I am sticking close to Kansas City today but plan to really hit the road next week and visit farms all day. My goal is to visit all the vendors in the farm category every year so if I don’t get started in April this just won’t get done. This time of year I focus on vendors selling vegetable and bedding plants, meats and early greenhouse tomatoes. 

Today I visited a new vendor from Kansas City who loves to grow tomato plants but had to really think way outside the box. Kay Kilgore does not have a greenhouse so converted one of her bedrooms into a growing room. The space has large windows, good light and she keeps the space warm. Kay grows heirloom tomato plants which she starts from seeds and then transplants into red solo cups. She currently has about 700 plants in her small space, most of which are tomato plants with a few cauliflower, broccoli and burgundy okra as well. She hopes to have plants available throughout the summer and will be setting up at the Sunday farmers market in the coming weeks. Kay also has quit a few saplings planted around her yard and hopes to pot them up and bring them to the Market in September.

I wanted to make sure I made it to Huns Garden this morning so I could get a photo of all their tulips before they start cutting them to bring to the Market this weekend. Huns garden is located in Kansas City, Kansas west of 635. The tulips were beautiful! Chaxamone told me for some reason the tulip stems were a little short this year and she wasn’t really sure why. Short or tall they will still look beautiful in a vase. I am always sad that tulips have such a short season, so you better buy them while you can. Huns Garden is located in stall 76 this Saturday, for more information visit their web site a www.hunsgarden.com

I received an email on Thursday from Buds and Berries, located in Adrian, MO, along with some photos of the storm damage from Wednesday night. I am always amazed at the damage the wind can do. This time of year is very scary for farmers. Hail can totally destroy a crop or the plastic on greenhouses and high tunnels and the right gust of wind can do this to the frame of a greenhouse. Luckily no one was hurt and Gayle Beachner expects to have strawberries at the Market by mid May if all goes well. I am keeping my fingers crossed and can’t wait to buy fresh Missouri strawberries.

Just a reminder, the City Market shops and restaurants are open year round, seven days a week. The farmer market vendors are at the Market on Saturdays 6:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. and on Sundays 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The City Market yard sale takes place every Saturday in the City Market Park and on Sundays on the east side of the Market Square.