The beginning of August, I can’t believe how fast the season is going and I still have quite a few farms to check. Today I went to four farms and traveled 158 miles.

I was in the St. Joe area about a month ago but did not get a chance to visit the Messners at Natures Choice and since I am in the area I will also stop by Goode Acres in Wathena, KS. I visited John Goode the last time I was in the area but I sometimes visit the farms of vendors in the supplement category more than once a year. When I arrived John and his wife Stacey were busy working picking blackberries. They had gotten a little rain early in the morning but everything had already dried up, luckily some of the farm has drip lines supplied with rural water. John walked me through the farm showing me what was ready to harvest for Saturdays market. Since John roasts and sells peppers at the market he raises about 9 different varieties. Such as banana peppers, cayenne, jalapenos, Hungarian, Anaheim, red, yellow and green bell peppers; he grows most of these in the field and one row in his tunnel. John currently has three tunnels but has just been approved for a fourth which he should get in the fall. They are currently picking tomatoes from one of the tunnels which is full of various varieties including Cherokee purples which are heirloom tomatoes and scarlet reds. His plants look very nice and are producing very well. If you follow my blog you might remember that John had a bug issue with his cucumbers the last time I visited but they have still been producing a small amount of cucumbers, of course nothing like a healthy plant would produce. John has planted one more row of cucumbers in the tunnel but they have not quite started to produce yet. In his field surrounding the tunnels John had various varieties of eggplant ready to pick, he has about 100 plants in this area. The most unique variety is Turkish orange eggplant. Eggplant is one of the crops that do well in the heat. He also has onions, garlic, basil, rosemary, French sorrel, dill, Italian basil, rainbow chard and lavender. John replanted green beans 15 days ago and hopes to have beans to pick in about 30 days. John has melons and squash planted but they are not producing yet. John like many of the vendors at the City Market are in the Farmer w/ Local Supplement category. This means these vendors are allowed to supplement 50% of the produce they bring to the market each day but they must grow at least 50% of the produce and the supplemented produce must come from within 500 miles of the market. Some vendors get produce from a neighbor, a local orchard or from one of the Amish owned auctions in the state. Most of the produce from the auctions must come from within 100 miles of the auction. John, like many of the vendors gets his supplemented produce from the Jamesport, Mo auction which is quality local produce. All of John’s watermelons and cantaloupe come from the auction.

My next stop is at Fred and Helen Messners Farm, Natures Choice. I have been anxious to visit them this summer to see the new solar panels they have had installed. The panels provide electricity to their home and greenhouses. Fred’s son Andrea greeted me when I arrived and gave me a quick tour of the farm. When I pulled up he was on the way out to the field to help Fred dig potatoes. I was amazed at how many tomato plants they had and how many tomatoes were on each plant. Something apparently got into their squash crop so all the squash was going to get picked later that day, the vines looked terrible.. Andrea showed me their rows of orange and purple carrots which he thinks they will continue to bring to the market for another three weeks. On the way out to the potato field we passed a beautiful apple tree just full of no spray apples, I had to stop and take a picture. Fred was busy driving the tractor through the potato field to dig up the potatoes. Andrea will then go through the field picking up the unearthed potatoes. Fred told me if they don’t get them picked up quickly the skins will get sunburned. Their greenhouses are pretty much finished for the season so the produce they are bringing to the Market is coming from the fields. Fred has planted 1.3 acres of blackberries since I visited them last year, they should start producing next year. Nature’s Choice is located in shed 1 stalls 12-14 and is in the farmer 100% category.

So far the trip has been going pretty smoothly till I head to Lloyd Horn’s farm only to discover a bridge is out. I have to turn around and backtrack another 30 minutes to come in on the other end of 45 highway so I decide to stop by Floyd McFarland’s first. Floyd was out in the field as he always is when I stop by. Floyd drove me through his fields showing me which crops are finished due to the lack of water and extreme heat. His cucumber and summer squash are done; the egg plant is very short but still producing. Floyd told me his pepper plants are full of peppers but they are just getting burnt before they get to size. He has a second planting of tomatoes that won’t set, the flowers just bloom and drop off. If we get a couple inches of rain they should start producing. The okra and cabbage looked good. McFarland plant farm is located in shed 1 stalls 0-2 and has two stalls in the farmer 100% category and one stall in the farmer with local supplement category.

Finally I make it to Lloyd and Addie Horn’s farm. Dry Lake Farm is in Farley, Mo along the Missouri river. Last year Lloyd was battling flooding this year it is a drought. They usually have a pond that is located behind their house; it is totally empty and dry. Lloyd has an abundance of tomatoes which are producing quite heavily. His okra, cabbage, onions and potatoes also look good. Lloyd grows the best variety of small tomatoes, I can never remember the name but they are always the first thing on my Saturday shopping list. In addition to produce one of Lloyds stalls is filled with Addie’s wonderful pies and cookies. Her licensed kitchen is top notch and always very clean and orderly. I always have kitchen envy when I leave. The Horns are located in shed 3 in stalls 126-128 every Saturday.

I was hoping the heat would break before I head out again next week but no such luck!