Once again I am visiting a couple new vendors who will be selling at the Sunday Market this fall and winter. As I head towards Sedalia I was so surprised to see that some of the trees were starting to turn and the field corn was turning brown, fall will be here before we know it.

My first stop today is in Otterville, Missouri which is just east of Sedalia. I am so glad the state fair is over or the traffic would have been a mess. Allison and her husband Kyle live on a 15 acre farm and Kyle’s family has an additional 205 acres which they also use. All the produce is grown on the 15 acres where they live and much of what they had planted this summer is starting to finish up for the year but they still have enough to bring to market. I was so surprised that they had strawberries still producing; this variety is called Everbearing and produces berries all summer. Kyle had recently planted more lettuce and beets and was harvesting cantaloupe, watermelons, green beans, pumpkins, tomatoes, zucchini and winter squash. In addition to growing produce Kyle also raises beef and chickens on the 205 acres his family owns and pigs on his farm. Kyle currently had 1000 chickens used for laying that live in a movable chicken coop which is relocated from field to field after the cattle have used the pasture for feeding. He also has 250 baby chickens and 200 meat chickens which will eventually be processed and sold at the market. As with all the meat sold at the City Market it will be processed in a state or USDA inspected facility and the vendor will also be inspected by the health department while at the market. Kyle recently purchased 9 feeder pigs which he will bring to the market later on. All the chickens the Rupe family raises are fed non GMO feed. Allison Rupe will be the face you see at the Market, she also sells at the Sedalia Farmers Market during the week and the Lees Summit Farmers Market on Saturdays. 

Since the Rupe’s live 2 hours from the City Market I will only have time for one more stop today in Holden, Missouri. I was really looking forward to visiting with Janet Smith the owner of Borgman’s Dairy since she has a very unique product she will be bringing to the City Market. Borgaman’s Dairy is a goat milk dairy which is very exciting since customers are always looking for goat milk. The milk is pasteurized which is the only way a vendor could sell it in Kansas City. In addition to milk Janet produces cajeta, a goat milk caramel sauce which is cooked over very high heat while being constantly stirred for hours, I can’t wait to try it. Another unique product Janet makes is goat cheese cheesecake which is made in a jar so you can eat a little, seal it up and put it back in the refrigerator. I am afraid I might keep eating it, I could be in trouble! Borgman’s Dairy will start coming to the Market on Sunday, September 20^th and on Saturdays in the fall and winter. I almost forgot to mention that Janet brought home two blue ribbons from this year’s Missouri State Fair. For more information visit her web site at www.borgmansdairyfarm.com