The End of the 2010 Market

Heavy sigh.  It is done.  The steady collecting of beans, tomatoes, lettuce, and blackberries.  The digging of French fingerling, Carola gold and Dark red potatoes.  The picking and shelling of delicious yellow popcorn.  The extracting of fall honey.  The peeling, slicing, drying and grinding of stiff neck garlic powder.  It is all completed now. 

Early summer found me weeding and planting.  But mostly picking scrumptious blueberries.  Our first blueberry picking summer ended in about 500 pounds of blueberries.  And believe it or not, not a one is found in my freezer.  (That will change next year!)

I moved markets this year.  I drove across the river (Mississippi) to the big farmers market.  There are over 200 vendors there compared to about 15-20 (on a good day) at my previous market.  It was a good decision.  I met some wonderful folks.  Clarence and Barb next to me on the right.  Sarah who sold cut flowers in glass vases, Mike and Jayne across the aisle who sold creative jams and jellies, hosta plants and biscotti.  The wine folks - Steve and Cindy.  And a fellow beekeeper who also sells pickles - Phil. Great folks and now some great friends.

It's almost time to rest.  Mowing, spreading of horse and chicken manure, and fence taking-downing. (I don't believe that is a word but it works.)  One more final look at the bees and a last feed of old honey.  The garlic has been planted (1000 cloves!) and tucked in under 6 inches of dried seedless, marsh grass.  The strawberries need a couple more hard freezes and they too shall be tucked under some grass.

It's been a great summer.  Soon I will share my lessons learned and hopes for next year.

Raining (Again)

Everywhere I look water seems to be accumulating.  It is raining again.  Still.  And more is forecasted.  Typically a farmer appreciates rain... longs for it.  It is the sustaining hydration for the growing plants.  But much like any powerful asset, too much can bring damage.  Only a few of the blueberries are threatened.  But the corn and beans are soaked.  The grass in their respective rows is the only plant that thrives in this environment.  And because the fields are wet and waterlogged, I can not rescue the young plants.  The grass will grow and impair the strength of the crop.  The rain will make for a lot of difficult weeding in future days.

Saturday's market started precariously.  I left our small farm at 6:30.  The western sky was deep gray and there were rumbles in the distance.  "Oh, no." I thought.  I momentarily dreamed of jumping back into bed and sleeping the morning.  But there were thirty five pints of just picked blueberries and 8 quarts of the last of the strawberries in the vehicle.  I had to sell the fresh fruit.  It would not keep until the next market on Wednesday.  And my hard working and supportive husband had worked hard at preparing more smoking chips and chunks.  Although they would keep until the next market I was reluctant to stay home and not try to sell them.

So off I went to the market.  At 6:50 when I pulled up to my spot, the rain had just started.  With the help of my neighborly vendor I got my canopy up, weighted and secured with tie-down straps to the back wheels of my SUV.  Then I held on.... The wind blew.  The rain came down in torrents.  And the lightening and thunder filled the river front sky with adventure.  Well.... perhaps adventure is not the right word.  Frankly, I was a bit scared.  Standing under a canopy.... even a weighted down and secured canopy.... holding on to aluminum structures.... and watching a storm pass overhead was a bit unnerving.  I love watching storms.... not being in them.  But the worst of the storm was done in 30 minutes and I was able to set up my tables.  Blueberries, strawberries, mulberries, just harvested spring honey, bizarre looking garlic scapes, geraniums, wave petunias, and apple and hickory smoking chips and chunks filled my table.  And as the wind and rains dissipated, the kind brave folks came out.  Eventually I sold out of the fruit.  The honey and chips sold well throughout the day.  And I only went home with about 100 garlic scapes.  (I took about 500). 

One hour into the market I realized that I had forgotten my beautiful signs.  My always helpful farmer's husband called and volunteered to bring them to me.  "Oh, thank you!" I thought.  He had not been to this market before and I had hoped he would get a chance to see how wonderful it was.  So it was with a grateful and happy heart I saw him and my daughter coming down the aisle about 30 minutes later.  And the best part was that they stayed!  It was great to have them there.  I loved hearing him describe what a garlic scape was and how to use it.  And folks listened attentively.  Perhaps a guy with a Saturday morning beard dressed in a short sleeve shirt and pants led credibility to the message.  But folks listened and bought those scapes.  And he even sold the $25 honey bucket.  It sure was great having him there.

So today, Monday it rains again.  The children and I will have to be indoors.  But there is plenty to do.  Perhaps I'll even get that kitchen floor washed.....

Today's Journey Joy - pitter-pattering of rain

Still more plantings...

In March I started some various types of pepper (cayenne, Hungarian hot peppers, red, yellow and green bell peppers) and tomatoes (yellow, gold, and red cherry and grape tomatoes). Unfortunately my labeling system was faulty. I had cleverly hot glued the paper label to toothpicks and placed them in their respective rows. But, as you have already surmised, the paper fell off and disintegrated over the two months in my basement growing center. So hopefully I will "discover" which type of pepper and tomato I planted as they mature. Oops. Next year I will use used plastic milk jugs and cut some label markers. Permanent marker should do the trick.

I finished planting the Diamond and Alibi cucumbers next to the trellis where I had planted the burpless ones last week. I also got the beets, edamame soybeans (not for me.... a friend requested some), turnips (or were those parsnips?), small red sunflowers, yellow bush beans, and the second planting of sweet corn (10,000 more seeds). Today I hope to weed my three rows of blueberries, finish weeding the garlic, plant the spaghetti squash and some of the pumpkins. I also need to clear out the basement of the leftover flowers and prepare for honey harvest next weekend. Probably too ambitious.

Last Saturday I went to a different Farmers Market. People have commented over and over again that I should go to this particular market.... but I have been reluctant. It is huge (a good thing - over 200 vendors!), but vendors can go to the local food distributor outlet and "resell" things. Hardly seems "local". And I certainly am. The experience was good though. Yes, there were vendors who were selling melons, sweet corn, garlic, squash, and other non-seasonal items... but I can't tell you how many times people asked me, "Did you grow this?" "Where are you from?" So the local thing is important to some people at least. So I will be back. As I get more and more produce I hope to sell out every market day... or at least close. My wonderful husband will go to the other market when blueberries and sweet corn are ripe. Since we've paid for the other market already.... that way we can hopefully capture the local area. (Wow, this sounds very business - like).

The experiment of selling flowers was a failure. Didn't even break even. A good learning experience though. I've already made plans to change. For next year's spring markets I will sell popcorn and dried beans. Those are two items that I can take home and store if they do not sell. Perhaps I will plant some asparagus and some radishes and green onions as well. And maybe just a few flowers....

Time for a few more plantings....

Today's Journey Joy - learning

The Market is Finished

Today was the final day of our Great Pumpkin Sale. Yesterday, was the final day of the Farmer's market. Our first year is finished. Strange.... how when I was packing up the tables, canopy, baskets, buckets, signs, table cloths, and left over produce.... strange...odd... and amazing...were my thoughts. So glad to be done. I am tired and am looking forward to one day a week sleeping until 7:00. But I will miss my many new friends. Friends from the market. Vendors as well as customers.

There's Ray, next to me on my left. He sells hand made birdhouse, feeders, tables, and other wooden crafts. He told me he was 84. He is the nicest gentleman. Always encouraging. Always helpful. And always kind. He even brought me coffee!

Sara was on my right. She too is very nice. She sells beef, pork and lamb. She and her daughter would pull right up, put their table out, don some beautifully made aprons and enjoy the day. They would always man my table when I had to be away (you know, nature calls sometimes! Especially if you are drinking coffee).

I can't tell you enough about the people I met. There's Nancy, Ann, the tomato man, the lady whom I introduced to summer squash and garlic and who would come every week, the young lady with her beautiful daughter who would buy from me because I didn't spray artificial stuff on my vegetables. So many. Wonderful faces. Wonderful smiles. Wonderful people.

The pumpkin sale at the farm was a great success. Not just because we sold about 200 pumpkins. More importantly we met our neighbors. Sure, we know our immediate neighbors. But those down or up the road? No. We see them drive by. Now, when they drive by they smile and wave. I have thoroughly enjoyed meeting these folks. One couple in particular have touched my heart. Mark and Gina. They live down the road. They are special people with special hearts. Warm, open, loving. Neat people. I hope to get to know them more.

I am still thinking about the lessons I have learned this year. Perhaps I will share it. But mostly I am left with a gladness and thankfulness. It was a lot of work, a lot of joy, a lot of time. But it was good.

I still need to harvest the rest of the popcorn and sunflowers. Then it's time to clean the gardens, mow the weeds, and till the leaves in. I will plant 500 cloves of garlic and mulch them. So the work isn't over yet. But there is an end in sight.

Today's Journey Joy: Completion