Ray’s Stand . . .

Ray: Two degrees, one in psychology and the other in Urban Affairs. Believe it or not, the two relate to each other. Social psychology especially applies to urban design. A place, a special place, should feel right to people; there is more to it than meets the eye.

I also believe that no matter what your means, your education, your faith, your nationality, your gender, your race, (you get the idea), no matter who you are, you have an appreciation for beauty. We owe it to ourselves as individuals, as a society and as a community to make where we work, live and play, a beautiful place.

Ray: Well actually, none to speak of. I got a U in First grade and a C in 7th grade art. It really made me feel insecure about it. I figured out later that I did so poorly because, like one third of the men, I am color blind to green. My first grade teacher didn’t like the brown Christmas tree I colored. Today that would have been a statement; then, it was an Unsatisfactory. My energies got focused into urban design, a bigger canvas then most people use.

Ray: I visited France. On my second trip, it was to Paris and I fell in love a market that moved daily in the LeClaire District. It was what Hemingway referred to as a Moveable Feast. I just had to have one of my own.

It was one of my habits as City Planner to recreate in Kenosha something positive that I experience somewhere else. At the same time, others were interested in the same thing. Farmer markets seem to be a national phenomenon much like coffee houses. One other person in particular, Curzio Caravati, who was selling at a local market and was unsatisfied with its quality, was also interested in markets.

Curzio complained to the mayor. As a result, the mayor agreed to see the city do something unique as a part of HarborPark. I called together an ad hoc group of people that I thought would be instrumental for creating a farmers’ market. I guess I sought out the right people because the committee that was created by the Common Council and appointed by the Mayor were the same people.

After several years of running as a City committee, we formed a not for profit corporation and we successfully made the transfer over from the City. We were created in 2004 and became a corporation in 2007. The committee is largely the same people. It is a hard working group that loves to have fun. They have passion and very creative.

Ray: Vendors fill out an application. They are juried according to the quality of their product. Anyone can apply but not all get in. The executive committee makes the decision. The market primarily offers organic meats, fish, dairy products and produce and a higher quality of crafts. This year we are introducing more specialty cheese and more imports.

Ray: Of course, we want it to fun, live music, chef demonstrations; it’s oriented for families, pets on leashes…

Ray: LOL…some of that too.

Ray: Knives!

Ray: No, Carole does that to me know! Lol….much of what we do in the kitchen involves cutting and slicing, and to work safely and faster, sharp knives are a must, the same with scissors and lawn cutting. Ray’s Stand provides sharpening knives of all sizes, lawn implements including push lawn mowers and scissors.