8:00 am, Waitsfield green, Saturday June 18th, 2011. We’ve just pulled two Yestermorrow vans up to the Waitsfield Farmer’s Market loaded to the gills with various things made out of wood, twigs, plywood, and plastic. We begin unloading the goods and transporting them to our designated spot in the center of the market. Onlookers are mystified, to say the least.
We work quickly and quietly, politely declining questions about our “booth.” Are they going to fly away in it? Does it generate electricity? The crowd is jovial, yet uneasy, circling gently as we place rounded plywood panels next to one another and hoist canoe–shaped trusses overhead. Finally, with the help of YM accomplice Kathy Meyer, set-up is complete and the contraption, though unusual, is a recognizable booth. The Yestermorrow kiosk, designed and built by the Kate Stephenson of yore as part of a Lightweight structures class, acts as a wonderful subsample of the YM ethos: in every structure lies an opportunity to create, to illicit feedback and dialogue, to call into question the everyday patterns – in this case rows of standard canvas market booths – that define our lives. From this vantage point we interacted with lots of great folks, including longtime community friends and curious visitors from afar. We also enjoyed some yummy tamales from Grace’s Tamales.
Many fun conversations were had this sunny Saturday, and we look forward to our once-a-month visits to the market this summer season. A big thanks to all the great folks at the Waitsfield Farmers Market for putting on a fabulous community event, and for welcoming nonprofits so warmly. See ya next time!
Malena & Jess