Fruit, hammocks all the parts of summer at Farmers Market

At the Carson City Farmers' Market on Wednesday, close to 30 vendors were grouped under the shade of the Pony Express Pavilion at Mills Park.

At a berry stand at the back of a white '95 Ford van, a sign reads "Rodriguez Farms Fresh Berries Picked Daily Watsonville, CA."

Owner Gonzalo Rodriguez, or "Lalo," wears glasses and says he has been doing this for eight years.

"I started in the Bay area. It's so-so. It's good business. Not bad," Rodriguez said. "I'll be in Sparks tomorrow at the Park Lane Mall, Reno yesterday, Saturday in Reno again. Those are my three best markets in Nevada: Carson, Reno and Sparks."

Across from his stand a woman was weaving a hammock on a loom. Angie Davis, 21, owns Dreamweaver's Hammocks.

"I've been doing this since my early teens. I've always been an entrepreneur," Davis said.

Jeremy Fletcher, her business partner, is nearby.

"I do all the labor," Fletcher said.

The two receive supplies from an uncle who speaks five languages and learned the art in Costa Rica in the '70s. There is a bag full of balls of wool, and for every 2 1/2 balls there are 1,000 feet of material, or enough to make one hammock.

It is a five- to six-hour process for each hammock.

"We're used to the Northwest, so we're going to try the Southwest. We're sick of winters," Fletcher said.

The average price is $85 per hammock.

At the Garlic Festival Store of Gilroy, Calif., the "Garlic Capital of the World," Dan Palmer isn't repelling anybody.

"My uncle owns the store. I live in Washoe Valley. It's all a family business," he said.

And has been for 11 years for Palmer.

"It's a great business," he said. "When I'm not doing this, I'm playing guitar at Red's Old 395 Grill on Fridays."

On Saturday, he'll be at another farmers' market on California Avenue in Reno by Reno High School.

As for keeping the food business in the family, his wife, Michelle Palmer, is the executive chef for Gov. Kenny Guinn.

For vendor space call (775) 746-5024 or for general information call (775) 687-7410.

IF YOU GO

What: Carson City Farmers' Market

When: 3:30-7:30 p.m. Wednesdays through Aug. 27

Where: Pony Express Pavilion, Mills Park