If the array of local products was not enough, this week, we will have live music at the farmers market. Local singer-songwriter Ben Kirkland graces the market this Saturday from 11 am to 1pm bringing a soulful sound and a pocketful of folk, rock, & Americana right in tune with the market atmosphere.
Suggestion for a great Floyd morning: Ben and shopping at the market, then across the street for more music and lunch at the Country Store’s Americana afternoon starting at noon. Or catch an early lunch and finish off at the market. We’ll be there until 1 p.m.
Melons are starting to have more of a presence. Maybe we should have a class on choosing the right melon. There is all this sorcery about thumping or slapping the melon, listening for the deepness of the thump. It should be a deep tone, not a ping if it’s ripe so the experts say, adding, “It’s sort of an art form.” Or maybe it’s like that movie line I remember: “It’s like picking the right mate: sometimes you just know.”
This week will see changes in the produce available as the season evolves as must our seasonal appetites. Local farms exhaust summer crops, pausing to plant and tend fall crops. Beets and fall carrots a-sprouting; winter squash spread their solar collectors and the fruits start to take on color; more melons come in, loving this heat; broccoli a few inches high waiting for transplant and cooler weather; fall cabbages wondering how long they can last in this heat.
Peaches are in abundance as is corn in several varieties. We are approaching the last of the reliable season for each of these so if you have not experienced the joys of summer peaches or corn, now is the time.
Kester Clark Farm keeps coming in with blueberries. Someone, some time ago planted the right variety on this family farm, one able to handle the heat down in Stuart and keep producing sweet juicy berries. Keep ‘em coming ladies!
Speaking of blueberries, SustainFloyd purchased a bunch of blueberries in preparation for our first annual Community Breakfast on September 11th! (We were thinking blueberry pancakes.) Please save the date and plan on joining us under the Community Market Pavilion for a breakfast made from local ingredients. We’re still working out the details but we will have music and wonderful local food for the community to enjoy as a kick-off to the Harvest Festival and County Fair downtown that same day. Tickets available soon.
Don’t forget the Floyd’s Top Tomato Contest happening next week during the Market under the pavilion. (See accompanying article for details).
See you at the Market!
Mike Burton is the Director of SustainFloyd
