at Lumby Days in June. A small wellness fair organizer wants us back in January, March and May, so we’ll see how dates jive for that. She may want me giving a talk on chocolate in January.
I’m getting people asking for advanced foraging workshops, presenting on how to prepare the wild herbs we gather. I got talking to the new recreation director where we live, and his first thought was that we’d want to rent the kitchen at the rec centre. It would allow for doing as well as teaching and possibly ending with a wild-food buffet that the participants helped create.
We shall see how things go, but people are now running into us in town and calling us “the tea ladies”, or “the herbalists”, or “the apothecary booth”. 😀 We actually had our booth called a pharmacy this afternoon!
Pondo and Rosa got to hang out in two locations for this fair, one on each day. They put a smile on people’s faces when they are spotted on the table.
