After taking a couple weeks off from farm visits I thought I better hit the road today, the season will be over before I know it.

I always try to get to Comanche Acers iris Garden in May to see the irises in full bloom. This year I never made it since it seemed to be raining everyday in May. I found Jim Hedgecock out in the fields with a helper mowing and digging up iris bulbs. I think they were both happy for a reason to take a break. Jim sells mainly iris bulbs at the City Market starting about mid June. Jim is in the Farmer with Local Supplement category so in addition to selling iris bulbs he also sells produce that he purchases from the North Missouri Produce Auction in Jamesport, Missouri. All produce sold at this auction must be harvested within a 100 mile radius of the auction, which meets the City Markets requirement of a 500 mile radius of Kansas City. They accept produce from large commercial grower as well as backyard gardeners. The North Missouri Produce Auction is open the end of March through October and is open to the public. (32643 State Hwy F, Jamesport, MO 64648) Vendors in the Farmer w/ Local Supplement category are required to post the farm name and city and state where the supplemented produce has been harvested. Jim also had about 70 tomato plants which were covered in green tomatoes; Jim should be bringing his tomatoes to the Market in a couple of weeks. When apples are in season, Jim will purchase apples from Rasc Orchard in Lexington, MO. He must continue to have at least 50% of the items he brings to the City Market be his own. You will find Comanche Acres Iris Garden in the 1^st farmer shed located on the south side of the Market in stall 30 and 31. For additional information visit his web site at www.comancheacresiris.com

I decided to head back towards Kansas City and visit Juniper Gardens located in Kansas City, Kansas. The Market has three vendors who are part of New Roots for Refugees, a wonderful program sponsored by Catholic Charities. (www.catholiccharitieskc.org) They help families get a new start through farming. They are given ¼ of an acre to farm and have access to a really nice facility that has a large walk in cooler for cooling down the vegetables once they are harvested, a large washing stating where the vegetables can be washed prior to bringing to the Market and a greenhouse where plants can be started early in the season. Each plot is sectioned off and the name of the person farming that section is posted which makes it very easy for me when I visit.

I never tell vendors when I am coming to visit so Mee Nge, Ha Li Mar and Sa Je Dar were not at the farm. I walked through each plot making note of the product being raised and what is ready to harvest for Market. The ladies farming here are also very lucky since they have access to water. Even though we have had a lot of rain it doesn’t take long for things to dry out in this heat and wind. The weeds also like this hot weather and have started to really takeoff, sometimes weeds can help to shade the vegetables and keep them from getting sunburned, so weeds are not always a bad thing.

Mee Nge is a Sunday contracted vendor and sells at the Market every Sunday in the middle farmers shed in stalls   63 & 64.

Ha Li Mar is also a contracted Sunday vendors who sells every Sunday her location changes every Sunday in search of a shady space.

Sa Je Dar is contracted as well selling in stall 84 the middle farmer shed.

Next Thursday will be a very long early day; I am heading west into Kansas. The first farm I will visit is 200 plus miles from Kansas City. I will defiantly be packing lots of water and snacks.