Photo by Rob Blanchard MODEL AIRCRAFT: Ray Boone, a local craftsperson, makes airplanes and helicopters out of beverage cans. He willingly takes custom orders. He says, "The new market is an opportunity for vendors to sell more products."

Vendors look forward to downtown market

In a number of recent interviews, those vendors already committed to the Downtown Farmer's Market were forthcoming about their products and animated about the prospects for the new market.

Here's what they had to say:

Ray Boone is a local craftsperson who will be familiar to many Frederictonians. Like Vince Kelly, Boone sees the Downtown Farmers Market as a link to his past, "There's a log of nostalgia there. I'd come to the old market with my gransparents or aunts. We'd sell wool, butter, eggs, buttermilk -- it brings back a whole lot of memories."

Boone has been pursuing an unusual avocation -- over the last three years, he's made over 1,000 airplanes and helicopters out of beverage cans. Boone, who himself worked on the Avro Arrow, says jokingly, "I didn't know how they'd take off."

On a more serious not, he adds, "I've been around airplanes my whole life. I've sent these things all over the world." Most of Boone's creations take 17 cans to construct. Four screws, one nut, and two pieces of wire comlete the job.

Boone gets his raw materials from the redemption entre in Harvey, and willingly takes custom orders. He says, "Bottom line, the new market is an opportunity for vendors to sell more products." Plus, it might be added, an opportunity for buyers to order a unique piece of artwork from a dedicated craftsman.