Picking apart the fine points of the proposed West Racine development gave way Wednesday afternoon to picking through farm-grown vegetables at the site's farmers' market.
Sixteen different farm operations had booths at the corner of Washington Avenue and West Boulevard, selling everything from squash and pumpkins, to peppers and tomatoes, to eggs, beef, sausages and decorative corn stalks.
It was more than a farmers' market, it was also Harvest Night, with music by Copy Cats, arts and crafts, beer tasting from the Belle City Homebrewers, face painting and more.
But, of course, the veggies -- and baked treats -- held the top spot.
The market is open Wednesday afternoons, Tuesday and Friday mornings -- but only through October.
Ted Gall had the largest onions, tomatoes and peppers
Sue Van Swol demonstrated her 1924 knitting machine -- a P.T. Legare from Quebec -- that all-but-automatically knit socks (two at a time!), mittens, scarves and infants' hats. The hand-operated machine, a 'modern' version of one developed during the Civil War, cost her $750; during World War I the Red Cross gave them to housewives to knit socks for our troops.
Susan Stevenson Lemke with one of her painted gourds.She also did the pumpkins in our picture at top.
Sweet Dumpling Squash
Face-painting attracted a long line of kids.
I wish I had known about this! Where was the advertising?
ReplyDeleteThat is a nice vacant lot. I wish there were more in the city. Maybe a West Racine alderman can get the city to buy more property, knock down all the buildings, and let it sit for 9 years.
ReplyDeleteLettuce - stop spreading the lie. The lot has been vacant for 3 years, not 9. Do you believe everything Zak Williams and the Dickert machine tells you?
ReplyDeleteThis is getting childish from both camps. Last night was Fall Harvest Fest, had nothing to do with any particular alderman or developer. I was there the turn out was great, and I can honestly say that I saw Jim Spangenberg and the young man that is interested in the site and neither one of them were holding billy clubs. Please stay positive on these blogs so we can get our grocery store and keep our alderman.
ReplyDelete6:45
ReplyDeleteIt's NOT going to be a store like Pick and Save far more like a Stop and GO with Slot Machines I think.
Will 10 Slot Machines bring us more of this? "Racine police investigate fatal shooting"
ReplyDeleteIt's a nice spot for low income housing, don't you think Jim. You are such a two faced liar.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a nice event, but who knew anything about it. I never saw anything advertized. These events can continue even with the new development. Property is being put aside so you will not be losing your gravel pit.
ReplyDeleteJim, What have you and the rest of the BID guys been doing with our money? Where are the results? I have known you for many years and can't believe that you think this is ok! We have not seen any results for our investment and we are not pleased with the results of the BID. You should be looking out for our best interests but instead you are pursuing your own political agenda. Wake up Jim, be responsible.
ReplyDeleteIs our best interest having a development that creates space where the Racine community can come together and build itself? Or is it better to put some gas pumps there, perhaps some video poker.
ReplyDeleteWe need a development that supports this kind of community building year round. A place you can say to yourself, I'm going to GO there, not STOP in there to complete a task (get the gallon of milk, fill up the tank, etc.).
This event was STELLAR! And very well attended. Thank you to the organizers!
Wow - what a concept! Building a community. Ironically, the Murder Victim Day of Remembrance was held at the same time. DON'T WE NEED TO BUILD OUR COMMUNITY UP???
For all the naysayers about this development - why don't you step up to the plate with money and a plan - or shut the hell up.
ReplyDeleteI must agree with Anon 8:57 very on the mark.
ReplyDeleteWe need to build the community, and be a destination, not a place to stop.
It was a wonderful evening - my family had a great time, and bought lots of veggies!
8:57
ReplyDeleteRight o! We need more Green Space this should be a gathering place for West Racine NOT a little Vegas
A grocery store and farmer's market would be a great conpliment to each other, especially with events like this one. It is to bad that Spangenberg continues to lie about the project. It must be a slow day at the furniture store again.
ReplyDelete10:18
ReplyDeleteThis project IMHO will kill the Farmers Market.
There is not enough space there for a REAL grocery store. How many people have to say that before people figure it out? All it'll be is a 7-11 with a deli counter. Whoop-de-doo.
ReplyDeleteHolly
Holly - Whoop-de-doo, what is it you don't understand about 10,000 sq. ft. with a meat market?
ReplyDeleteMolly- The floor space, the area open to customers, is going to be 10,300 square feet. Storage and offices are going to be located on the 2nd floor. There will be butcher shop in addition to produce, canned goods, organic section, etc. The floor space for the Pig across the street was 6500 square feet.
ReplyDeleteThat should read Holly, sorry about that.
ReplyDeleteWhat type of side deals are you working on Jim!
ReplyDeleteHolly - remember how I said yesterday it is fun to make fun of ignorant people? Well you continue to live up to your title - ignorant.
ReplyDeleteI understand that a film crew will be on site Friday to help save the Farmers Market. Once the City knows that how much we love the market the hope is they will back off this Farmer's Market killing idea
ReplyDeleteHodge - "save the gravel pit" - what small thinking. 1st of all the developers already said they would leave space for the market. 2ndly there are other spots in West Racine to hold this even if this space wasn't avaiable.
ReplyDeleteThere is no doubt that the farmers market is a wonderful thing, but we as a city can't afford to pass on development. Mr. Spangenberg has talking about a food coop. Don't forget that not for profits will not pay property taxes. Also, the total tab on the property is close to 5MILLION DOLLARS now and growing everyday. So lets be realistic and work with developers and not beat them up.
ReplyDelete11:34
ReplyDeleteHow can I say this? Time and again many of us have tried talking to The City about this a big stone wall.
I, myself do not believe what Tom said about the Farmer's Market to be true, the same from many Farmer's who sell there.
YOU may want a Gas Station and a small store I and others do not.
My hope is if we can prove that the area wants a Farmers Market and Green Space, Mr. T will move his project away. Perhaps The Art District be a good choise
Farmer Brown - that is not the only vacant property in West Racine - get over it and find a new location. You folks are not generating any revenue for the city. You are lucky to have a spot at all!
ReplyDelete"...generating any revenue for the city.."
ReplyDeleteMaybe Tom should look at Dekoven Woods, lots on udused land that be great for say low income housing.
Who needs trees? More and more looks like Racine is ruled by the Doller.
On Sept 30 you will have a chance to tell the Redevelopment Authority that what you want. A group has made a list of recommended uses and things they preferred not to see on that site.
ReplyDeleteAt Gethsemene Lutheran, in the Sanctuary. The world belongs to those who show up, not who blog.
Maybe they should look at the old Pig parking lot - just like they use the CNH lot downtown. Let's look for other options for the market if you do not beleive the proposed development plan.
ReplyDeletehope everyone that went had fun, next year there might be a gas station there.
ReplyDeleteAll of the bloggers that say the "Farmers Market" will be history when this project takes place are wrong. If you truely attended the event last night, like me and my family did, and if you had a ounce of sense would realize that NO business person in the world would allow this event to not take place year after year. If certain politicians tell you that this is the end of the Farmers Market as we know it they are simply liars. When an event can draw 200-300 people to a location even a simple minded person such as the "S" man can figure out that will translate into more business for your business. Maybe someone lacking in commonsense maybe interested in doing this same thing to develop and grow his business. We can not continue to pay inflatedd taxes because the minority want to see a park. If you like trees so much I suggest that you buy a property west of I94 or better yet move north so I can have the Grocery Store that I have wanted for years.
ReplyDelete8:20
ReplyDeleteThere are pleny of Stop and Robs now? Do we need more.
Next year you will find the best sweet corn near Pump 16 and great squash by the Free Air dispenser.
ReplyDeleteBuy a pumpkin get free smokes! Buy two and get a free slurpee too!
Say no to the gas station and video poker. Come to Gethsemene on Wed and tell them no to these things!
Does the Farmer's Market continue in the winter? And does gravel equal green space? And do a few buckets of squash have the ability to feed more people in West Racine than does a grocery store? Are residents forced to choose one or the other?
ReplyDelete5 MILLION DOLLARS FOR A EMPTY LOT! We are paying for this huge city debt with higher property taxes. I am done with the out of control spending by our politicians, I am done with their system of secrecy, and I am done with their disrespectful tones of speech. A change is coming soon, mark my words! There are hundreds of people within a very small area of Racine that are fed up with heavy taxation and bad representation. You will see how all of our politicians local, state, and federal, will be traded in for those of a more reasonable sort.
ReplyDeleteIs Johnson's Furniture a real Furniture Store? I believe that Steinhafel's is true Furniture Store. Steinhafel's is huge and the prices are better. Johnson's is more of a convenience furniture store. A place where when you need a quick chair or you forgot to buy a coffee table when you shopped at Steinhafel's, you pop in, grab it and head home. This is all crap that our liar alderman is spewing. If sizes matters, then Johnson's is the Starvin Marvin of the furniture business. You think that us dummies in your neighborhood don't know that you are spewing this stuff Jim? We have heard you say these comments in person. Make sure you put on the show for us Sunday, with your choir boy routine, it's really convincing!
ReplyDeleteI thought Johnson's was an antique shop. Man, I can't believe all that mush is brand new. It looks like my grandma's living room, plastic covers and all. I wonder if they sell those giant cigarette lighters like she had on her coffee table. Wow, that store really brings back memories, now that I think of it.
ReplyDelete12:31 - I agree. It amazes me that store is still open. That is some of the ugliest furniture I have ever seen. Plus his store is a dump. Jimbo should be more concerned about upgrading his place and worry less about the development plan.
ReplyDeleteI wish there was a permanent sign on the property to let the neighbors know when special events and the market are going on.
ReplyDelete9:18
ReplyDeleteIts NOT going to be as big as you might think.
My question is what is going on with this lot that would call for the size of the spending going on?
The Stop and Rob Stations around my home tell me how little if anything they make on gas....
So like the others who posted what kind of a deal is perhaps under the table?
We have read on The Post the deals the City made with J-wax and that thing they call art. Maybe the big hurry is so thats not exposed?
As a vendor at the West Racine Farmers Market I am shocked at the comments here. No, I don't believe there will be room for us if this proposal goes through, but are we worried? NO. Ask us what we think instead of assuming anything. We have moved before. There will always be the Farmers Market, somewhere.
ReplyDelete