My first stop today is located about 75 miles from the City Market in Rockville, Missouri.  Linferd and Judith Klassen, with the help of their children, operate Country Blooms Greenhouse which is located right off highway B and is open to the public Mondays through Saturdays. The Klassen’s have been coming to the Market since 2009 as non contracted vendors so their location changes week to week. This season they have really increased the number of succulents they are bringing to the Marked. Judith has put together some beautiful succulent wreaths, moss baskets and hanging baskets. I am sure I will be buying one of these very soon, they are very cool. They have also added more handmade planters which are beautifully planted with a great assortment of flowers. I have noticed that these planters really sell fast so you would want to make sure and come early. You will find Country Blooms Greenhouse at the Market every Saturday through mid-June. Since their location changes every week feel free to stop by the yellow information tent and we can point you in the right direction. For more information visit their web site at www.countrybloomsgreenhouse.com

Since we had so much rain on Wednesday I opted to stick to greenhouse visits today, I really hate getting stuck in the mud. I had a beautiful drive across highway 52 to Gardner, Kansas. It is times like this that I know I have a really great job, I get to enjoy the country side and walk through beautiful greenhouses filled to the brim with flowers,” Life is Good” for sure.

 

I found Keith Johnson and his son Jeremiah busy waiting on customers and moving plants around the greenhouses. I know they are super busy this time of year so I only visit for a few minutes, I am more than happy to stroll on my own through their 18 greenhouses. The Flower Farm is your go to place if you are looking for herbs, Keith has them all. He told me that he has customers who drive down from Nebraska to buy herbs from him, I am not surprised since Keith really knows all there is to know about herbs. I always make sure I look up when walking through the greenhouses here since they grow the most beautiful Bougainvilleas, the pictures I took will not do them justice. I am sure I spent way too much time browsing all the tropicals and perennials; I am putting together a wish list for myself. Keith is one of the very few vendors that make his own organic potting soil with compose and then heats it to ensure there are no pests to harm the plants. I asked Keith if he sold the potting mix at his greenhouse but unfortunately he said it was quite the process just having enough for all the plants he sells, darn. Keith and Jeremiah are at the Market every Saturday through July in stalls 69-71 located on the west end of pavilion two. I love their tag line, “We know it ‘cause we grow it! This is very true. If you would like more information about The Flower Farm visit their website at www.theflowerfarmgardner.com

If everything is able to dry out a little by next Thursday I hope to get out to visit a few new vendors who have turned in applications to sell at the Sunday Market. If not I always have craft vendors and a few more greenhouses I would like to get to before Mothers Day.

This weekend’s weather looks awful but the City Market is a rain or shine year round market so the Farmers market and the City Market shops and restaurants will all be open. Remember your umbrella and support your favorite farmer.

Last week I visited two new artist crafter vendors who live near the City Market, in fact I was able to walk to Jamie’s home which was a nice change.

After a great deal of research and a lot of passion Jamie Gabriel created her own line of scrubs, balms and oils. By day Jamie is a pharmacy tech and by night she makes a line of products that encourages a healthier skin regimen which also contains therapeutic materials. Jamie has a very efficient and clean work area set up in her kitchen where she makes, packages and labels her products. While I was there I watched her make a sugar scrub which smelled amazing. Jamie plans to bring her product to the Sunday Market very soon, I am sure she will set up by Mother’s Day for sure. Just a little reminder for everyone Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 14^th. Jamie’s business name is #Rehab Skin Intervention which is a very fitting name.

I actually had to drive to Ashley Eplee’s home since this will be a two part visit. Ashley has a craft area set up in her dining room in Kansas City but also uses a workshop at her brother’s house in Richmond, MO where she makes all her wood items, so I will visit both locations. I think Ashley will have a very cute stall at the Sunday Market since she has a really nice variety of items. I loved the little mini pallet coasters she makes; they look like a real pallet. She also makes soy Mason jar candles, rice neck warmers which can be used cold or hot, very cute wood signs, birdhouses, painted wine bottle vases and eventually some small furniture. Ashley has so many ideas in her head for items she would like to make as the year goes on, which means her stall will be forever changing which is very cool. I do require vendors to get approval for any new item before they are allowed to sell them in their stall.

Tomorrow I am heading out to visit a few farms and some greenhouses, I am sure with all the rain in the forecast I will need t make sure I have my boots.

I was a little leery heading out to do farm visits this week with all the rain we have had the last two weeks. I just knew I would be getting in a lot of mud. I am happy to say it was not too bad and I didn’t even need to use my 4 wheel drive on the truck. Thursday I decided to visit two new vendors who had recently sent in their applications for the 2017 farmers market. All new approved vendors will be selling at the Sunday farmers market or the Wednesday afternoon market which will start in June.

I have been corresponding with Ashley Klein from Fairview, Kansas for the past few weeks about selling their grass fed beef, grains and vegetables at the farmers market. The City Market requires all vendors to use USDA packing facilities for processing meat. The Kansas City Missouri Health Department requires all vendors who sell meat to have a permit to do so at farmers markets. Everyone’s goals are to ensure that products being sold to our customers are safe. The Klein family has been farming for over 100 years and has 50 acres of pastures for their cattle and 200 acres for crops. They currently have 60 cow/calf pairs grazing in the pasture. Even with all this rain they have got a few small plots around their home ready for planting assorted vegetables. As soon as Ashley gets all the required paper work and permits to me they will start selling meat at the Sunday farmers market which takes place every week year round 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

When visiting farms I try to do one area at a time but this week I had another new vendor to check who was located in Holden, MO which was quite a drive between farms. I was glad that Deb Churchill. Property Manager for the City Market came with me today; conversation makes the trip seem much shorter. Been Wolkey, Pantry Farms,  is just getting started raising micro greens and has built two special sheds to do this in, he thinks they will be ready to bring to the market in a couple weeks. Ben will also be bringing assorted vegetable, cut flowers and corn to the market but first he has to get it all planted. In addition to farm products Ben also makes custom planter made from old reclaimed wood from his farm.  

I am not exactly sure where I will be heading next week but will try to visit at least five vendors. The farmers market is really starting to ramp up, most of the vendors selling bedding and vegetable plants have already started coming back. I love this time of year when all the vendors return, I miss all of them when they are gone during the winter months.

Even though next Sunday is Easter the City Market is still open so make sure and stop by.