Westside Stories

As I've interviewed and gotten to know vendors from the West Wahkiakum Farmers Market, one theme has stood out to me: dedication. Our community is comprised of dedicated and hardworking individuals who consistently bring high-quality products to sell each week.

One such person is Carillon Nicol, the co-organizer of the farmers market. Her dedication is remarkable as she harvests and sells produce for her neighbor, Jan. Every Friday during the market season, she and her husband, John, spend the morning harvesting, cleaning, and organizing the produce for sale that afternoon. They load everything into their vehicles and transport it to Rosburg Hall. After unloading and setting up, she spends several hours manning the tables before loading any remaining items to take back to the farm.

In addition to the produce, Carillon also sells unique knitted items, including pumpkins, bees, ears of corn, potholders, and socks.

Jan's Organic Farm, located on Miller Point Rd. in Rosburg, is owned and cultivated by Niranjan Lambert, who goes by Jan. He lives and works in Astoria. Jan's day job is in construction, specializing in foundation work. Carillon describes him as the Michelangelo of concrete. On evenings and Saturdays, he tends to his property in Rosburg. There, he has developed an impressive farm with three large greenhouses and expansive garden beds full of a variety of vegetables. These include lettuce, kale, cabbage, radishes, beets, carrots, zucchini, cucumbers, onions, tomatoes, green peppers, herbs, strawberries, and green beans.

Getting to know Carillon while she gave me a tour of the farm was a real treat. She and John purchased their land on Miller Point Road in 2016 and moved to the property in 2017. They live off the grid and enjoy a simplified way of life after spending many years in the city.

In 2018, while she and John were moving a piece of furniture off a truck, Carillon fell off the loading ramp and severely injured her leg. Fortunately, some of their neighbors are EMTs with the volunteer fire department, so they were able to get her to the hospital in Astoria quickly. Unfortunately, the damage to her leg was so severe that it could not be repaired there, and she was transferred to a hospital in Portland. After requiring seven surgeries, she spent nearly eight months in a rehabilitation facility to recover. "If you're going to break a bone for the first time, go big," Carillon joked.

Having sung in professional choirs and served as a church soloist in Portland, Carillon has a background in music. A career in singing didn't quite pay the bills, so she also worked various jobs, mainly as a secretary for law firms. She later went back to school and became a massage therapist. John, who worked in construction and as an architectural draftsman, also sang in choral groups, but not professionally. Carillon is currently a member of the board of trustees for the Cathlamet Library.

Married for 31 years and now retired, the two no longer sing in choral groups. Still, as Carillon showed me around the farm, we could hear John singing in the garden as he picked green beans for the market.

During our time together, I learned a helpful tip about what to do with the abundance of green tomatoes that don't ripen on the vine: make green tomato relish. It's a tangy mix of green tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, and spices. As Mark and I plan for a future garden and greenhouse, I'm saving ideas of what to do with what we grow.

The West Wahkiakum Farmers Market is open every Friday from 1 to 4 p.m. at Rosburg Hall through the end of September. Come by to shop for fresh produce and products from local vendors and artisans. You can follow their Facebook page for updates on the market, photos, and videos.

Food insecurity, a term introduced by the USDA, describes situations where people lack enough access to food and are unsure where their next meal will come from. Every year, approximately 47 million Americans, including 13 million children, face food insecurity. Several factors contribute to this problem, such as low income, high living costs, lack of community resources, health issues, and systemic barriers.

The West End Food Pantry plays a vital role in our community by providing food and other essential items to those in need. The pantry relies solely on donations from individuals and organizations to keep its shelves stocked and is supported by the dedicated efforts of a small group of volunteers who open its doors every week.

The food pantry is currently seeking donations of non-perishable food items, such as cereal, canned soups and chili, 16-ounce jars of peanut butter, small bottles of condiments, shelf-stable milk, sugar, and flour. Monetary donations are also appreciated to help cover expenses and purchase essential items.

The food pantry is open on Thursdays at the Johnson Park Community Center from 1 to 5 p.m.

Westside Happenings

August

29 – West Wahkiakum Farmers Market at

Rosburg Hall, 1 – 4 p.m.

September

6 – Loggers Reunion at Appelo Archives

Center, noon.

October

4 – 4-H Covered Bridge Dinner &

Auction, 4:30 p.m.

18 – Appelo Archive Center Harvest Auction

& Champagne Social

For a list of regular monthly events, please refer to the Wahkiakum Calendar.

To add an event to the calendar or provide feedback, please don't hesitate to contact me at writerlisayeager@outlook.com. You can also follow me on Facebook (@Writer Lisa Yeager), where I share additional photos and videos.