Oscar De Marino picked a perfect carrot for his mother, Kelly De Marino.

By Emily Blackwood

Neil Kapitulik’s foot powered the spinning wheel while his hands guided a mound of blueish-green raw fleece into a strand of yarn. His booth was quiet in comparison to the chaos of shopping locals who surrounding him in the middle of the Somerville Winter Farmers Market. And if you watched him long enough, you might find yourself mesmerized by the spinning wheel

Which is exactly what happened to 10-year-old Chloe Rankel.

“What does that do?” she asked after a few moments of staring at the wheel.

Kapitulik fully explained the details to her, as well as the kind of products his company, Rag Hill Farms, makes. Which includes, of course, handspun yarn, quilts, and pot holders shaped like chickens.

Neil Kapitulik shows Chloe Rankel how raw fleece feels before it’s turned into yarn.

He told her the entire process from raw fleece to usable yarn takes about six to seven hours of pedaling. According to Kapitulik, it’s worth the wait.

“It’s strong,” he said. “If you try to pull it apart, you can’t break it.”

Rag Hill Farms is just one of 61 unique and local vendors who set up shop every Saturday at the Center for Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave. From 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. people can explore the two floors of roasted nuts, shiitake mushrooms, locally-made pasta, freshly baked bagels, smoked fish, delicious kombucha, single-ingredient dog treats, jalapeno jams, and gourmet cupcakes.

Each week, the market includes locally grown and regionally produced agricultural items and rotating specialty guest vendors, along with live entertainment. This week’s band had a particularly fitting name: The Wild Edibles.

Vendors accept cash and most also accept credit and debit cards. SNAP dollars are also accepted and are matched up to $10 each week when you show your EBT card to the manager’s booth.

The Somerville Winter Farmers Market runs through April 14 and is managed by Groundwork Somerville in partnership with Arts at the Armory. You can find more information online at www.somwintermarket.org.

Neil Kapitulik runs Rag Hill Farms with his wife and children.

Lucy Kreger of Luluna Kombucha sold out of their organic drink.

The Somerville Winter Farmers Market runs through April 14. ~Photos by Emily Blackwood