Farm Visits August 18, 2011

What a beautiful day to head out across the “Flint Hills” of eastern Kansas. For those who have never driven from Kansas City to Manhattan, Kansas you are missing some beautiful country. I stopped at a scenic viewing area just before I reached Manhattan to take some pictures, I am sure they do not do the view justice.

First stop today is at the farm belonging to Barbra Flores. Barbra’s farm has been in her family since 1930 and a fourth generation is now attending the market. Barbra probably farms the most acreage of any of the vendors currently at the market. With the help of her family Barbra farms approximately 300 acres just outside of Manhattan. When I arrived Barbra was just getting ready to leave so I was only able to chat with her for a moment. Since I have been to the farm a few times I just showed myself around. The first field contained long rows of watermelons, cantaloupe, egg plant, tomatoes, corn and assorted peppers. Barbra told me they had just dug up onions earlier that morning. Since Flores Farm is so large they do have employees who were busy sorting large bins of melons to take to some area grocery stores. In addition to this large field, they also farm another section of land about a mile away. In this field Barbra has more melons planted, sweet potatoes and squash. The rows seemed to go on forever. I had to look for the melons under the mass of vines but the plants were loaded. Barbra’s stalls 72-74 are located in shed 2 on both Saturday and Sunday. In addition to produce Flores Farm also sells live chickens, ducks and goats at the exit to the market from 6 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. most Saturdays.

I will only be visiting two farms today since the first stop was 120 miles from the market. Since it is on my way home I will stop by Thane Palmberg’s Farm. Like Barbra, Thanes wife’s family has been coming to the City Market since 1932 and occupying the same stalls 18, 19, 20 & 21. Thane had just left to do some deliveries so I did not get to walk his entire property. Thane falls under the Farmer 100% Grower category, which means he only sells the produce that he grows. Many of the markets vendors supplement some of the produce they bring to the market. It has to be within our 500 mile radius and cannot be more that 50% of the produce they are bringing to the market that day. I am sorry I missed Thane; I will have to visit another time.

Next week I might visit a couple of the crafters that sell at the market.