Thanks to Robyn Josephs for her acknowledgment, on behalf of the Black Mountain area’s healthy, local foods community, of the long service Elaine (and Harry) Hamil provided to us [“Hamil Made Black Mountain Farmers Market Work,” June 11, Xpress].
Instead of trudging down I-40 to Asheville and long before Ingles decided to compete on the local and organic food market, the Black Mountain Farmers Market store gave folks this side of Asheville a down-home (albeit crowded to the max) venue for all kinds of good eatin’ and personal care products – not to mention a whole range of whimsical and instructive goods and crafts from around the region and world.
Lest it seem to folks, however, from Ms. Joseph’s comments, that the Hamils sold their store because it was a problem, the “problem” was that this hard-working couple, both dedicated to food safety and culinary delight, needed to retire. Their dream of moving to a relatively secluded area of Virginia finally came true, and their new church-cum-farmhouse may yet fulfill other dreams as they put their unique brand of country wisdom and ingenuity into it. We welcome the folks in the new store as they become our new and good friends. Many of us who’ve worked with the Hamils for years and enjoyed their generosity and commiseration on the state of things, will not miss them too much only because they’ve got what they were after!
Arjuna da Silva
Black Mountain
