What a beautiful day to be out and about. Today Nathan, our City Market intern, went with me to the farms. The company is always welcomed and he takes better notes than I do. We did not travel very far today but were able to visit six farms. Although the City Market allows vendors to farm within a 500 mile radius, many of the Markets vendors live in areas surrounding Kansas City.

Our first stop is at Huns Garden in Kansas City, Kansas. Chaxchamone Lor has taken over running the farm since Pov’s new job does not allow him much time to farm. Walking through their fields I get the feeling that Chaxcamone enjoys growing flowers for bouquets much more than produce. The zinnias were beautiful and planted by color so each row was different. Most vendors buy their seeds mixed so the fields are variegated. She also had rows of cosmos and sunflowers. In addition to growing flowers Chaxcamone also grows Thai peppers, bell peppers, parsley, eggplant, carrots, watermelons, basil and tomatoes. They also had some melons growing but I was not exactly sure what kind they were, I will have to ask when I see them on Saturday. Huns Garden is at the Market every Saturday in stalls 75, 76, 77 and on Sundays in stalls 77 and 78. www.hunsgarden.com

About 10 minutes later we arrive at Randy Tillery’s farm. Randy farms a large section of land off 435 on the Kansas side. We found Randy out in the fields on his tractor and Marsha cleaning produce under a shade tree. The one thing Nathan and I will remember from this visit is the mosquitoes. Oh my, I thought they were going to carry Nathan away. They were large and weren’t really effected by bug repellent. Randy said they were picking water melons the night before and went through two bottles of bug repellent. Needless to say we walked threw his fields very quickly. Randy always has wonderful watermelons so decided to add a later crop to carry him into September but the deer seem to be getting to them first.  They had a great selection of assorted colored bell peppers. The weeds are starting to win the battle in the pepper field, the up side, the weeds help to protect the peppers from getting sun burned. As we raced through the fields swatting off mosquitoes we saw rows of summer squash, green beans, eggplant, corn, cabbage, okra, onions, melons and sweet potatoes. You will find Tillery farms at the Market every Saturday June through the first heavy frost in stalls 46 and 47.Randy also has been selling at the Market on Sundays in the same stalls.

Unfortunately the mosquitos followed us into the truck so we spent the next few miles swatting them. The cars behind us probably wondered what was going on. We headed north on 435 to 45 highway. The Market has four vendors who farm along 45 highway in Parkville, Farley and Platt City. We decided to go to Platt City first and visit the Oberdiek’s. Zachery Oberdiek sells at the Sunday Market in stall 84. They also sell at the Parkville farmers market on Saturdays. We found Zachery and his dad Gary just coming in from the tobacco fields. The Oberdiek’s farm 1000 acres, mainly in corn, soybeans and tobacco. The crops they grow for market are sweet corn, watermelons, summer squash and greenhouse tomatoes. I visited the greenhouse in the early spring when Zachery was bringing early tomatoes to the Market. His green house is very impressive. He has since replanted the tomatoes so should have tomatoes into late fall and early winter. Remember the City Market is open year round so vendors try to do new things that will extend their growing season. www.riversedgeproduce.com

A few minutes down the road and we arrive at Lloyd and Addie Horns. Addie sells wonderful homemade baked items at the Market every Saturday in stall 128. She has a really nice licensed kitchen on the side of their home. My husband and I are hooked on her little fruit pies. Addie also sells cookies, tarts and cinnamon rolls. It seems like I catch Lloyd napping every time I visit his farm. Many of the vendors work in the fields early in the morning and again in the evening when it is a little cooler. Lloyd walked with Nathan and I through the fields, he has row after row of various types of tomatoes. My favorite variety is the Juliet tomato which is bigger than a cherry tomato and smaller than a Roma, they are wonderful. Lloyd also grows okra, peppers, potatoes, sweet onions and red onions. He has started preparing the ground to replant his late summer/fall crops. Dry Lake Farm is at the Market on Saturdays through the first heavy frost located in shed three in stalls 125-128.

I could get use to these short little drives, about two miles down the road and we arrive at Michael Pearls garden. The weeds were defiantly winning the battle at this farm; it was a little hard to see what was what. The okra plants were huge and the okra was very large so very tuff. The water melons did look really good as did the eggplant. Michel also was growing tomatoes, zucchini, green beans and yellow squash. Michael is a Sunday vendor who would be in stall 15 but he has not yet made it to the Market this year.

Last stop for the day is at Floyd and Mike McFarland’s located at 45 highway and 435 in Parkville, Missouri. Floyd has been a vendor for many years and started coming to the City Market with his family when he was just a child. He now farms his land with his son Mike. Floyd drove us around his fields; he said his legs needed a rest. The fields were full of a variety of tomatoes. I bought yellow cherry tomato from Floyd last week and they were like eating candy. Floyd and Mike also grow assorted peppers, onions, cabbage, cucumbers and squash. The McFarland’s are at the Market every Saturday April through the first heavy frost. You will find them in shed one in stalls 0-2.

Next Thursday I will be heading north to Nebraska to visit a dairy farm where they make Jisa Cheese. This should be a fun day and a really nice drive.