You’re going to see a little different
layout at the market starting today. We’re trying to plan for the dreaded peach
line. The first peaches should arrive in a week or two. More on that below.
Those who remember a certain Friday in
early July of last year know there’s got to be a better way. That Friday there was a
perfect storm at the market. The peaches, the sweet corn and the field
tomatoes all arrived on the same day and we had an incredible mass of customers.
Because the line at Pate’s Orchard went north up the middle but had to curve
into their stand on the west side, folks walking south on the west side of the
market were trapped. I had to stop the peach line to let customers pass through
to the south and then bring the peach line back into Pate’s tables over and
over again. It was a mess.
So we’re experimenting with running the
line straight down the middle from the center space on the north end. The Wells
Family Farm, coming today for the first time this season, is filling that space
today as a trial run. I’m not at liberty to reveal their product (and it’s not
peaches), but there will be a line for sure. If it goes well, Pates will be
located there when the peaches arrive and the music will be moving closer to
the center of the pavilion.
Now about those peaches. Sadly the
local peach crop failed this year. The buds that produce the peaches set on in
July and August and sit on the tree all winter until the spring weather triggers
them to swell and bloom. The remarkably low temperatures of last winter killed
most of the buds and the late frost took care of the few that survived.
The market board has given our largest
orchard, Pates, permission to bring in peaches from the boot heel. They’ll be
from an orchard that John Pate knows well and that he is confident will gives
us a top quality peach. It was a hard choice for the board to make. Being
producer-only is a defining quality of our market and though many markets have
mile limits that would consider the boot heel local it won’t be producer-grown.
It will be resale and that’s just not who we are.
The board would appreciate your
feedback on the topic because the peach crop will fail again one of these days
and they’ll have to make a decision again as to whether we stay true to our
producer-only mandate and do without any peaches at all or whether we make an
exception.
For this year, however, the decision is
made. There will be a sign at the Pate’s stand that names the orchard and
location so folks know where the peaches were grown. Of course, the Pates will
also have their own tomatoes, onions, berries and other crops that they grow up
in Stockton. Just the peaches will be from outside our normal range.
That range changed this year. Since we
opened in 2000, we had set 70 miles as the crow flies as our limit. That’s been
changed to 50 miles with already established growers grandfathered in. As
manager, I have the authority to go beyond our mile limit for products that we
need. Our goat cheese, for example, comes from Fordland which is the on the
other side of Springfield.
That vendor, Terrell Creek will be at
the market today when we’re open from 11 to 2. I was there yesterday for their
annual inspection. It is such an impressive place. Well managed, lots of space,
grass, shade and water for the goats, a pristinely clean cheese making room.
Brown Moss will be playing both today
and tomorrow. It’s their first time at the market in their current combination
though they’ve played many times with us as the Green Earth Band. I promise you’ll
enjoy their funky folksy original music.
Granny Shaffers at the Market is
serving a fruit plate and chicken salad sandwiches today.
Tomorrow Cooking for a Cause benefits
the scholarship program of PEO. Their volunteers will serve farm fresh eggs
cooked to order, biscuits and gravy, sausage with sliced local tomatoes as a
side.
Market Lady Trish Reed is doing a food
preservation education extravaganza on Saturday. (We’re open from 9 to noon on
Saturday.) She’ll make fresh salsa with
market tomatoes and then show folks how to can or vacuum seal it. She’ll also
vacuum seal some fresh produce and cut herbs. We’ll also have recipes, coupons,
and drawings for Ball Jar products.
On Tuesday when we’re open from 4 to 6,
Market Lady Carolyn Smith will do a cooking dmonstration. Supper is variations
on the hot dog, Frito pie and pulled pork. The Pommerts will perform.
Don’t forget, unless you want roasted
coffee beans or goat cheese, we have pretty much everything on Tuesday as on
any other market day. It starts out a bit crowded but eases up very quickly
making it pleasant to park and shop. Of course, if you ride in on the bike
path, parking is always easy. We have a bike rack under the tree just west of
the market that doesn’t get nearly enough use. However you get to the market,
we’ll see you soon.
