From Our Hands To Yours:
VENDOR SPOTLIGHT
Ulmer's Mountain View Farm
Ulmer’s Mountain View Farm began at the Staunton Farmers’ Market in 2000. Robin and Alan Ulmer had three kids under the age of five, soon another one on the way, and wanted an extra source of income. Alan reminisces over watching them while Robin ran to the Market in her minivan packed with hundreds of pounds of tomatoes. That first year was “phenomenal”, and from there they began to add.
25 years later, and Market-goers know to head to Robin for the first tomatoes of the season, along with cucumbers, cauliflower, romaine, herbs, and more. To get all of their produce ready for the chilly start of the Market in April, Alan explains that work usually begins in November with starting seeds and transplanting into the greenhouses in January.
The tomato plants are hydroponic, with a water control operated by solar panels. The vines grow to be about 30 feet long, and it’s exciting to see how many more cherry tomatoes promise to grace Saturdays to come. There’s also a beehive in the greenhouse, for pollinating the plants. The greenhouses are heated by a wood fired stove, and there are blankets outside for the neighboring hoop houses and gardens, for when a surprise frost hits the farm. “There’s always something good in the hard,” Robin offers. Her peace of mind about the trials and tribulations of farming is deeply rooted in her faith.
In addition to feeding their community, the Ulmers have done a lot to educate Stauntonians about hydroponics, which used to have a negative implication. Robin explains that “not all hydroponics are the same”, and the Ulmers have chosen methods that have brought them success throughout the years. Ulmer's Mountain View Farm believes in keeping fresh and natural food affordable and accessible. Their tomato prices have changed by a little over a dollar in the 25 years they’ve been at the Market, and they hope to keep things that way: “If we can’t afford it, how can I expect someone else to do it?”
Robin, who grew up in Staunton, was not familiar with the local farmers market system. She grew up shopping in grocery stores, and it wasn’t until she married in 1990 that she became a farm girl. Alan grew up on a dairy farm in Pennsylvania as one of fifteen children; he remembers “eating out of the garden” and always having food on the table. Robin and Alan have raised their own family on a farm with fresh produce, fruit and honey, realizing that the access is priceless.
"Our farm would never be possible without our devoted customers; they not only have supported us, but they have connected with us. Customers are not just customers; they are part of us." Robin expressed, fondly recalling when she brought a personal pint of blueberries to the Market for their lunch that Justin, her son, was quick to offer them to a loyal customer who was on the hunt for the coveted berries of late Spring. That exchange, rooted in care, is the very dynamic central to the Ulmers, their farm, and our Staunton Farmers’ Market.
Rachel Jane's
Jams & Berries
The story of Rachel Effinger, known for Rachel Jane’s Jams & Berries, is one of intergenerational connection. When Rachel was young, her homeschool curriculum involved helping her dad in the greenhouse; she was responsible for the mail order seed catalogues and picking out what they would grow. At 10,000 square feet, there was room in the greenhouse for head lettuce, potted plants, herbs, and more. In 1999, right after their family moved to the Valley, she began selling her dad’s produce at the Staunton Farmers Market. Part of that move from West Virginia included taking apart the ginormous greenhouse he’d assembled in the mountains, and bringing some of it here.
Once her dad retired from growing, Rachel turned the greenhouse into a cold frame and kept doing what she loved. For a time, she sold Joshua Wilton House niche produce that they requested for their bed and breakfast. She also stayed at Staunton Farmers Market, and her sister Tiffany would help run her booth at Harrisonburg Farmers Market. She had green beans and tomatoes, root vegetables, and melons (which were not for her), before she turned to berries. Interestingly, the decision to move in this direction was influenced by her long-time favorite seed catalogue: Johnny’s. Rachel would always grow their new seeds, and says “when they started with berries, so did I.”
It’s been six or seven years into Rachel’s venture, and she has turned her passions for cooking and growing into the perfect marriage: making jams. “When you grow organic berries, there’s a lot that doesn’t make it to the market,” she explains. To start out, she began mid-week deliveries to Ian Boden at the Shack, and making jam as gifts for friends and family.
At the same time, one of the original vendors at the Staunton Farmers Market, Farmer Brown, decided to retire. As the resident “jam guy”, Rachel filled in an important gap. It wasn’t long until his customers started asking if she had pepper jelly, which was one of Farmer Brown’s trademarks. Eventually, Rachel decided to buy Farmer Brown’s recipe, which included the advice to “add until it tastes right” and samples of his last batch bought from Dickie Bro’s. Now, he stops by a couple times a session to help Rachel sell and give her new recipes. One of the most recent: a cracked black pepper plum. An unexpected combination, perhaps, but Rachel loves exploration when it comes to her product. “Food doesn’t have a ceiling.”
Rachel’s canning history dates back four generations. Her Papaw, the oldest of 16, was taught by his mother to can. He taught his wife, her grandma. Her grandma taught her mom, and her mom taught Rachel. She remembers her mom letting her can while she had to stand on a stool. Now, she invites her two six-year-old nieces over to help make jam for the family. They’ve been coming over to pick berries on Sundays since they were big enough to walk, and Rachel incentivizes them with promises of a swim in the pool after. She hopes they’ll carry the baton forward in this rich family history of providing delicious joy for their community.
Elk Run Farm
Susan and Jim Randall of Elk Run Farm have been vendors at the Staunton Farmers’ Market from the beginning, 32 years ago. They haven’t missed a Market since 1996.
After scouring the East Coast looking for a place to call his own, Jim closed on the “30 flattest acres in Augusta County” at 23 years old. Susan arrived on the scene after Jim responded to a letter she had written and had published in County Journal magazine; he then proceeded to show up at her door. They began dating, and 5 years later Susan made the move to Fort Defiance.
Now they wake up at 1:30 every Saturday, pack 27 coolers, load up their trademark van, and come to see the customers they love. “It’s what keeps us and the Market alive.” Elk Run has had some customers since the very beginning, and in one family, five different generations have been market-goers. “Better than family, they’re friends,” Susan says.
A lot has changed at the Staunton Farmers Market, which started in 1993 with 7-8 vendors. Jim started vending on his own, selling pumpkins and potatoes from a couple baskets held by some plywood. At the end of their first season, Elk Run had made $446.
Over the years, the Randalls expanded far beyond the scale they’d imagined: bedding plants, hanging baskets, herbs, strawberries, and more. But plants are a lot of work, and they both agree that “you have to pick your battles”; that’s how you adapt. Yet, Sue insists on continuing to grow the geraniums she loves, which remind her of the second-grade teacher who kept them in her window. The Apple Blossom variety originated from a cutting of their neighbor’s plant Susan took 25 years ago, and she’s never seen them anywhere else.
They currently keep pigs (which Susan loves) and chickens (which Jim loves), and there are piglets and chicks around Elk Run Farm on a June afternoon. When asked for advice, Jim offers “always say ‘Good Morning.’” And that's what is special about our Staunton Farmers’ Market: the people who stop to say ‘Good Morning.’
