Fall is officially here. And though we still have quite a
bit of 
summer produce, the market has looked like fall for several weeks and
gets more fallish every week. For example, we’re expecting lots of big
beautiful mums and fall plants this Saturday, and a fabulous selection of
pumpkins. We even had yellow pumpkins last week. And Allphin Family Orchard
will have apples at the market on Saturday!
They will have Jonagolds and Golden Delicious varieties. Apples are
considered storage crops, but fresh apples are so much better than stored ones.
Get them while you can because fall rushes past quickly.
This time of year we always wonder, when will the first hard freeze come? The average first frost date around here according to The Old Farmers Almanac is October 20. But there was a year about a decade ago when the first hard freeze was in September and plenty of times that we hadn’t had a freeze at Thanksgiving. Luckily we have so many farmers who farm under protection that that freeze will not affect us as much as it used to. Back then the market completely shut down until April once the freeze had hit. How things have changed.
In reality, I’m going to really miss knowing folks period. We’ll
be starting over on that but I have some good role models - wonderful market
volunteer Deb and her husband Gary. They moved here
several years ago and have made friends and become regular volunteers i
n many
community programs. Not only did Deb start our children’s reading program, but
she also volunteers regularly at a nursing home. Sadly both have been suspended
during the pandemic. Deb and Gary were the instructors for the parks’ pickle lessons
and they play regularly at the park with the new friends they taught. Gary was recently appointed to the park board.
I might explain that I put quotes around “mother-in-law” because there will be a father-in-law too. In any case, it looks like it will be summer before we’ll be officially moved so I get to decorate for Christmas this year. The streetcar is particularly fun because it is small and easy to fill with glittering balls, bows, and garland. I need to train some others for next year, so if you’d like to be part of the fun, give me a call and we’ll decorate together.
An even more immediate project is Saturday morning meals.
The
market will be taking care of breakfast for the public starting October 3. It’s
going to be pancakes that day. We’re thinking about having a rotating menu, for
example, pancakes the first Saturday of the month, followed perhaps by a
breakfast casserole the next Saturday, and a breakfast burrito after that and
so forth. We’ll see how it goes. It will be packed hot to-go so folks can eat
it at the market if the weather is nice or take it home to enjoy if it is cold.
We are also planning to start the Free Kids Meal back up on October 3 with a
hot to-go breakfast that mirrors the public meal with a brown bag lunch. We
could use a couple of volunteers each week so, again, let me know if you’d like
to help. Call or text me at 417 483-8139.
This Saturday will be our last Cooking for a Cause of the year. The Webb City High School Band Boosters will be serving scrambled eggs, sausage, biscuit and gravy, hashbrown casserole, and a choice of juice or coffee for $6 from 8:30 to 11. David Loving will be on the market stage.
Tuesday will be our last pick up day for the online store. We’re suspending it for now but should demand ramp up again or COVID issues get dire, we can leap back online with a very short notice. Right now it seems like 99.9 % of our customers are comfortable shopping in the pavilion which is wonderful. Farmers markets are all about community and even with many of us wearing masks and social distancing that feeling of community is strong at our market. So if it’s chilly, bring a jacket. It may be cool at the market, but the welcome is warm.
See you at the market!
