Belville Farmers' Market, Ribbon Cutting and Llama Kissing

Have you ever been kissed by a llama? If not, you missed your chance this morning at the Belville Farmers' Market. SunMist Pastures had two very sweet llamas in attendance and if you were nice, and didn't do the dog thing and stick your hand out for them to smell (I forget why, exactly, but recall llamas don't like that), but instead speak softly and get close, they'll kiss you. At least it happened to me, and I saw a few other folks get bussed as well.

SundMist Pasture's llamas and llama wool products were just one of the features at the Belville Farmers' Market. Other booths had produce, flowers, meat, chocolate (!), hand made dog treats, herbs and seasonings, wooden porch swings, and all manner of great stuff.

The Belville Farmers' Market is one of many programs supported and promoted by the Southeastern North Carolina Food Systems Program (SENCFS). Check out their website at www.feastsoutheastnc.org. UNCW's Leslie Hossfeld is the Program Director and Jane Stiegerwald is the Assistant Program Director. Both were on hand for the ribbon-cutting this morning on the open field just to the south of the Olde Waterford Shops.

Joan Winkler and Jeff Chalfant's Choco Geo booth was a favorite. (Guess what they produce?)

Look at the size of these pumpkins by one of the booths.
Here's Tony Vlach checking out the dog treats for his beloved dog at My Porch Dawg.

Chef Skip Laskody, author of "Cape Fear Cookery" was in a tent with his "Gourmet spice blends for everyday cookery".


Jimmie Cooper's Paradise Swings are colorful and inviting.

It was early but we had music to dance by, or at least tap our feet.


The ribbon-cutting went without a hitch. From the left end of the ribbon to the right , below, are Linda Mehner, Todd Godbey, Belville Mayor Chuck Thurlow, Waterford developer Bert Exum, NBCC Executive Director Terry Grillo, NBCC President George Murray, Leslie Hossfeld, Jane Stiegerwalk, Franklin Rouse, Brenda Bozeman, Roy Lettieri, and Ken Schiess.

Mayor Thurlow is bullish on Belville.

Frank Williams, Todd Godbey, and Jeff Harvell.

Franklin Rouse and Frank Williams.

Gina and Ken Schiess.


Jane Stiegerwald, Terry Grillo, and WWAY TV3's Shontrelle Robinson.
There was one other booth with an interesting story. Ron Koster's Tarheel Beef Co. has prime locally raised angus beef. Unfortunately my photo didn't come out, but you can reach Ron at (910) 256-3234 or visit his store at 2107 Carolina Beach Road in Wilmington.

So come out any Thursday morning to Belville's Farmers' Market. This is a great time of year to get out in the early morning and pick up some fresh produce and meet some great people. And, if you're good, you might just get kissed by a llama.

Week 4 - WWAYTV3 Cape Fear Pride/ NBCC Business After Hours at Murray Art & Frame

If you know George and Phyllis Murray you for sure know they like to throw parties - and they do it well! Last night Phyllis and George, proprietors of Murray Art & Fram in the Waterford Shops located in front of Waterford of the Carolinas in the town of Belville hosted the Business After Hours for the North Brunswick Chamber of Commerce that was held in conjuction with Week 4 of WWAYTV3's Cape Fear Pride series focusing on north Brunswick County.

The party (oops, I mean event) started around 4:30 in the afternoon before and after the WWAYTV3 live news telecast and who knows when it ended cuz it was going strong when I left around 7PM.

This week's focus was on the Town of Belville (a surprise to some folks is the Waterford commercial section is located in Belville, while the residential section is in Leland). The ever-active and always-ready-to-party North Brunswick Chamber of Commerce held a Business After Hours event at Murray Art & Frame and a whole lotta folks turned out.

Belville Mayor Chuck Thurlow talks about his town to WWAYTV3 reporter Margo Gray and evening news anchor Steve Rondinaro.

Phyllis Murray went all out preparing and presenting the great eats for the event.

Carol Koenig, NBCC Exective Director Rhonda Norris, and Marge Brown of SendOutCards stopped networking for a moment for a fast photo.

In the photo above Frank Bullard from Bugsy's Cigars, NBCC President Peggy O'Leary of Premier Staffing, and host George Murray tested the food.

While we were networking and eating up a storm, the WWAYTV3 crew kept working.

Erin Alderman of Nationwide Insurance talked with Inan of Just for Dogs gourmet dog food store.

At one point Steve Rondinaro had everyone shout out their SuperBowl picks. Everyone paid attention then.

Mary Anne Fagerquest worked hard at the registration table for the event to be sure everyone had name tags and was entered in the drawings.

SunTrust Bank's Donna Cameron and Peggy O'Leary.

Greg Darrow of Image 8 Photography spoke with Erin Alderman and the crew from LogosDirect.

Speaking of LogosDirect, Scott Griffiths is the guy who actually creates their great stuff. He's sorta like a super-elf, I guess. He DOES have an impish smile!

This photo of Scott Griffiths the designer, the ever-affable sales rep Brian Matzke, marketing maven Brooke Dyson, and company owner John Dennison, all of LogosDirect, shows something I think is pretty interesting and something we see in our area fairly often. These folks run a local company with a worldwide reach - most of their business is from out-of-the-area because it's run via the Internet. In the meantime they're fine, affable folks who show up strong for a party (oops, event!).

Jeff Harvell, a North Brunswick developer and Chamber Board member, organized much of the Cape Fear Pride event from the Chamber side. In this photo he stood on a table to tell us all where to go - that is, when we were needed for a group shot.

Host George Murray also stood on a chair behind the table. To do the drawings for a dozen or so cool gifts (I won a BBandT blanket!) and to announce that this year's NBCC Musical Event will be on June 20 at the Odell Auditorium and will feature The Buckinghams (yeah, you remember, they recorded "Kind of a Drag", "Don't You Care", "Susan", and "Hey Baby (They're Playing Our Song)." Last summer's concert with the Lovin' Spoonful was a sold out success and because their friendship with the Lovin' Spoonful The Buckinghams agreed to come see what our area is all about. So mark your calendars.

The Tuzeos won one of the door prizes as well, a Murray-framed print from a local artist.

We closed the TV part of the evening with everyone outside.

Back inside after the cameras shut down, Laura Patterson of Mulch and More and Dr. Sheila Hanby of Capeside Animal hospital paused for a quick photo.

Justin Williams, publisher of NBM Magazine worked the bar all evening.

Last night was the fourth and final week of WWAYTV3's Cape Fear Pride series. If you'd like to see more slides from last night as well as slides from the first three weeks, click on this link for a YouTube video.