If you're a passer-through on CA Hwys 96 and 3 between Yreka and Eureka/Arcata or exploring the…read morewilds of western Siskiyou County, take note of Parry's. Don't be fooled by Google or other internet maps placing the arrow for Parry's a mile up Indian Creek Road; it's well-located, just one block from the highway. Arguably the only market in West Siskiyou County that's befitting the description of a supermarket, Parry's is at the very least certainly the best market between Yreka and Willow Creek.
A sign recently posted in front of Parry's actually proclaimed that protestors of a particular timber sale are not welcome to shop here. Also, if you're from outta-town and unaware of the very complicated politics of natural resources management in the Klamath River watershed, you've probably been wondering what's the deal with all these "NO MONUMENT!" signs everywhere. It might seem a lit'l scary to some of us liberal cityfolk. "Do they want our heads on sticks?" you might wonder.
Really, though...everything'll be all right if you just be cool. I mean...Don'tcha have an open mind? Don't we all think that we liberals patented the idea of open-mindedness, or are you just like today's Prius-driving version of Maude with a pair of hiking boots and a topo map of the Marble Mountain Wilderness Area? Despite some of the more extreme rhetoric of many local folks, try 'n wrap your open mind around even just the possibility that the locals here know better how to manage local natural resources with a keener balance between extraction, conservation, restoration, and sustainability than you might ever wanna give 'em credit for. And even if the worst of the rhetoric is inexcusable, the overall tenor is understandable if you examine the facts of how the community suffered beginning over 20 years ago when it was put at odds with the declining Northern Spotted Owl population. Regardless of how you feel about the Endangered Species Act, you must be able to recognize how Happy Camp has been an epicenter for the socioeconomic toll of perhaps the most publicized and hotly debated invocation of the "God committee" pursuant to the Act. Heap onto that the recent ban on dredging which hampered its modern-day mini-Gold Rush, and there's one more example of fuel to the fire that burns with the spirit of Jefferson, the proposed 51st state. (With the new Jefferson Movement edging into the Sacramento Metro area specifically in Rocklin and Loomis, I just kinda laugh at these ominous signbearers as ridiculous, but up here in Happy Camp, at least it's couched in some historical context, so I don't choose to reflexively dismiss its sentiment.)
Happy Camp has fallen behind areas of Appalachia in some economic and educational indicators. And yet, Parry's, the only market for miles in any direction, prices its low-order merchandise quite fairly for a market its size. And for a market so remote! Minus a bakery, coffeehouse, pharmacy, and mini-bank branch, it's as practical and utilitarian as any IGA-affiliated market in your big city. Yet, if you still wanna know, YES...you, too, can shop there! The lush, green produce department features many locally-grown items. There's plenty of probiotic drinks and non-GMO snacks. Their meat market puts my own city's natural foods co-op to shame!
To be sure, this market is much better than you'd ever expect in such a remote location. Even if it were on I-5, it'd be your best bet between Ashland and Redding. Yes, I highly recommend it. And, if you knew the circumstances behind that particular timber sale (it's mostly burnt wood that's attracting insects harmful to healthy trees nearby), you'd likely be convinced that it's the right forestry decision, too, so go ahead and shop with a clear conscience! And don't resist the chocolates at the checkstand, homemade by some local lady. It's just the perk-up you need for the windy roads ahead of you.
