Unique Items, Stories Fill Farmers Market

Those who went to the Chatham Borough Farmers Market on Saturday had the chance to check out a few items–and stories–they don't see every week.

The market, which is held at the train station, featured unique bird houses for sale, as well as story time and singing for children.

Joe LaGregor and Nancy Ippolito are business partners who own "Flats for Feathered Friends," where LaGregor has been building birdhouses while Ippolito paints them since 2003. 

"It’s something that I wanted to do after I retired," LaGregor said. "I decided to start building birdhouses. And Nancy retired at the same time and she was an art teacher for 30 years and she said 'Can I paint them?' "

The bird houses cost $35 each (a large house with scalps is $40). They come in a variety of colors including "Red Sox" and "Rutgers University" houses. They are all made from recycled wood.

Those who are interested in buying their houses have select weeks they will be able to do so.

"We do the market the Fourth of the July weekend and the last day of the month," LaGregor said. "It’s not an item that I think would [sell] at the market every week."

While many adults had a great time shopping at the farmers market, the children had a treat of their own this week.

Sarah Switek, or "Miss Sarah," a junior at the College of Saint Elizabeth (and an alumna of Chatham High School) read stories to local children. 

Switek, an elementary education and English double major, knew that she would be an education major coming into college, which is one of the reasons she chose her school.

"I baby-sit a lot, and a lot of people in my family including my mom are teachers, so it’s something I wanted to do," she said.

When asked about her preferred age group, she said "I would love to teach kindergarten, but I’m going to be certified to teach anything from pre-school to fifth grade.”  

During Switek’s story time, she read each story slowly and clearly with a lot of expression, doing different voices for different characters. All of her stories had some sort of farm theme in order to correspond with the farmers market.

When she read "A very Hungry Caterpillar," she brought in an actual caterpillar (that was in its cocoon form) in a container for the kids to pass around. 

She sang songs with the kids, such as her first song–"Old McDonald Had a Farm" in which she used animal paper plates as props–and a song called "I’m a Fuzzy Caterpillar."

Between stories, Switek taught the kids the "Higgy Piggy Dance,” a dance that resembles the "Hockey Pokey," except that it is from the perspective of a pig (put your snout in, put your snout out, etc.).

“Story Time with Miss Sarah” will take place every other week at the Farmers Market.