My latest jaunt to the Sayville Farmers’ Market brought
me smiles as well as some very unusual vegetables. At
Clark’s Farm Stand I found a great variety of familiar
fruits such as blueberries, raspberries and melons, but I
also found yellow plums and donut peaches. There were fresh
vegetables the names of which I knew, and those I did not
such as cranberry beans, golden beets and pumpkin-looking
eggplants!
Emily McGowan, salesperson, was quick with a smile and she
threw in her wit with information about the produce. When
asked, “How do you cook these?” Emily answered, “Any way you
like.” I couldn’t help but like her. Emily worked
side-by-side with owner Eugene Clark’s son, Patrick, who let
her take the lead.
I learned that no sprays are used on the wide assortment of
healthy-looking fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers – yes,
you can buy a bouquet of mixed flowers or a fistful of
sunflowers, which Emily happily called smileflowers. “The
smiles are contagious,” she told me and by the looks of her
customers I knew she was right. Our interview was pleasantly
interrupted by several shoppers like Elly and her daughters
Kyra and Mae. “We supplement our own garden with fruits from
Clark’s,” Elly told me. Joyce bought the last bunch of
flowers. “They’re for my dinner party tonight,” she said and
I couldn’t help thinking of Mrs. Dalloway from Virginia
Woolf’s novel doing the same thing one morning in London a
century ago.
Peggy Wurtz, a local artist, proudly held up an eggplant.
“I’m going to make eggplant rolatini. It’s nice to have this
(Farmers’ Market) here so I can buy one of this and one of
that.”
Christian of West Sayville explained that he “wants to
support local farmers. Everything is fresh.”
“We have a little bit of everything,” says Emily about the
Manorville based farm stand, but what makes us different is
our connection with the vegetables.” While Pat and his
father, Eugene, pick the produce and flowers, Emily says, “I
just enjoy supplying the community with the good stuff.”
Emily, a resident of Oakdale, just walked up and asked
Eugene for a job at his farm stand last year. She plans to
continue working there while attending Suffolk Community
College next year. “I enjoy coming to work,” she told me. I
could see that Emily loves her job by her outrageous smile
and how she banters with her customers.
Stop in at Clark’s Farm Stand while at the Sayville Farmers’
Market on Depot Street next Saturday. You will enjoy a chat
with Emily while you choose from the freshest most
appetizing fruits, vegetables and herbs around. You may want
to pick up a bunch a smileflowers while you’re there
Grace
Papagno has lived in Sayville for over thirty years. She
loves her town and loves to write, so writing for
Sayville.com is a natural combination for her. She can be
reached at
lady33g@verizon.net
