Do you get excited about the changing seasons? I sure do. I am so ready for fall foliage and
crisp weather, just as I was so ready last March for brilliantly green grass
and the soft gentle breezes of a spring day. I guess I’m in the right line of “work”
because seasons are a big part of the farmers market.
We’re beginning to see hints of fall at the market. There are
big beautiful locally-grown mums for sale. They’re winter-hardy so you can
plant them if you want and enjoy them year after year or you can be like me and
just enjoy them for a season. Honestly there are only so many mums my courtyard
can hold.
The pumpkins are coming in too which is lucky because I have
orders from my daughter Emily for a carload. When I visit her in Indianapolis
next week I’m to bring two large mums, four large misshapen pumpkins and 10 pie
pumpkins. “Misshapen”? Yes, I asked too.
They are to be the bodies of spiders crawling down the hill in front of her
house. Apparently Emily wants creepy spiders.
Emily loves decorating for the holidays (I think Jeanne and
Stan Newby are her inspiration!). She sure landed in the right neighborhood to
enjoy Halloween. Irvington, where she lives, is celebrating its 67th
annual Halloween Festival Week this year. The festival culminates with a street
fair and costume parade that draws over 12,000 people. Emily became a homeowner
and Irvington resident last year and she decorated in a big way for Halloween. It
paid off. She won fame and glory as Irvington’s “Rookie of the Year” during the
festival. This year she’s not a rookie so she’s going to have to try harder. Maybe
I’d better take more pumpkins.
September brings the market’s annual Arts in the Park
celebration and do we ever have a good one planned this year. It takes place
tomorrow from 9 to noon under the pavilion. Breakfast benefits the Webb City
Parks.
The Wildcat Glades Conservation and Audubon Center will host a
leaf rubbing table. The trees may still be green but I’m sure we’ll find some
very colorful leaf rubbings at that table.
Spiva Center for the Arts is hosting the ever-popular Veggie
Art tables. The kids love turning veggies into aliens, bugs, cars and other
objects. And if you’re not a kid, play with us anyway. There’s no age limit at
the art tables – and there’s no charge either.
Our market artists will also be there with glass work and
jewelry.
The highlight of the day will be our music. We were fortunate
to receive a small grant from the Missouri Art Council and from Bob and Frances Nichols (yes, they would be my biggest boosters – and my parents) so we could bring in WildHeart. Also known as Jan and George Syrigos from central Missouri, WildHeart will take kids on a musical adventure through nature at 9, 10 and 11 o’clock. It’s not often we have Emmy award winners at the market so don’t miss them.
On the half-hour, we have bluegrass from the Missouri Millstone
Trio. The Trio includes Randy Corbin who has played often at the market and who
ramrods the bluegrass at the Carl Junction Bluegrass Festival. The CJ event is
a week from tomorrow and will have lots of great groups playing.
Thanks to support from MAC and my folks, the market was able to
partner with Madge T. James School to bring a performance by WildHeart to our
kindergarteners today. They’ll hear some great music and learn about nature
from two professional naturalists.
Speaking of school partnerships, you should have seen the kids
digging sweet potatoes at the Kids Garden Wednesday. It’s always a fun “treasure”
hunt, as well as a challenge to convince them not to dig the whole crop at once.
Last year I made the mistake of letting them do that. We had so many potatoes
that they couldn’t carry them home!
Today at the market the Plainsfolk play traditional music and
Granny Shaffer’s at the Market serves lunch.
Next Tuesday is our last Tuesday market of the year. William
Adkins will play and Granny Shaffer’s will serve lunch.
We’re planning ahead for the changing seasons at the market. In
October, we go to Friday and Saturday only. The Friday meal becomes a Cooking
for a Cause. My husband, Phil Richardson, will prepare the meal in the
inspected kitchen of Central United Methodist Church. He’ll do all-you-can-eat
ham and beans one week and chili the next. It will be served by volunteers and
the profits will go to non-profits chosen by the volunteers. Our first Friday
Cooking for a Cause lunch will benefit Webb City’s Bright Futures on October 4th.
Another change coming up in October will be the Saturday
breakfast which will be pancakes, ham and eggs to order. And it’s a Bright
Futures weekend because the October 5th breakfast will benefit Bright Futures
too. Want to volunteer at either meal?
Just give me a call at 483-8139.
We’re also looking for artists and artisans for our
Christkindlmarket in November and December. More on that later, but if you or a
friend makes high quality art or crafts, give me a call.
Last but not least, we still have loads of produce at the
market. There are plenty of tomatoes, green beans, cucumbers, yellow squash,
zucchini and more, plus the cool weather crops like lettuce, sweet potatoes and
winter squash. Fair Haven just made a batch of apple butter and will have it at
the market today. Now doesn’t that sound like fall? It’s coming!
