Everett Farmers Market Community Voices - Volume 3
This week, the Everett Farmers’ Market chatted with Joseph, one of the smiling faces behind Carmen’s Garden. An independent produce farm located in Skagit County, Carmen’s Garden is maintained by Carmen and Gaspar Rojas, Joseph’s grandparents.
We caught up with the cheerful and friendly teenager as he fluffed verdant leafy veggies and rearranged his booth’s vibrant display of carrots. His youthful enthusiasm and dedication to his family’s stand were a treat for this EFM interviewer to witness.
Joseph fluffs his produce to keep it fresh and happy.
Joseph from Carmen's Garden
EFM: What is your grandparent’s booth about?
Joseph: We sell food from my grandparents’ farm, which is in Sedro-Woolley. They have some chickens there, but the main part is all garden vegetables. My grandparents mainly work on the farm all time.
EFM: What kinds of food do you produce on the farm?
Joseph: We produce lettuce, broccolini, peas, zucchinis, chard, kale, carrots and beets.
EFM: For how long have your grandparents been producing these vegetables?
Joseph: Since before I was born.
EFM: And how long ago was that?
Joseph: Fifteen years ago!
EFM: Wow! So why are you helping your grandparents out instead of sleeping in on Sundays like other teenagers?
Joseph: I help out because it’s an important job experience for me. But I also just want to help my grandparents out. It’s hard working both on the farm and at the market, especially when it gets really crowded– and my grandparents don’t speak very much English. It can get difficult. So when I’m here, I try not to let them help too much because I want to do as much work as I can.
EFM: What have you learned from this experience?
Joseph: I’ve learned social skills and money skills…and math skills! I wasn’t good at math before! You just learn how to deal with things on the fly.
EFM: What did your grandparents do before you started helping them out?
Joseph: Different family members have pitched in– I definitely wasn’t the one helping, growing up. My brother used to do it. My cousin worked with me for a while, too, but now it’s just me.
EFM: What do you think about the Everett Farmer’s Market Community?
Joseph: I love being a part of it, and I’ve been a part of it for a really long time. Interacting with the community is probably my favorite part about the market.
EFM: What would you like this community to know about you?
Joseph: That I’ve been doing this for a long time, since I was six or seven, and that I want to keep being a part of the community for as long as I can.
EFM: What is your personal favorite part about being here on Sundays?
Joseph: Growing up as a kid, I used to love eating the food! But I think I grew more to love the vendors, because I think they’re just great people.
The Everett Farmer’s Market also went behind Frog Song’s packed produce display to ask Nate’s fisherman friend Bass and his enthusiastic coworker Heidi a few questions.
What, exactly, was a fisherman doing at a produce booth? What do farmers do in their free time? And, most importantly, can frogs actually sing? Worry not– the EFM has answers.
Frog Song utilizes dry farming techniques to “retain and nourish [the] farm without irrigation,” stretching residual moisture from the wet season long into the dry summer months.
Bass and Heidi load up some produce for their eager customers.
Heidi and Bass from Frog Song Farms
EFM: Heidi, how long have you been working with Nate?
Heidi: I’ve been working with Nate for six years now.
EFM: Why did you start working with him?
Heidi: We had a mutual friend, and I absolutely love farmer’s markets. So I went and met Nate and started working for him because his produce is amazing.
EFM: What would you be doing if you weren’t working at a farmer’s market?
Heidi: I’d have the day off for once! Because I actually have three other jobs: I teach art to kids, I garden on the side, and then I do web work. I’m really busy!
EFM: What do you think is the most important thing about the work that you’re doing with Frog Song?
Heidi: Nate’s sustainable growing practices– organic, dry farming– I think that’s really, really important.
EFM: So Bass, what do you produce here?
Bass: We produce everything on the table. We do our own beets, carrots, radishes, berries, heirloom tomatoes, zucchini, Asian fruits, pears, and apples, bokchoy, beans, and cucumbers. Tons of stuff!
EFM: Where’s your farm located?
Bass: We’re in the Skagit Valley, on Fir Island.
EFM: Why the Skagit Valley?
Bass: It’s the place to be– it’s really fertile. We’re out in the Skagit Delta and it’s some of the best soil in the whole state.
EFM: What does the name Frog Song mean?
Bass: Well, there’s so many frogs in the valley, they sing all night long. Especially in the spring and summer. They’ll keep you up!
EFM: So how long have you been working for Frog Song?
Bass: I’ve been friends with Nate since grade school. He went to UC Santa Cruz about twenty-two years ago and got a degree in organic farming, and that’s where he got his motivation. He’s just been absolutely going crazy with it ever since.
EFM: What would you be doing if you weren’t working with Nate?
Bass: I’m actually a commercial fisherman, and this is kind of my vacation. So I just help him out for the summer, on the weekend. Whenever he needs any help I show up.
EFM: What do you like to do in your free time, other than fish?
Bass: Nothing! *laughter* No, I really like to go to Mount Baker. Nate does the same kind of outdoors stuff.
EFM: Is there anything that you’d like the market patrons to know about your work?
Bass: Nate does an amazing job. He’s really dedicated to it and ensures that his produce is super fresh. Everything that’s on these tables is picked just the day before.
EFM: Anything else you’d like to add?
Bass: Yeah– Frog Song rules!
