Farmers Market Report: Sept. 7-8, 2013

Day after hundred-degree day, it doesn’t seem like the seasons are changing but, trust me, they are. The days are growing shorter, signaling the pepper plants to put on flowers and get ready for their heaviest yield, and the melon and squash vines are drying out and yellowing.

Peaches have ended, and the persimmons are coming. In a few weeks, it is going to be time to plant carrots and lettuces again, and then farmers will be setting out the broccoli starts.

All this leads up to: get your watermelons now! Melons of all sorts will be ending soon. 2 Happy Children Farm is melon central this year, with cantaloupes, watermelons, honeydews, mystery melons and canary melons; many other farmers have a few melons for sale as well.

(Referring to the 2 Happy Children Farm website, I see that they are planning to bring in a fall crop of sweet corn. Amazing if it can be done and I’ll be looking out for it.) Flying Pig Provision Company has joined the Barton Creek Farmers Market, selling two different styles of home-cured bacon and smoked turkey. I bought a package of their Italian Style Bacon (it is cured in the same manner as pancetta) and it is just some incredible bacon. I hereby switch my bacon allegiance to this fledgling company. There are many locally cured bacons, but this is the best I have tasted. Winfield Farm has loofahs for sale. If you have never used a real, farm-grown loofah, you won’t believe how fabulous they are. Once you get one broken in, a loofah is gentler (and cheaper) than other exfoliants. Also, just a reminder that Dad’s Premium Granola is the best. I thought this week I would feature a picture of “Mom”. She’s at the market every weekend helping sell granola, and always just a delight. The humid, hot weather we’ve been having is the perfect weather for a nice, cold bowl of granola (with Full Quiver Farms milk) for breakfast. Delicious and cool, fast and filling. New Bread Rising is back at the Barton Creek Market, with a full array of artisan breads. All the varieties are back, including Olive bread, Polenta Bread, Sourdough, and even a seasonal Hatch Chile bread. In abundance this week: eggplants, summer squash, winter squash, watermelon, cantaloupe, cucumbers, sweet peppers, hot peppers, onions, potatoes, carrots, okra.

Lucky if you find some: green beans, figs, pears, hard persimmons, sweet potatoes, lettuce, arugula, kale.

See you at the Market!