The Estevan Farmers' Market is the place to go if you're interested in buying neat, interesting, or tasty products with that special homemade or homegrown touch that you just won't find in a department store.The one-of-a-kind items sold at Doris and Gordon Geske's booth are all of the above and more.The Geskes, who own a ranch just west of Macoun, offer up homemade baking, gift baskets, key chains, denim purses, and many other personalized items. But perhaps the main attraction at the Geskes' booth is the array of handcrafted rustic birdhouses Doris makes out of recycled lumber, branches and deer antlers."I always have enjoyed doing woodwork and it gives me a way to use my creativity and to express it in a different way, and it's kind of evolved - I started off making simple pattern birdhouses and got a hold of some log lumber from my brother-in-law and started working with that and finding different ways of using it," said Doris, who has been a fixture at the farmers' market for the past three years."I like to reuse stuff and make use of simple stuff. I don't want to go out and buy new wood, I want something that looks older - to me that's more appealing."Because deer antlers aren't necessarily readily available, when Geske's supply began to run out, she worked out a deal with a member of the Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation. In exchange for more deer antlers, Geske offered to trade him her bird houses, for use as raffle items.Now Geske has no trouble gathering antlers, which she says make great perches on the bird houses. The antlers are also a selling point and eye catcher for hunting enthusiasts, Geske said.There's an art to the bird houses as well - each one has its own unique look and It's not just a matter of throwing together the house and then adding branches and antlers."It doesn't take long to knock together the basic box, but when I start putting the branches on, it takes longer to do that. It has to be the right one, and you try this and you try that. I find a lot of times you can't stop too soon. Sometimes it won't look right. I'll have a birdhouse that I really think is ugly until I start putting the finishing stuff on and I'll say 'oh yeah, now I like it,'" said Geske, who works as an education assistant during the school year.Setting up a booth at the Estevan Farmers' Market has also helped the husband and wife duo reach out to customers traveling through the Energy City from all over Canada and the United States, which Geske said is one of the reasons she likes coming back.The bird house buyers are often as unique as the bird houses and cater to different individuals' preferences."It's interesting - sometimes she'll end up carrying a birdhouse for a couple of years and then the right person comes along and that's the one they want," said Gordon, who' s been happy to support his wife over the years, buying woodworking tools and setting up a workshop for her.For Doris, the love of creating and and the ability to socialize with buyers from across North America is bound to keep her coming back to the Estevan Farmers' Market for years to come."Some people like to go away for a weekend - well, this is what I like to do, this is my getaway, to go out to my workshop," she added.
