When vendors set up on the grounds of the Weisenberg/Lowhill Historical Society, visitors were not only able to shop for flowers, vegetables and handcrafted items, they were also able to chat with vendors who shared their stories about their farm and artisanal products.

A box of cuckoo clock ornaments drew attention to Joseph Diehl’s space that featured hand crafted wooden items.

“Because my dad used to fix clocks he had taken the works out of them,” he said. “These were stored in the attic.”

As if that wasn’t interesting enough, Diehl explained how he made his wooden plaques commemorating every branch of America’s armed services.

“I trace the pattern on paper before transferring it on wood,” he said.

His wooden benches have a deep personal connection to Diehl as well.

“I got the wood from my parents’ farm,” he said. “We cut the trees down and our neighbor Michael Hieter has a portable sawmill.” Then, the construction begins.

The crocheted animals at Sherry McCauley’s table added whimsy to the marketplace.

“My grandma taught me how to crochet, and I’ve been crocheting all along,” she said.

“I originally started making blankets,” she continued. “Then, five years ago I turned to making animals. I like making the bears.”

At another table, Sharon Dieruff was selling items for a cause she believes in.

“I sell homemade cards, bookmarks, gift bags, notepads and gift card holders,” she said. “I donate all my sales to Feline Good in Breinigsville.”

Dieruff has found a way to combine two of her loves.

“I’ve always been a cat person and I’ve always been a crafter,” she said.

Feline Good is a registered cat rescue serving Lehigh County, that is completely volunteer run and funded by public donations.

“We don’t have a building yet, but all of our cats and kittens are fostered right now,” Dieruff said. “We have 14 kittens getting spayed and neutered today. Then, they’ll be ready for adoption.”

The market welcomed back several vendors like Lyon Creek Farms, a perennial presence at the historical society’s sale.

“My daughter and I own the farm, and my sister helps us out a lot,” Lisa Pollock said. “We have six acres of pumpkin and squash, three acres of sweet corn and about one and a half acres of mixed produce.”

“We pick every day,” she continued, though vegetables are not the only crops produced at the farm.

“We grow zinnias in memory of my dad,” said Pollock’s sister Cheryl Hoffner. “We collect the seeds in a paper bag and keep the seeds from year to year.”

Inside the historical society building, Virginia Snyder and Pat Shaw supervised the bake sale that attracted attention.

“The apricot bars are very popular,” Shaw said, who was selling the goods along with Snyder. “The zucchini bread is also popular.”

Shaw said six or seven bakers provided the items for the bake sale.

“We’ve been busy,” Snyder said. “[Historical society members] could bake whatever we wanted.”

In another corner, raffles for Althea Hahn’s handmade quilt could be purchased.

“The drawing will take place on Dec. 6 when we have our tree lighting and cookie sale,” she said.

The veteran quilter has pieced between 25 to 30 quilts.

“I’m going to do a patriotic one for the semiquincentennial,” she vowed.