I missed a week of farm visits due to last weekend’s Flower Power Celebration which was a busy day at the market. I am back on the road today along with Deb Churchill who is the Property Manager at the Market. Deb goes on a few visits each year and I really enjoy the company.
My first stop this morning is in Hale, Missouri, I will be visiting Joe Bryson’s farm. Joe has been a vendor at the market for many years and has stalls on both Saturday and Sunday. Today Joe was hard at work along with his son and grandson. I had expected to be walking through a lot of mud today since we got drenched in Kansas City on Wednesday night but Hale just got a few sprinkles and a lot of wind. So it was no wonder they had their sprinklers going trying to perk up some of the plants they had just transplanted. In the first green house I found rows of garlic and red radishes, the next green house was full of tomatoes which were blossoming and covered with green tomatoes. Joe has been working for a few years on getting blueberry bushes going; they looked pretty nice this year. Their red raspberries and blackberry patches needed a lot of work which I am sure is not a very fun job. Joe has installed a new green house this year which is really nice and full of a variety of lettuce. The Bryson's have plans for expanding their farm a little more next year. Currently they have 30 acres but are not farming all of it. You will find Bryson’s Farm Fresh Produce in shed one stalls 36-38 on Saturday and shed two stalls 90 & 91 on Sunday. For more information visit their web site at www.brysonsfarm.com
After getting back on highway 65 I headed north to Princeton, Mo to visit Tim and Maryanna Medford. Tim is fairly new to farming and is learning as he goes. Last year was High Point Farms first year at the market and such a success that this year they have increased what they have planted. In addition to summer and winter squash, Armenian cucumbers, oriental cucumbers, Swiss chard, kale, tomatillos, hot/sweet peppers and tomatoes Tim has added shiitake and wine cap mushrooms. The shiitakes might be ready by fall and the wine caps possibly by June. I thought it was very cool that Tim was capturing rain water to use on his plants and I loved the planting beds. The Medford family should be back to the market in a couple weeks in shed three stalls 132 & 145. For more information follow them on face book at "High Point Farms"
I want to start heading back to Kansas City so will stop in Jameson, Missouri next. I always get a little nervous when I visit Dan and Esther Hughes especially after a rain. The lane leading down to their farm is nothing like driving around the city and I never know if I will be able to get back up the hill. I found Ester busy in one of their two greenhouses getting ready for this weekend’s market. Songbird Creek Farm is located in shed two stalls 78-80 every Saturday and for the next two weeks they will be selling vegetable plants. Although they have already planted okra, cabbage, sugar snap peas, cucumbers, radishes, beets, Chinese cabbage and tomatoes (I know I am forgetting something!) they are thinking they might have a little gap before their produce is ready. As always it will depend on the weather.
After making it back up their lane I headed south on highway 13 to Kingston, Missouri. I am visiting a new vendor who would like to start coming to the market about mid June. All new vendors’ farms must be checked before they can ever sell at the market. Bruce and Linda Trammell are also fairly new to farming but seem to be off to a good start. Bruce already had 560 potatoes in and a high tunnel full of tomatoes. With the help of his wife Linda he was also able to get a variety of peppers and lettuce in as well. I got a little side tracked and had to take a picture of his beautiful horses. Watch for Tomatoes and More to be at the market soon.
Next week I plan to stay close to home and visit all of our vendors who live in Kansas City, Kansas.
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