I needed a little break from the office last Friday so took some time and visited a new City Market vendor in Kansas City, Kansas. After a very short drive down I-35 and 18th street I pulled into Michael's driveway and into a beautiful garden. Unlike many of the vendors selling plants at the Market, Michael raises everything in flower beds that are attached by a meandering grass path that covers his two acre yard. Although Adair Gardens consist mostly of various types of hostas and ferns I was surprised to see groupings of bamboo and assorted grasses as well. Michael is a new vendor this season and will be located in pavilion two stall 59 on Sunday. He will be moving around the Market on Saturday's so feel free to stop at the yellow information booth for Michael's location.
I packed up the truck a little earlier than usual on Thursday since I knew I had a long drive ahead of me. My first stop was three hours from Kansas City in Stover, Missouri. Stover is a very beautiful area just south of highway 52. Robert Lorance, or the cucumber guy as he is known at the Market, sells European cumbers mid May through October. Robert was not at home when I dropped by so the pictures will not show you what a great operation he has. As the plants grow Robert ties the vines up so that the cucumbers grow long and straight. After harvesting the cucumbers he takes them to a small shed where he wraps each one. He is located in pavilion 3 stall 140.
Next stop leads me down highway "T", 52 and highway 'CC" to California Missouri and Woodland Acres Plants and Produce. Jim and Rosann have done so much work since my last visit that I hardly recognised their farm. They have added two very nice greenhouses, a retaining wall and a gravel parking lot for a total of five greenhouses. They hope to have a retail location on their property by next season. Rosann took time to show me all the changes and how they heat the greenhouses in the winter months. They start the winter by using one greenhouse and slowly move into a second as plant starts are ready to be re-potted. Jim was busy watering flowers which is a never ending task.Timothy was working on organizing the greenhouse to get ready to load the trailer for Saturday's market while Kristopher worked on transplanting flowers into hanging baskets. The Ramer family have already started coming to the market this season. Look for them is pavilion 1 stalls 32-35.
Thankfully Rosann knew a short cut to get to Mark Zimmerman's farm which helped to keep me from backtracking. Mark has been coming to the Market off and on for a few years, he has quit a big operation. In addition taking produce to the action Mark also has a roadside stand next to his house, which as you can imagine keeps them very busy this time of year. When I pulled up they were busy waiting on three other customers so told me to feel free to walk through the greenhouses. They have four greenhouse one of which was full of tomatoes, a few where ready to pick. Mark had already planted tomatoes in the fields and covered them with plastic to protect them from any late frost. I think I startled his daughter when I came in the greenhouse, she was busy re-potting bedding plants, I guess the pony tied up by the door did not give me away.
I couldn't believe how fast the day was going and I still had three more farms to check. Next stop Otterville, just off highway 135. Although I knew there would not be much to see in the way of produce at Mee Vang Lo's farm I thought I would stop by since I was in the area. Mee has just applied to be a waiting list vendor this season. Once they get everything planted they will be bringing herbs, greens, squash, eggplant, cucumbers and I am sure a few more items to the Market. At the time of my visit they had just gotten their fields plowed and marked where each item will be planted.
My next stop only took me a few minutes to find. I just had to head north down "O" highway. After crossing the Katie Trail twice I pulled up to Merle Shrock's home. If you were at the market last Saturday you would remember Merle, he was the only vendor with homegrown local strawberries. He will be back again this weekend probably in his contracted stalls 125 & 125 in pavilion 3. I waited till Merle suggested I pick a few strawberries to try, they were delicious. It was such a treat to eat a strawberry that had flavor and was actually juicy. As I munched on berries we walked through the greenhouses where he has 1600 plus tomato plants, green beans, cucumbers which are struggling a bit and lots of strawberries. I then took a look at a trailer that Merle had been working on so he would be able to comply with the Kansas City Health Code for selling fresh eggs at the market. Each vendor must have a permit and a refrigerator on their truck. Merle will have eggs available this weekend.
My last stop takes me west on I-70 to Higginsville. Higginsville is the location of Peacock farm owned and operated by Betty Mendenhall and her husband Kenneth. Betty's farm has been in their family since 1868. Kenneth was just coming in from planting corn when I arrived, Betty was in town where she works during tax season. since Kenneth was obviously busy I showed myself around. The back fields were plowed and ready to plant. Betty has two small green houses which had a few herbs and plants to bring to the market. The Mendenhalls are very lucky to also have a small cooler on their property for cooling off vegetables once they are picked. Betty will be at the market this Saturday for the first time this season.
I have had a great day but I am ready to head back to the city. Next week I will be heading up by the Iowa line to check a new dairy.
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