Dear Liza,
While we were in Eugene, we all had things we wanted to see. On Auntie Bridgett’s list was the Farmer’s Market, which she remembered fondly from her visit there in 2000. It was only a few blocks from where we were staying at the Home 2 Hilton, so early Saturday morning, we walked over.
We were not disappointed! Since it was early, we didn’t have to deal with crowds, and all the vendors were as fresh as their produce. Dozens of varieties of peppers, dozens more of tomatoes, and flowers everywhere were a treat to the eyes.
We got a pint of figs so sweet they melted in my mouth. I didn’t take any pictures of them… just slurped them down, one after the other, until (sadly) they were gone.
We met Ed Jones of Umpqua Valley Pollen and Honey, selling honey and bee pollen. He told us about the benefits of bee pollen and gave us a lot to think about. Could these weird little bits of pollen help my high cholesterol? Could it relieve Auntie Bridgett’s allergies? We will do more research.
We cooled our heels in the shade for a while, then walked a few more blocks to visit one of my fond memories, the Fifth Street Public Market. This delightful warren of shops set into a 1920s poultry processing plant enchanted me when we lived here in the 1980s. It was the “anti-mall”, a tangle of small spaces fitted into interesting architecture, packed with lovely local offerings. Cheese, crafts, wine, kitchen do-dads…. It felt homey and opulent and exotic all at the same time.
It is built on several levels with an open space in the middle for sunny tables and a fountain. The fountain features “Swifty”, a rooster who commemorates the many thousands of chickens processed here over the years.
I felt very pleased that the forty years’ gap between visits hadn’t ruined the Market. It has been updated, of course, but maintained its charm. As we walked back towards downtown, we noticed Swifty-the-rooster’s lady friend, Henney Penney, up on a high pedestal. Thanks, chickens!
Love,
Grandma Judy
Dear Liza 