I think instead of the “Dog Days of Summer” the saying should be the “Cow Days”. I had to stop and snap this picture.

I was a little sentimental when I started today since this will be the last day I drive the old City Market truck to visit farms. The new and much improved truck should be ready by the first of next week. I have been driving this truck to farms for the last nine years and even though it is gross, beat up and missing things such as air conditioning and a radio, I feel a little sad but only a little.

Today I will be staying south of I-70 and visiting Pleasant Hill, Holden, Leeton and Warrensburg. As I reread the directions Dennis Thao gave me I realized I had been to that location a few weeks ago. It turns out that he farms the land next to Kaying Lor and her husband Cher Chee. This was the farm that had been flooded the end of May. Dennis had replanted this area twice with no luck so chose to plant a third time on higher ground about a mile up the road. This plot is small so they won’t have much to bring to the Market this year but have plans for next season to expand on the high side of the creek between two ponds so they will have access to water. They are hoping to have enough produce ready in the next couple of weeks to attend the Market on Sundays. Today they had been picking long beans and sent me home with a bag to try. I munched on a few as I drove and I think they are a little sweeter than the green beans we usually eat. In addition to long beans they have planted tomatoes, Asian sweet potato leaves, okra, onions, several varieties of beans and squash. I can’t imagine how frustrating and costly it is to have your crop destroyed. At least they aren’t giving up!

If you are regulars at the market you might have seen Jill Smith, Hartland Longhorn Beef. Jill has been a vendor for a few years and as you can guess from her business name she sells grass fed longhorn beef. I gave Jill a call before I arrived to see if she was home to show me the cattle, unfortunately she was not but explained where to look for them. I think they had much more sense than I have; they were all hanging out in the shade just chilling.  Jill is a waiting list vendor at the Market, which means she does not have a contracted stall so will usually be in a different location each Saturday. If you have trouble finding her just stop by the yellow information tent and we can point you in the right direction.

My next stop is a little off the main roads in Leeton, Mo. Don and Janette Neal, Bristle Ridge, have been vendors for the past 5 years and attend the Market every Saturday and Sunday for most of the year, even in December. When they started at the Market they were strictly selling produce but since that time have added a commercial kitchen to their property and have expanded into baked goods. This expansion gives there stalls a nice mix of products and provides them additional items to bring during the winter months. I arrived at a pretty good time, Don and a couple of local Amish young men were just getting ready to head over to the Neal’s main field located about 4 miles from their home. Don was very happy to have the extra help today since they had been pulling onions since early in the morning. Don has planted 40 thousand candied onions, which are my favorite variety. Once the onions are harvested they have to be spread out to dry before bringing them to the Market. Don walked me through the fields pointing out the rows of eggplant, banana peppers, cantaloupe, watermelon, bell peppers and assorted squash. They have pretty much picked the last of their kale, broccoli and cabbage. These items will be replanted for the fall.  I then followed Don back to their house to see the rest of their fields. This area has many of the same items as the other area but has a very unwanted guest. Something has been destroying their watermelons. Whatever it is it bores a hole in the middle of the melon and eats out the center. (See the picture below) Don thinks it might be wild turkeys, the Frye’s were having a similar problem last year and the culprits were the coyotes. The Neal’s had a plant I had not seen before which looks similar to a tomatillo but is a ground cherry. You pull off the husk and you have a small yellow cherry which is delicious and very sweet. Janette had planted them for their own use but have more than they can eat so could possible bring some to the Market. Janette showed me her new commercial kitchen which is very nice and pretty large, I think I might have lingered a little too long; I was sucking up the air conditioning. On Saturday the Neal’s are located in the third pavilion stalls 112-115 and on Sunday in Pavilion 2 stalls 57-59. 

 On my way home I thought I would stop in Warrensburg to visit Doug Miller, Prairie Schooner Produce. Doug actually built a small replica of a prairie schooner which he sells his produce from. Doug was not home when I arrived but his fields are on either side of his house so I could pretty much see everything. In addition to conventional farming Doug also uses raised beds. (Raised garden beds, also called garden boxes, are great for growing small plots of veggies and flowers. They keep pathway weeds from your garden soil, prevent soil compaction, provide good drainage and serve as a barrier to pests. The sides of the beds keep soil from being eroded or washed away during heavy rains. The beds make it possible to plant earlier in the season since the soil is warmer when it is above ground level.) Doug should be showing up at the Sunday Market in the next couple of weeks with sweet corn, tomatoes, peppers, turnips and melons. 

I have been waiting to do my longer trips once I got the new truck so hopefully next week I will head towards Columbia, Mo or maybe Manhattan, KS. The air conditioning will really be appreciated; it was a long hot dusty day today. I drove down so many dirt roads I looked like a raccoon when I took my sun glasses off.

Fresh Corn Salad

5 large ears of corn shucked                        ½ t. salt

½ c. small diced red onions                          ½ t. black pepper

3 T. cider vinegar                                         ½ c. julienne cut fresh basil leaves

3 T. extra -virgin olive oil

In a large pot of boiling water cook the corn for 3 minutes. Drain and immerse corn in ice water bath to stop the cooking and set the color. When the corn is cool, cut the kernels off the cob, cutting close to the cob. Toss the kernels in a large bowl with the red onions, vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. Just before serving, toss in the fresh basil. Serve cold or at room temperature.  Recipe makes six ½ cup servings.

Recipe provided by the University of Missouri Extension, family Nutrition Education Programs