From Farmer’s Market to Car Wash, a Beautiful Saturday in Greenwich

By Leslie Yager

Saturday was a gorgeous day in Greenwich, and all over Town residents soaked up the sun and fresh spring air.

At 9:30am the Farmer’s Market opened for the season on Horseneck Lot.

Market Manager Judy Waldeyer loaned her cowbell to a little girl to mark the opening of the 2014 season. “They were lined up waiting for the bell,” said Waldeyer, who re-enacted the ringing of the bell for GFP around 9:45!

Judy Waldeyer, the Greenwich Farmer’s Market manager, shows off the bell used to ring in opening day promptly at 9:30am. Credit: Leslie Yager

Waldeyer was excited to kick off the outdoor market, after having overseen a winter indoor market inside the Arch Street Teen Center on Saturdays with a few intrepid vendors.

In addition to serving as market manager, Waldeyer runs The Herb Basket, LLC. She sells jams, jellies and my favorite, spicy pickled beets. She has boxed assortments of sample-sized jams that make an ideal housewarming gift.

Up North Street, the 8th graders of Greenwich Catholic School held a car wash fundraiser to pay for a field trip to New York City to see “Of Mice and Men,” a book they read as a class this year.

The 8th graders’ entrepreneurial spirit was on display for motorists cruising North Street. No one could miss the motivated students and their handmade posters.

Shout out to the boys who were appalled by Greenwich Free Press‘s dirty tires, but tackled the challenge with zeal. The car is now immaculately clean. On the outside anyway.

Walking along East Elm Street, pedestrians encountered this carpet of flower petals. It was interesting to watch everyone from clerks to construction workers stop and admire the sea of pink before proceeding with a smile.

In central Greenwich the Julian Curtiss School PTA held a fundraiser billed as a flea market and tag sale and it did not disappoint. The gymnasium was bursting with baby clothes, bikes, playpens, housewares… You name it. The event was beautifully organized. Shout out to Steve Rogowskey, who retired last year after decades teaching PE at Julian Curtiss. One is forever reminded of Mr. Rogowskey when trodding across the gym floor in boots.

JC mom, Deanna Novak, who teaches “Senior Science Afters” was on hand with a clever project. Novak who works at the Garden Education Center on children’s programming was selling “Living Science Kits” in the JC gym during the flea/tag sale.

For just $4.00 Novak and her daughter were selling pairs of organic tomato plants and the chance to participate in a fun project. The idea was for both tomato plants to receive the same amount of sun, soil, water and air. The experiment comes to bear when one of the plants — the one labelled with a tiny red heart — receives a serenade. Yes, the idea is to sing to your plant. Novak said there is scientific research indicating that plants that are sung to rise to the occasion.

“Novak said there is a scientist that says that if you play music or sing to your tomato plants for three minutes a day, your tomato plants will be twice as big. We’re collecting data to see if it works,” Novak said.

Ever curious, GFP purchased a pair of tomato plants, which have enjoyed a day of sunshine on the back porch. Next step is to distribute ear plugs to my neighbors.

Happy weekend to everyone in Greenwich! Back in February, this was the day we were waiting for.