At the end of a neat line of portable canopies at the Lewiston Farmers Market on Sunday there was a vendor like no other.

While most marketers were selling food-related products on portable tables with elaborate displays, Kenneth Waldo Emerson Sr. sold his handmade toys and trinkets on the top of his trailer he hauled to the market with his gas powered bicycle.

Fancy and polished he is not, but his 73 years of using his hands and back have given him a wealth of knowledge and experience he relishes to share.  

“I come from an era of ethics, principles and a strong work-ethic,” he said. 

Emerson’s first job was a wheelwright, making spokes for wooden wheels. With dozens of jobs in his cerebral resume, he has done everything from blacksmithing to pig farming. The certified welder spent a number of years helping build the Trans Alaska Pipeline.  

“I’ve made my living with my hands. Now I whittle to keep me alive,” Emerson said.

“Kids these days don’t spend enough time playing outside. I’m not against computers you see, but I just think kids should play in the sandbox until they are at least 10. These days they ain’t got no motor skills.”  

With that, he took out a toy wrapped in newspaper that he made and gave it to a curious older man who moseyed over to listen. The simple toy had a looped piece of string going through a flywheel that you gently pull to make it spin one way then the other.  

“I’ll bet you had one of these when you were a kid,” Emerson said. “Probably had a button or something fancy. I’ve given out at least 8,000 of these. If I die, at least some kids will have some motor skills.”  

It was the last weekend for the Farmers Market and soon Emerson will be heading to Florida where he owns a piece of land.  

“Used to peddle down, but the last time I did that was 5 years ago. Took me 34 days.  Now I do it in 10 with my motor bike,” he said with a smile as he put on his Captain America helmet on top of his self embossed Smart-Squirrel Farm cap.  

“I post parcel a lot of my stuff before I leave. It’s a lot easier that way.”  

Another customer walked up and was handed one of his newspaper-wrapped handmade toys. Emerson flashed a big toothless smile; he lost them when a tree fell and knocked them out and broke his back when he was a logger.

“I’ll bet you had one of these when you were a kid. I’ve given out at least 10,000 of them.”  

A life of hard work, adventure and a gift of gab would make his partial namesake proud. In fact, according to Emerson, his great-, great- grandfather is buried right next to Ralph Waldo Emerson in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery.

Fact or fiction, listening to the life and times of Kenneth Waldo Emerson Sr. was an adventure all in itself.