The open forum of a marketplace provides a refreshing getaway from shopping aisles.  Each venue offers a unique setting that may include activities for children, live entertainment, and an array of foods.  The curious shopper discovers she has direct access to fresh and locally grown fruits, herbs, flowers, and vegetables, dairy-based products, proteins, homemade goodies, and artisan-based, handmade crafts. The welcoming man, woman, or couple behind the table provides a small sampling of popular items.  Whether you are a first-timer or a repeat customer, take the time to introduce yourself, ask questions, and inquire if owners receive visitors, offer a produce box, or have a farm store. The answer may be “Yes,” or “It’s coming soon!”

Cobblestone Farmer’s Market 

Since its opening in 2012, Cobblestone Farmer’s Market has offered residents and visitors of Old Salem the tradition of buying hand-grown or homemade goods from farmers, growers, and artisans.  One of the first vendors, Kelly Dougherty of Lavender Anne’s Herb Farm, is excited to continue selling her handmade medicinal soaps, salves, and heirloom plants. From 8:30 AM to noon, at 1007 South Marshall Street, visitors can stop by Kelly’s booth, two times a month, starting in April, and learn how natural ingredients and fresh herbs can dramatically improve the body, mind, and soul.    

An Education in Farming 

When Joe Dougherty confessed his plans to move to Nicaragua after college, what could Kelly say, except, “I’m going with you!”  Together, they learned the business side of farming, from caring for livestock to tabulating material costs, and selling at a local market.  The practical methodology was one layer in the couple’s education. A second opportunity led them to a dairy goat farm in Western Pennsylvania, which offered an understanding of the purpose of permaculture, food forests, and growing medicinal herbs.  Educational courses provided a connection from farm to beneficial plants, cheese- and soapmaking.  Kelly shares, “The things we use in our day-to-day lives are not sustainable.  I started making these beautiful bars of soap, and staring at the shampoo bottles, wondering what I was doing. If I was going to implement a lifestyle with health-minded ingredients, I had to invest in all areas of my life.”   In 2010, the Doughertys decided nine acres in Dobson, North Carolina would be an ideal location to pursue a self-sufficient lifestyle; therefore, they planted terraced herb beds, a sustainable orchard, and raised bees, chickens, ducks, goats, and pigs. 

Yoga Studio on Main Street

“In 2012, I offered a weekly yoga class,” shares Kelly. “By 2018, I was renting a beautiful studio with hardwood flooring and well-maintained brickwork, containing a separate room to make handcrafted products. My students enjoyed being in the space and registered to take sacred circle dancing workshops, yoga, and fitness classes.  Before the pandemic, I had two pieces, promoting wellness through movement-based exercise, and selling all-natural and beneficial soaps, salves, lotions, and oils at the studio—and attending Cobblestone Markets on Saturdays.”  Post-pandemic restrictions on group classes in Surry County led to more time in the studio, on the farm, and caring for two young children, ages four and one.  

Lavender Anne’s Product Line 

“I constantly think about my chosen lineage; the people I learned from to gain this herbal knowledge and love of plants,” shares Kelly.  “Every meeting, whether it’s in the studio or at the market, I’m sharing.  Sometimes, it’s a first step to abandoning products not contained in plastic or made from petroleum.”

Some products include: 

• Handcrafted Soaps:  Of the 18 varieties, each bar is unique. In addition to herbal combinations, such as “Goat’s Milk, Honey, and Oats,” “Lemongrass Lavender,” and “Activated Charcoal and Pine,” the product line extends to shampoo and conditioner bars, shaving and poison ivy bars, and dish soap in a bar and liquid form.   
• Salves:  Comprising medicinal ingredients of herbal oils with local beeswax and essential oils, Lavender Anne’s salves remedy a wide range of problems, such as dry skin, cuts and scrapes, arthritis, or promoting muscle recovery. 
• Roll-on or Dropper Oils: Easy to carry in a purse or pocket, each of the nine specialized vials or bottles contains medicinal oils to soothe the body, promote sleep, or aid the skin. 

Connect through https://lavenderannes.com to find an extensive line of additional items for medicinal and skin health for all ages, from infant to adulthood!

Next Month: The Philosopher’s Physic Garden