Down Mulberry Lane

Friday July 27 Farmer's Market...

Today the market had a corn festival.  It is a fun day and a busy day. 

We, however, arrived late.. forgetting that we did RAGBRAI and all our market belongings were scattered throughout the house, garage and mudroom.  Racing at 2:15 pm to get it all into the truck... we left late to arrive at market just as it was beginning.   (this isn't the first time it has happened much to my frustration, but having a baby/toddler along some days hasn't always been easy.... Today there was really no excuse... I could blame the fact that my nephew was at our home... so I was hospitable and worked slower than normal). 

On festival days we must have a special for market members.  Our market encourages attendees to support the market with ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIPS.  These memberships have perks... specials on festival days, coupons for purchases at the market, ability to sit in on market meetings and give thoughts, etc.   Our special for the sweet corn festival was our Peanut Butter Granola for $3 instead of $4. 

With arriving late and having my nephew along, unpacking was chaotic.  We got set up about 10 minutes late for the girl's booth.  Mine was real slow in getting completely set up.  I'd put out a vegetable and I'd have questions by customers and then I could finally get to another vegetable to set out on the table.  Since it had rained until mid morning... I was late picking and the produce was dirty.  I apologized, but no one minded.  Makes me think I could skip washing most all days the way everyone was so understanding.  LOL.   No, I probably won't... but it was nice to know if I was rushed it wasn't THAT big of a deal to most people. 

One of the first people to talk to me at the market wanted some jelly.  I haven't had time to make jelly since around the 4th of July... And I was out.  I had to apologize and tell her that I would try to get some made in the next week or two... Probably after Kate gets home from her mission trip.  She was a bit disappointed, but said she would be back in 2 weeks... holding me to it.  LOL.  My granola is also running low as well, so that will need to be made again, soon, too. 

Our eggs used to be big sellers.... selling out most every market... but now, another gal is bringing her eggs... and we have to share the sales.   I am thinking that if I can just come on Tuesdays doing what veggies I have left and eggs... maybe I will have to do that.  This other gal does not come on Tuesdays... so my eggs would be the only eggs at that market.  The girls just don't like to bake twice a week.... And Tuesday is a real slow day for baked goods.  

Trying to figure it all out... it is a job.  We teeter back and forth.  I said this year would be our last, but dh and I were talking and he thought it was good for the girls and we sort of decided that maybe just one market a week we could handle.    The girls again inquired about next year and Dh said... just Fridays... He's worried about all these egg layers we have!  I'd like to make a sign to post by our drive.  It sure would be easier to have people come to me instead of me dragging all the stuff to market.  Dh thinks it is silly to put a farm fresh eggs for sale sign on our lane as our road is not a through road and he thinks that NO ONE will see it.  I don't agree... I think word of mouth will get around if we had a sign up.  

I also have been tossing around in my head the thought of a vegetable stand in our small town... thinking that maybe it would get people to head to the farm..???   Another thought... if we grew sweet corn on 3-4 acres... would that be enough to fund college?   Would we make more on selling corn than our sheep?   This is something we are trying to currently investigate.  Ah, no real decisions here... just brainstorming.  Trying to find that something that works and that doesn't stress school, nor home life, nor the kitchen sink!  LOL.   We currently loathe the dishes that all our baking accumulates for us! 

Well, market today was a fair day.  I sold around $94 in sales, which was mostly vegetables... and many of those were large green beans...good for pickling, but not much else.  (Oh some people eat them, but not our family... they hate the strings the larger beans have on them.)  $24 was from the EBT machine.  $20 was from the nutrition program checks.  Sold a few granola, 3 dozen eggs, lots of green beans,  some sweet corn, zucchini and yellow squash, a few beets, and half of my cucumbers... all of it being organic.  The people did NOT like the white sweet corn.  We planted Sugar Pearl Sweet Corn, which is really sweet... we actually find it sweeter than the bicolor that we planted... but many turned their noses up and said... I like the bi-color better.  I like the variety because there were hardly any bugs on these ears of corn... no silk worms at all.... really really nice as that is my shiver down my spine when I find a big worm in the middle of my cob.... But our bi-colors didn't fare as well... all are infested with picnic beetles at the top and a few silk worms as well. 

The girls' booth fared well.  Chelsea and Megan stepped up and made more than normal to compensate for Kate's absence.   I have no idea what they made.  Kate does their accounting and has her own method of figuring it all out... so the girls are patiently waiting for their sister to return home so they can get paid!  LOL   Kate's famous Lemon Poppyseed bread sold out... thanks to Chelsea making it today.  They sold 3 out of 4 cinnamon roll packs, 4 of 6 rice Krispie bars, over half the fudge, but NO Banana bread with nuts sold today... last week it all sold (you can never tell what is going to sell from day to day!)  And the sugar cookies didn't sell very well... and that is usually our biggest seller... *sigh*   Overall a good day.  Banana bread went into the freezer and Dad will eat the rice krispie bars (his favorite treat).  The cinnamon rolls will get eaten for breakfast tomorrow.  The fudge and cookies will actually keep for one more market sale... if we decide to go next Tuesday.  We will just have to see. 

Warmly, ~Melissa

Ok, that's all of the market news for this week. 

beets!

8:57 PM, July 29, 2007 .. Posted by matsmom97

No one in my family was a big fan of beets until I made harvard beets and LEFT OUT THE VINEGAR! I think it said 1 can of beets (which I have no idea how much is in a can of beets so I just use 5-6 big ones!LOL), 1/2 c sugar, 1/2 c vinegar (I just use water), 1 tsp salt (maybe it's a dash--I don't know so taste test it!LOL), and 1 T cornstarch. Cook until sauce is thick. This is how my ranks will eat them!

Untitled Comment

11:06 PM, July 29, 2007 .. Posted by findingcontentment

I always love hearing about your Farmer's Market experiences! We plan on doing the Farmer's Market next year, so I am soaking it all up.

Barb J.