Pittston Dispatch // PD Columnists // Maria Montante - Maria Remembers

Sunday August 09, 2009 | 01:00 AM

Tuesday mornings at the Pittston Farmer’s Market is more than just a place to buy favorite, fresh, and homegrown fruits and vegetable. It has become a social event and a place to meet and chat with friends, neighbors, and classmates. It is an adventure for standing next to you at a vendor’s stand may be someone not seen in some time. Amid the chatter, laughter and street noises there has been the sound of music to enjoy.

Patrons have been entertained by local talent offering their time and services. On opening day, Councilman Danny Argo and friend Frankie Gallardi entertained with popular American and Italian ballads inspiring a sing along and dancing.

The following Tuesday the ”Minstrels” a newly formed group an offshoot of the Irem Temple String Band, had patrons hand clapping and toe tapping while making their purchases. The group is comprised of Greater Pittston talent’ Tom Aycock, Carolee Aycock, Kenny Repsher and Frank Calabro.

August 4 was a first at the market. Ed Saultz, singer, guitarist and bodhran player, entertained with traditional and contemporary Irish music, love ballads, pub songs, republican songs, waltzes and more.

Ed, a long time musician relates, “I was called back to the music while traveling in Ireland in 2002 after a near thirty year hiatus. We were in Athea, County Limerick when I was inspired by a young lad playing the bodhran along with two other young musicians at the top of the town. I then knew I had to take up playing again.”

It was Ed’s first appearance in Pittston. He was impressed with the friendliness of the people and was especially praise worthy of the farmers who grow our food to eat and give them thanks.

There has been something new at the market each week. Lennie Pribula introduced lemon ice that is sugar free along with flavorful mango, rainbow and orange vanilla ices. He made a delicious hit.

Lennie operates his business from a cart that was wheeled to the market. His appearance brings back memories of vendors who in the 1940s went from street to street selling lemon ice from a wagon and how anxiously his appearance was anticipated.

A Home Garden Contest was held on Tuesday, August 4. Categories were: Best Vegetable Display, the Heaviest Tomato; Longest Cucumber and Oddest Looking Vegetable. Sorry to say there were no vegetable baskets, tomatoes, or cucumbers entered in the contest. However, two sorry looking vegetables appeared. Ron Volveris entered a carrot that looked like a glove and an eggplant with an appendage that looked like a nose won the category. The donor wished to remain unknown and donated his winning to the Friends of the Pittston Library Book Sale.

Flower lovers and growers who entered a Standard Floral Arrangement; were Ron Volveris, Janice Holtz, Victoria Moore and Mary Clare Volveris. A $10.00 cash prize was awarded to Mary Clare Volveris. Submitting a Wildflower Arrangement was: Ann Marie Conroy, Ron Volveris and Mary Clare Volveris. The winner was Ann Marie Conroy.

Chet and I set up a mini stand under a colorful umbrella to sell raffle tickets on a tub overflowing with school supplies sponsored by the Friends of the Pittston Memorial Library. The proceeds of the drawing are used for children’s programs throughout the year.

A summer program that concluded with a large magic show for more than 200 children is one of the programs sponsored by the Friends. The winning ticket will be drawn on August 2.

I indicated the Market is a place to meet friends. So it is. A warm greeting and a hug is extended each week by Helen Brigido, proprietress of Quality Hardware. She has been most gracious in allowing us to use the electrical outlet in her store when providing entertainment.

This past Tuesday, Father Angelo Messina, a former St. Rocco’s parishioner, graced us with his appearance at the market with his sister Lillian. Father still has a captivating boyish smile, southern charm that he learned in the valley accompanied with his warm and loving heart. It is always a pleasure to see and talk to Father Angelo.

Chet takes the chairmanship of the market quite seriously. He is the official greeter and makes sure that chairs are available to friends who stop to chat and want to visit. Aiding in parking cars, offering to carrying bags of produce to patron’s cars are also his forte.

Last week Nancy and Charlie Guinta stopped to chat after shopping and placed their purchases adjacent to their chairs. Also in the circle was our sister in law Gertrude Manganaro and Josephine Nardone. As is the habit Gert’s produce receives valet service upon departure.

A few minutes later the Guintas were making their goodbyes and discovered their bags of produce were missing. Looking about they could not be found. It was the case of the Missing Veggies. You guessed it! Chet picked up the bags and delivered them to Gert’s car.

The Sunday Dispatch photographer came by and took many shots of shoppers and vendors that appeared in the Sunday, August 4 edition for which we are most grateful.

Seeing Chet and I under the umbrella, the young man introduced himself as Sam Chiarelli and then asked if he could take our picture. He took such pains to see that we were photographed in the right light. In the midst of this little set up, I began to talk to Sam and told him I knew his mother Mary Chiarelli well. We have worked on the Tomato Festival for many years.

As Sam was leaving I asked him to say hello to mother. “I love your mother, Sam”. With a most affectionate grin he responded, “I do too.”

See you at the Market on Tuesday?