The blueberries and blackberries are in! And it looks like we’re going to have a good
harvest. They first came in abundance to the market yesterday and the customers
flocked to get their first sweet taste. Blueberry season will probably end
about July 10 and blackberry about July 15 so don’t miss these first wonderful
fruits of summer.
Robertson Family Farm and Braker Berry Farm
both had a crowd wanting berries but the biggest crowd was north of the kids’
tent where the Police Department was fingerprinting kids. My, the two officers
had a line for three solid hours. Of course, it’s smart to have your child’s
fingerprint in case of unthinkable emergency but we hope they end up just being
fun scrapbook items. The police give the only card made to the parent. And
there were lots of parents and kids taking advantage of the opportunity.
We had almost 170 kids enjoy a supper of beef
and cheese nachos with carrots and a tomato and cucumber salad. Tomorrow the
kids will have Sloppy Joes. We haven’t decided on the veggie sides yet. That’s
the beauty of eating seasonally. Whatever is in abundance is what we’ll serve. I’m
thinking cucumber slices for sure. They are so refreshing on a warm summer day
and the kids love them. The Free Kids Meal is about as Farm to Table as you can
get, but in a casual setting rather than a fancy restaurant. That suits us all
just fine.
Kids Play! will be north of the kids’ tent. On
Thursdays MU Extension staff and our volunteers lead kids in active play after
their healthy meal.
Tomorrow, Stewart’s Bakery will serve Cheesy
Chicken Bake for $6. William Adkins will be on the market stage.
We have two sets of guests coming tomorrow. Joplin’s
Early Head Start families are gathering at the market and Charlie Davis is
bringing three fellow state legislators to have supper at the market and then
visit the market’s blackberry demonstration plot at the Mount Vernon Research
Center and our Year-Round Growing Education Center on the Yang Farm. We want
them to see the economic and social dividends at the market that are, in part,
the result of the training supported by the state and Extension. And to hear
the music supported by the Missouri Arts Council, a state agency, and see
Extension leading Kids Play! The market would not be what it is without all
those partnerships.
On Saturday, the Free Kids Meal is breakfast
casserole with a biscuit. Cooking for a Cause supports the Webb City Friends of
the Library - eggs cooked to order, biscuit and gravy, sausages, and drink for
$4.50.
The music Saturday is the fabulous Geriatrics
5. This amazing group has 300 years of professional music experience among them.
They play classic country, Western Swing, 50’s and 60’s rock and more. And what
a sense of humor! They put their tip jar on one of the member’s walker!
Meals and music run from 9 to 11.
Next Tuesday’s meals aren’t set yet. They’ll
be on the market’s web site Sunday. Remember, it’s webbcityfarmersmarket.com. I
got a call from a lady yesterday telling me our web site had the wrong days. “Are
you sure it’s our web site?” “Oh, yes, it says online.com/webbcityfarmersmarket”
That, of course, is not our web site but rather one of the dozens of web sites
that never update their information. There are a few that still list our hours and
days from our first year, 2000. Our requests that they update the information
just disappears into the vast internet cosmos. Oh, well, just plug in our
actual web site and you’ll get the latest info.
The Granny Chicks will play on Tuesday and
they are always fun.
We’re getting into that time of year when
every market has a new crop and every market just gets better and better. Oh,
we’re going to have a good time this summer!
See you at the market.
