-by Kathy Cragin If you’ve driven down the Main Street of Ripon on a Thursday evening this summer, you’ve probably noticed a crowd of local folks gathered outside Studio Joy. These …
by Joanna Metheny Most have probably heard by now that Ripon will not be having our annual fireworks show at Mistlin Park this Fourth of July. This wildly popular event typically …
by Joanna Metheny In the past few weeks, most of Ripon’s residents have likely heard at least something about the apparent rise in cases of pediatric cancer surrounding Weston Elementary. With …
-by Kathy Cragin If you’ve driven down the Main Street of Ripon on a Thursday evening this summer, you’ve probably noticed a crowd of local folks gathered outside Studio Joy. These …
If you’ve driven down the Main Street of Ripon on a Thursday evening this summer, you’ve probably noticed a crowd of local folks gathered outside Studio Joy. These Riponites are perusing the bounty of fruits and veggies brought in to the Ripon Farmers Market by local. vendors Along with the produce, you might have the opportunity to taste and purchase cheese, buy fresh flowers for your kitchen table, grab a cup of iced coffee, and eat dinner at one of thefood trucks.
The Farmers Market was rebooted in 2018 by Studio Joy and Oak Valley Youth Garden (OVYG), with a desire to build community and support local vendors. The fees paid by the vendors go to the nonprofit OVYG general fund.
OVYG is in the building stages in the lot behind Studio Joy, located at 929 W. Main Street. The ground has been leveled, irrigation laid, and a pathway will be underway shortly with a lawn, garden boxes, fruit trees, a stage, greenhouse, shady play area for kids, and much more to follow! This garden will be open to the public to enjoy and to use for educational purposes. To keep updated on OVYG progress, follow “Oak Valley Youth Garden” on Facebook.
During the summer, the market is held every Thursday from 5-8 pm, from May through August.
This year there are five remaining market dates: August 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29. Mark your calendars so you don’t forget to shop the market for fresh produce, flowers, cheese, oils, handmade jewelry, children’s clothing, soaps, bath products, fresh coffee, food trucks, and much more. For more information and updates you can follow “Ripon Farmers Market” on Facebook as well.
by Joanna Metheny Most have probably heard by now that Ripon will not be having our annual fireworks show at Mistlin Park this Fourth of July. This wildly popular event typically …
Most have probably heard by now that Ripon will not be having our annual fireworks show at Mistlin Park this Fourth of July. This wildly popular event typically draws thousands of visitors, both from out of town, as well as local, for an evening of fun and patriotic festivities. Free to the public, the event is always packed with attendees, but not everyone is aware of what is involved behind the scenes.
For the past three years, the show has been sponsored by the Ripon Chamber Foundation. Prior to that, the fireworks have been sponsored by a number of groups, including the 4th of July Committee, private citizens, and the City of Ripon, and not every year has seen the show go on. With a staff of just two people, the Chamber of Commerce and Chamber Foundation put on an impressive ten large events each year, including the Almond Blossom Festival and Main Street Day. The coordination and planning of each event is a massive undertaking, and early this spring, the Chamber Foundation made the tough call to not sponsor the fireworks show in 2019.
While expensive, the cost of putting on the fireworks show isn’t as astronomically pricey as some might expect. The bulk of the event budget goes to payment of the company contracted to run the fireworks show, and generally runs in the $20,000 ballpark. Other associated costs include things like insurance, portable bathrooms, and security. The greatest challenge though with pulling off this event successfully, is finding enough willing volunteers to help everything run smoothly. A huge number of volunteers are needed to help with parking directions and collecting fees, setting up, and primarily cleanup of the park that evening following the event. Many want to enjoy the fireworks show, but unfortunately, not as many have been willing to give a bit of their time to ensure it continues.
After the Chamber Foundation’s decision to not sponsor the 2019 fireworks, they approached numerous groups in the local community about taking over the event. The Chamber and Chamber Foundation’s board members and staff reached out to multiple groups and non-profit organizations, but unfortunately no one was able or willing to take over the planning or cover the budget of the show.
Over the years, public support through volunteering at the event has waxed and waned. Often in the years following an absence of the fireworks show, residents’ interest and willingness to help out has typically increased and there is a collective drive to guarantee the show returns. In order to see the show come back for 2020, someone needs to be willing to take on the planning, volunteer coordination, and budgeting, and the public will need to rally around them by offering up their time to volunteer.
For those still looking to enjoy some 4th of July festivities, both Manteca and Tracy have large events. As for in-town fireworks, there are a number of local groups selling fireworks in booths set up around town (such as the VFW’s at Save Mart). The general rule of thumb is anything marked “Safe and Sane” is legal to set off, but only in residential streets or on private property. Any type of firework with an aerial component is illegal, and our police department has publicly stated they will have extra officers on patrol for enforcement.
About the author: For nearly a decade, Joanna Metheny has been a freelance writer specialized in the coverage of local topics and community interest stories. A Central Valley transplant and Bay Area native, Joanna permanently relocated to Ripon and hasn’t looked back once. She loves the city’s proud agricultural history and small town feel. Joanna enjoys spending her time in the community, tending her garden, and discovering local secrets along Ripon’s backroads.
This is information that we copied off of the Ripon California Facebook page that we believe residents would want to know about: “There will be a meeting at the VFW hall …
This is information that we copied off of the Ripon California Facebook page that we believe residents would want to know about:
“There will be a meeting at the VFW hall on Tuesday February 19 at 7:00 pm to discuss the current cancer rate of our children in this town as well as the number of adults who have been diagnosed with cancer from Ripon.
Speakers that will be on the agenda:
Eric Windheim BA, EMRS, BBEC
Certified Electromagnetic Radiation Specialist
Certified Building Biology Environmental Consultant WindheimEMFSolutions.com
Ellie Marks
California Brain Tumor Association
Director
Lloyd Morgan
Berkeley, California
Senior Research
Environmental Health Trust
We will also have retainer information for The Cochran Law Firm out of Los Angeles. This is a law firm who has specialists in Toxic Tort Cases. So if you are an adult who has been diagnosed with cancer and reside in Ripon, or a have a child who has been diagnosed with cancer and are interested in this information, please attend this meeting.
Flyers Are in the Works and will be handed out throughout the neighborhoods within the next few weeks.
Thank you For your time. We will fight to keep our children healthy!!!!”
The Junior Artisan Marketplace (scheduled for Saturday, July 28th, 9:00-11:30 a.m. at Backus Performance in Ripon) was created with the local kids of our Ripon community in mind. This event will …
The Junior Artisan Marketplace (scheduled for Saturday, July 28th, 9:00-11:30 a.m. at Backus Performance in Ripon) was created with the local kids of our Ripon community in mind. This event will feature the abilities and creations of approximately 10 young businesses, a few of which are sibling partnerships. Their products range from home décor to accessories as well as body care items and artwork.
The Junior Artisan Marketplace (JAM) is the brainchild of Kathy Cragin and Melissa Backus, as well as Anastasia Ludolph. Kathy Cragin is the small business owner of A Dollar 298 (found on both Facebook and Instagram). She has participated in numerous boutiques similar to JAM and has been sharing her experiences and advice with the young crowd participating in this first event. Melissa owns and operates Backus Performance (located at 968 Goodwin Dr. in Ripon), which offers numerous activities including gymnastics, arts and crafts for adults and children, as well as physical fitness classes for adults. Anastasia Ludolph is the gymnastics instructor at Backus Performance and teaches many of the arts and crafts events that take place there alongside Melissa. You can find more information about Backus Performance at www.backusperformance.com
The interest in JAM has been great, both from creative entrepreneurial kiddos and the community of Ripon as well. It is the hope of the coordinators to make JAM a monthly event, aiming for the last Saturday of each month. This month we will start with our vendors inside the facility with the future goal of expanding to the parking lot, providing shade for the outside vendors and customers.
Our vendors this month include Sew Fun Creations, Schoolland Constructions, Kennedy’s Crochet and Crafts, Sam and Matty’s Magnets, Unique signs by Jayne, Beaded Lizards by Annie, Clay Creations, Fox Rainbow Slime, Fabric Frenzy, Linc’s Cool Jars, and Face Painting by Maddy. We hope to expand in the future to include live music from our local talented kids as well as showcasing youth artwork such as paintings, drawings, and pottery. We will also provide snacks and drinks for purchase.
The goal of JAM is to encourage the entrepreneurial spirit in children, to celebrate their various creative talents, and to give them an opportunity to taste a bit of success. They are our future. The vendors pay a small fee, which is used to help offset advertising costs. Those fees, as well as donations gathered from the raffle put together for the event, will be put in a scholarship fund to help provide opportunities for other children with financial need to participate in activities at Backus Performance.
For interest in future events, please join Junior Artisan Marketplace on Facebook or contact Kathy Cragin at katcragin.gmail.com.
by Joanna Metheny After a more than two year dry spell, next week Riponites will once again have their very own farmers market. Jointly hosted by Studio Joy and the Oak …
After a more than two year dry spell, next week Riponites will once again have their very own farmers market. Jointly hosted by Studio Joy and the Oak Valley Youth Garden, the farmers market will be held on Thursday, July 19th from 4 to 7 p.m. in the Studio Joy Parking lot.
Born in Manteca, Studio Joy owner Jolene Peters has fond memories of years her family spent living in Los Angeles, where weekly visits to the local farmers market were their tradition. Upon returning to this area four years ago, Peters had been wanting to recreate the happy experiences her family shared. She is passionate about fostering community, and encouraging families and residents to connect and enjoy spending time together. A farmers market provides the perfect avenue to support this passion, as well as give Riponites access to fresh, local produce, and handmade goods. Studio Joy’s recent partnering with the Oak Valley Youth Garden further spurred Peters’ interest in starting the market.
When Peters first envisioned a Ripon market, she had originally imagined having just a handful of farmers. However, after initial word got out and interest flooded in, the market rapidly expanded to a currently scheduled 15 vendors. The market will focus on local produce, prepared foods, and handmade goods. Scheduled farms include De Palma, Ratto, and Jessica Coleman. Other vendors will include the Wild Blooms flower truck, honey, the Tri Tipery, handmade soaps and bath bombs, Nature’s Country Corner’s pies, pizza, kettle corn, Lacee King’s Prism flowers, Nuts Up flavored nuts, hummus, and Miss Kay’s candies and creations.
The market will be a not-for-profit venture, with all proceeds from vendor fees going towards a planned shared garden space located behind Studio Joy. Peters’ vision for the garden area is an outdoor garden space for holding events, outdoor pilates classes, and farm to fork dinners. The site will also be the future location of the Oak Valley Youth Garden, and Peters envisions it as being a place not only for Studio Joy’s clients, but all Ripon residents from the youth to residents at Bethany Home.
Photo by Joanna Metheny
Owned by Jolene Peters and co-run by Jolene McKiernan, Studio Joy is a pilates studio focused on body-positivity and mind-body health through core supportive lengthening and strengthening movements in a fun and encouraging environment. The studio is located in the former Ripon Chamber of Commerce building at 929 W. Main Street.
Don’t put off going to the market, as it is only slated to run four consecutive weeks, wrapping up around the time Ripon schools are back in session. This season will serve as a trial run, with hopes of extending the market season next year. Parking for the market will be available next door to the studio, in the Schemper’s parking lot.
There are still a limited number of vendor spots available. Those interested should contact Jolene Peters at (209) 253-4040, or visit the Studio Joy website at studiojoypilates.com, then click on farmers market to find a vendor application. Peters is also hoping to include the talent of a local musician at the market. Any area musicians interested in volunteering a bit of time to support their community should contact Peters at the information above.
About the author: For nearly a decade, Joanna Metheny has been a freelance writer specialized in the coverage of local topics and community interest stories. A Central Valley transplant and Bay Area native, Joanna permanently relocated to Ripon and hasn’t looked back once. She loves the city’s proud agricultural history and small town feel. Joanna enjoys spending her time in the community, tending her garden, and discovering local secrets along Ripon’s backroads.
by Joanna Metheny This Friday marks graduation day for Ripon High School’s seniors. This year’s graduating class has just over 200 students, and they are a diverse group. The 2018 graduates include …
This Friday marks graduation day for Ripon High School’s seniors. This year’s graduating class has just over 200 students, and they are a diverse group. The 2018 graduates include wrestling, soccer, and track stars, swimmers, and golfers. There is a magician, a $20,000 scholarship winner, an entrepreneur opening her own store in Copperopolis, and a teen mom graduating on time with plans to attend college in the fall. Many in this driven tribe of movers and shakers will be moving on to four year programs at schools such as Humboldt State and Menlo College, or starting their college years locally at Modesto Junior College.
But what did Ripon High’s graduating class look like 100 years ago? For starters, it was much smaller. The Ripon Union High School (as it was known back then) only had nine graduating seniors, eight of them women. Graduation day in 1918 was near the tail end of World War I, and the school’s yearbook was dedicated “To all the Boys [sic] who have left the school to fight for Uncle Sam”. It makes one wonder how large the class would have been had the war not happened, and how many of the seniors’ classmates were lost.
Much like today’s seniors, the 1918 class participated in familiar activities like debate, drama and athletics. They harassed the incoming freshman, although the methods have hopefully evolved over the last hundred years as the yearbook claims the words “Kill the Freshies” were “written on every blackboard in the Assembly Hall”. Interestingly, each of the nine graduating seniors, all chose to pursue some form of education for their future careers.
The 1918 yearbook also includes a “prophecy” section, where each senior wrote out a rather fantastical and occasionally hilarious idea of what they thought would happen to them in the future. Each entry was written in the past tense, as if by someone in the distant future was recording events from the past. Entries included Miss Nessie Henry’s stating she was the originator of a bookkeeping system that made her millions before she turned 40, at which point she retired to a Sonoran estate where she raised “pink-eared Japanese cats”, as well as Miss Flora House’s which stated she married a Riponite who was wounded in the war. Following this, they relocated to Half Moon Bay to take up onion gardening, at which point Miss Flora authored two books, “Scents From My Garden”, and “The Onions Of Half Moon”. It is good to note that despite the somber time and circumstances in which they lived, the graduates were able to keep their senses of humor and positive outlook.
Despite the weighty issues that war brings, there seems to have also been some pettier drama that the 1918 graduates dealt with. A Ripon Record article from May of 1918 alludes to the high school year not being “the success all hoped for”, and then mentioned as the “probable cause of its failure, a lack of harmony, petty jealousy, and too much talk and too little action”. One can only speculate as to what happened, as the rest of the article urges the reader to move on from the year, and then discusses how both the war and farm work have caused low enrollment in all of the area schools.
While one hundred years have passed since these nine seniors graduated, and the landscape in Ripon has certainly changed, some things remain the same. It appears cheeky attitudes, teenage drama, and youthful ambition have stood the test of time. Come support Ripon’s youth this Friday as they march for their diplomas in Stouffer Field, before they embark on the next phase of their journeys through life.
About the author: For nearly a decade, Joanna Metheny has been a freelance writer specialized in the coverage of local topics and community interest stories. A Central Valley transplant and Bay Area native, Joanna permanently relocated to Ripon and hasn’t looked back once. She loves the city’s proud agricultural history and small town feel. Joanna enjoys spending her time in the community, tending her garden, and discovering local secrets along Ripon’s backroads.
by Joanna Metheny The Ripon Community Garden and Oak Valley Youth Garden are pleased to announce Abundance Market, a vendor craft fair, at the Ripon Community Garden, on Saturday April 28, …
The Ripon Community Garden and Oak Valley Youth Garden are pleased to announce Abundance Market, a vendor craft fair, at the Ripon Community Garden, on Saturday April 28, from 9 am to 3 pm. Invite your friends and family to spend a spring day shopping in the beautiful garden from among 30 local vendors showcasing handmade items.
Market visitors will enjoy browsing among hand knit goods, home-sewn dresses, organic, vegan soaps and body products, local raw honey, jellies and jams, upcycled wares, and more. For a taste of what will be for sale at the market, check out the Abundance Market’s facebook page. For those needing fuel while browsing, Wandering Barista will be serving up delicious coffees and lunch items will be available for purchase.
Stop by the Oak Valley Youth Garden table to pick up one of their limited edition logo tote bags or a tomato plant. The Ripon Community Garden will be selling drinks. All proceeds help support the gardens.
Make sure to also check out the vendor raffle. Market goers will have an additional opportunity to support the community and youth gardens by purchasing raffle tickets for one-of-a-kind vendor items, as well as tickets to the Gallo Center or the State Theatre.
by Joanna Metheny On Saturday, January 27th, long-time Ripon residents Jason Buffalow and John Heida will be at Schemper’s Ace Hardware dishing out delicious BBQ samples. Head on over to Schemper’s …
On Saturday, January 27th, long-time Ripon residents Jason Buffalow and John Heida will be at Schemper’s Ace Hardware dishing out delicious BBQ samples. Head on over to Schemper’s between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. to sample one of their delicious offerings at this free event. In addition to traditional BBQ items like tri tip, they will also be making everything from beef jerky to pizza.
Friends for years, both Buffalow and Heida had developed an independent love for their Traeger Grills. Unlike a standard gas or charcoal grill, Traeger grills are a unique combination of electric grill, smoker, and oven all in one. Making use of varietal wood pellets, the Traeger infuses flavor into whatever is cooked inside of it. Unlike other grills, they are vastly more versatile and can even be used for baking and braising.
The two friends’ passion for their grills was fortuitously linked when they both happened to connect over Instagram. Later they both entered a “Best of Traeger” contest, where they came in 3rd and 4th. This continued to lead to considerable Instagram renown, and today Buffalow and Heida each have upwards of 19k and 24k followers. In addition, they have become official brand influencers for Traeger.
Saturday’s event is not sponsored by Traeger, but was rather inspired by Buffalow and Heida as a way to not only share their love of BBQ, but also give back to the local community. Schemper’s is the only Ripon business that carries the Traeger line, and therefore was the natural choice of location to showcase the grills’ unique features. Buffalow and Heida will be sourcing all their meats from another local favorite, Austin Meat Service.
Throughout the day on Saturday, Buffalow and Heida will be exhibiting the wide variety of meats that can be cooked up on their grills. Samplings will be grilled and finished at different times, so for those who’d like to try more than one, feel free to hang out a while, browse Schemper’s, meet some new neighbors, or chat with the men about their techniques.
About the author: For nearly a decade, Joanna Metheny has been a freelance writer specialized in the coverage of local topics and community interest stories. A Central Valley transplant and Bay Area native, Joanna permanently relocated to Ripon and hasn’t looked back once. She loves the city’s proud agricultural history and small town feel. Joanna enjoys spending her time in the community, tending her garden, and discovering local secrets along Ripon’s backroads.
by Joanna Metheny With origins almost one hundred years old, and rooted in the celebration of the end of World War I, Veterans Day became an official national holiday in 1938, …
With origins almost one hundred years old, and rooted in the celebration of the end of World War I, Veterans Day became an official national holiday in 1938, and falls each year on November 11. The holiday provides a day of national recognition where we have the opportunity to honor and celebrate the service of all U.S. veterans.
The greater Ripon area is host to a large number of events and special Veterans Day offerings. Those looking to either honor their loved ones or participate themselves can do anything from attending a special ceremony or enjoying a catered luncheon, to receiving discounts at local retailers or free meals. Below are some area highlights for the weekend.
Ripon Veterans Day Celebration
The Ripon American Legion and VFW will be jointly hosting a service at the Veterans Park Memorial, located at the corner of 1st and Locust Streets. The service will begin at 10:30 a.m., with Ripon JROTC bringing in the colors, and there will be a special guest speaker. Afterwards, head on down to the VFW, at 12455 W. Ripon Road, for lunch. They will be serving up hamburgers, hot dogs, and chips, free of charge to honor our local vets. The luncheon is open to all veterans, active duty military, ceremony attendees, and the greater community. Make sure to also swing by the Ripon Veterans Museum, adjacent to the memorial wall, on Saturday between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. The museum has a surprisingly extensive collection of memorabilia inside, a wide variety of past and present uniforms, and pictures of many of our local vets lining the walls.
Other local events
Photo by Joanna Metheny
For those interested in travelling a little further, Tracy-based FIX’D has partnered with the Second Harvest Food Bank of San Joaquin County to hold a celebratory event on the Friday before Veterans Day. From 9 a.m. to noon on the 10th, FIX’D will be honoring vets with a meal catered by a local, yet to be disclosed, Tracy restaurant. The all morning event will have KAT Country, a handful of vendors, and some local congressmen. All vets who come to the morning meal will also receive a bag of food from Second Harvest. FIX’D is veteran-founded non-profit that offers transitional resources such as peer to peer counseling to vets. For more information about the event, see here. https://www.facebook.com/907201292663532/photos/a.907290572654604.1073741828.907201292663532/1629903963726591/?type=3&theater
About the author: For nearly a decade, Joanna Metheny has been a freelance writer specialized in the coverage of local topics and community interest stories. A Central Valley transplant and Bay Area native, Joanna permanently relocated to Ripon and hasn’t looked back once. She loves the city’s proud agricultural history and small town feel. Joanna enjoys spending her time in the community, tending her garden, and discovering local secrets along Ripon’s backroads.
by Joanna Metheny This Saturday morning will mark the 3rd annual Homestead Market Faire. The Faire provides a one-of-a-kind opportunity to shop for quality handmade items, crafted by local vendors. Kick off …
This Saturday morning will mark the 3rd annual Homestead Market Faire. The Faire provides a one-of-a-kind opportunity to shop for quality handmade items, crafted by local vendors. Kick off the holiday shopping season early by heading out into the country to 21420 S. Olive Avenue between 9 a.m. and 2pm on Nov. 4th.
The Homestead Market Faire, run by mother and daughter-in-law team Shirley and Ashley Enserink, was originally inspired by another beloved Ripon event, the Urban Farm Sale, which was typically held in May. Hailing from a family with a fondness for hosting, the Enserinks decided to host a handmade market of their own. Held on their property each year, shopping at the Homestead Market Faire is a picturesque experience that provides the perfect opportunity to enjoy the fall season and the local community. Begun in 2015, the Homestead Faire has almost doubled in size in three short years, starting with 16 vendors the first season, and now hosting a fully-booked roster of 30.
This year’s vendors will be showcasing almost exclusively handmade items ranging from crochet and modern boho décor to metalwork and custom designed paper cards. There will also be a number of booths selling locally crafted foods, such as olive oil, honey, and pastries. Make sure to swing by host Shirley Enserink’s Olive Cottage Design for reclaimed wood home décor. A full list of all vendors can be found on the Homestead Market Faire’s facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/events/118359475542039/
Those looking to get an early jump on Christmas cards or holiday family photos should visit the photo booth set up with Ashley Nicole Photography. For just $20, customers can get a quick 5 minute photo session, with digital images. Another vendor will be offering wreaths made from fresh greenery, or alternatively, orders can be placed for those looking to bring something home closer to the holidays.
Entry to the faire is free, and there will be plenty of street parking available. Most vendors are equipped to accept cash only, so plan accordingly. Although there is light rain in the forecast and the entire event is held outside, there will be plenty of pop-ups to keep vendors, shoppers, and wares alike dry during the morning. Additionally, there were be a variety of hot beverages available for purchase to keep everyone warm and cozy.
About the author: For nearly a decade, Joanna Metheny has been a freelance writer specialized in the coverage of local topics and community interest stories. A Central Valley transplant and Bay Area native, Joanna permanently relocated to Ripon and hasn’t looked back once. She loves the city’s proud agricultural history and small town feel. Joanna enjoys spending her time in the community, tending her garden, and discovering local secrets along Ripon’s backroads.
crowd of local folks gathered outside Studio Joy. These Riponites are perusing the bounty of fruits and veggies brought in to the Ripon Farmers Market by local. vendors Along with the produce, you might have the opportunity to taste and purchase cheese, buy fresh flowers for your kitchen table, grab a cup of iced coffee, and eat dinner at one of thefood trucks.
greenhouse, shady play area for kids, and much more to follow! This garden will be open to the public to enjoy and to use for educational purposes. To keep updated on OVYG progress, follow “Oak Valley Youth Garden” on Facebook.
event typically draws thousands of visitors, both from out of town, as well as local, for an evening of fun and patriotic festivities. Free to the public, the event is always packed with attendees, but not everyone is aware of what is involved behind the scenes.
the Ripon California Facebook page that we believe residents would want to know about:
