Oh,so here we are in September already. And today hit 95 degrees. And tomorrow- 82. Go figure.
A question was brought up to me last week- “Why can’t you sell at the farmers’ markets before the bell rings?” And the million dollar answer is this:
Despite what many may think we in fact do not harvest our produce the day of market. That begins the day before. Today for instance we started at 6 a.m. at the farm. Granted it was still dark out but we boxed onions in the barn and loaded the truck for harvesting with boxes, knives, twist ties, and a stockpile of coffee. We finished harvest, wash, and pack at about 5:15 p.m. and then came back to the the home farm, the crew picked tomatoes, I sorted and packed them for market, finished loading the truck for market and came in the house at 8:52. Took a shower and here I am typing at 9:30
So what does this have to do with selling at market before the bell rings? Read on.
So tomorrow I’ll be up at 4:30 (that’s when the coffee pot turns on) and we’ll leave the farm at 5:15. Three restaurant stops, then the Ashland Food CoOp, and then pull into the parking lot for market around 6:47 a.m. or so…..
Market starts at 8:30. If you haven’t noticed we treat our market setup each week as a new pallet waiting to get painted with vegetables. It’s fun, challenging, and always new and completely different, but it also takes time. When you read the list of What’s at Market count the number of veggies going out on the table. We have a little under two hours to place everything, put out the signage, eat a Pennington cookie or two, take a swig of coffee and all before the bell rings.
So from our standpoint I completely understand why we can’t sell before the bell rings- it gives all the vendors time to get set up and ready for the onslaught of our wonderfully faithful customers.
I hope this clears up any questions any of you may have…
So at market this week:
- Arugula
- Basil
- Beets
- Bok Choy
- Braising Mix
- Carrots
- Chard
- Cukes
- Edamame- Edible soybeans! Boil in salted water for 7 minutes and then eat the beans (not the pod) as a great snack or even a side dish with a meal.
- Eggplant
- Garlic
- Kale
- Leeks
- Lettuce
- Onions
- Parsley
- Shallots
- Bell Peppers
- Sweet Peppers
- Potatoes
- Salad Mix
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
- Zucchini
- Fennel
- Kohlrabi
Some pictures from around the farm:
Oh a beautiful evening…and to read your stories is also a nourishing treat from the farm. Demian, now that he is in the number ONE position, is growing too.
Thanks for the veggies (and more)
Love ya, Judie
Hey Chris
There’s another reason selling before the bill is a no-no….market insurance. Because there’s vehicles, etc in the market area during setup, it’s not too safe for customers and little ones to be loitering, and selling early just encourages them.
Your little one is looking great!