PHOTOPHILE- To market, to market: Cruising the fruit and flowers

From 7am to noon every summer Saturday, farmers, bakers, jewelers, and other craftspeople sell their wares to over a thousand people.

Customers come to the market for everything from herbs and bedding plants to vegetables, organic meats, candles, cheese, salsa, and fresh cut flowers. Anything that's locally made can be sold. 

Over 90 vendors ply their trade at the market, which has been in operation for over 20 years. 

"I come to the market to buy flowers every week," Debbie Napier says, clutching a big bouquet. "Fresh flowers make me happy."

In addition to the succulent veggies and mouth-watering pastries, shoppers are drawn by the market's interesting personalities. John Coles, who has been bringing his goat cheese to the market almost since the beginning, now gives it away. He requests only a donation to help pay litigation expenses in his suit against the government that continues to try to regulate his cheese-making operation into oblivion.  

"It would cost me $10,000 to sell goat cheese, and I'd have to change the way I make it," Coles says. "So I'm giving it away instead."

Dave O'Neill co-owner of the Radical Roots Community Farm, stocks tomatos.

Woody from the Twin Oaks Community, sells flowers to Debbie Napier.

John Coles gives away cheese.

Kelly Shuren, age 5, picks out an ear of corn.

Kaki and Coco deVink buy donuts from Sheila and Abby Cervelloni at the Bakers Palette.

The Charlottesville City Market

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