Today I thought it would be nice not to drive quite so far so I stayed in the south Kansas City and Bonner Springs area.

I made an appointment with Anna Sajovic, a new artist crafter vendor who makes unique items out of vintage album covers. Anna recently moved into a new home and had a really nice work area in her basement. The walls were lined with old vinyl albums, card stock and other equipment needed for binding and cutting stationary. Anna has been in business since 2013 selling her items at various arts and craft shows. She uses vintage album covers to make note pads, clocks, journals, memory books, luggage tags, book marks and tote bags. They are very cool and can even be special ordered. Anna will be selling at the Sunday market throughout the year when she is not booked at another craft show. For a look at what she will be selling visit her web site at www.annasaspirations.com/albumworks

Once I was able to maneuver through all the crazy construction on 435 I arrived in Bonner Springs at Walt and Karlon Sephen’s home. The Stephens bring a great assortment of items to the Saturday and Sunday farmers Market. Walt is a bee keeper and has hives at his home and on other farms in the area. Walt showed me a few of these other locations, he drives a large loop checking on the hive throughout the summer. In the late fall Walt loads up all the bees and transports them to Texas for the winter. He has found he does not loose as many bees during the winter when he does this; it is well worth the effort. If you have bees it helps to have fruit trees and Walt has a great assortment of peaches, plums, nectarines and apples which he also sells at the Market. Karlon Stephens makes soaps and lip balms from the honey and honeycomb they collect from the hives. She also makes homemade sauerkraut which was fermenting in crocks on the counter. All the cabbage they use is from Debbie Crum’s farm and is pesticide free.  You will find Stephens Orchard and Apiary in stalls 141-142 on Saturdays and 67-68 on Sundays.

After jumping on 435 again I turned off on Holiday drive and arrived at the property that Randy Tillery farms. I found Randy resting under a shade tree after spending the morning replanting hundreds of pepper plants. As we walked through his fields Randy pointed out all the varieties he had planted and the struggles each has had this spring. Although we have had a wet spring his fields were bone dry now and he was in dire need of rain. Randy’s fields always look good when I visit and today was no exception. Tillery Farms first day back at the Market will be tomorrow and you will find them in stall 46 and 47. They will start back on Sundays once their crops start really coming in, they will be in the same location.

I wont be visiting any vendors for the next two weeks since it is a holiday and I also took a little time off.

A couple weeks ago I visited Washington Creek Lavender in Lawrence, KS, they were closed due to

flooding so I couldn't see the lavender. Jack sent me photos of everything in full bloom, darn I missed it.

The rain last night and this morning flooded some of the the vendors farms who come to the City Market. What a struggle the weather can cause.