Farmers Market Report: June 1-2, 2013

The extremely brief Central Texas sweet corn season has begun––I have known it to last only 10 days in inauspicious years before––this year, I think we may get two or three weeks of lovely, lovely corn.

At Barton Creek Market, 2 Happy Children Farm and Fruitful Hill Farm will both have sweet corn, as will Boggy Creek Farm on the Eastside.

I bought six ears of corn from Boggy Creek last week, and I must say, it was probably the best corn I have had in twenty years. Carol Ann and Larry are completely organic, which meant the ears needed to be trimmed, but holy cow, what intense flavor! Honestly, if you would like to experience local sweet corn nirvana, don’t delay. Seriously, don’t delay. It will be around this weekend and maybe next, and then it’s gone.

I also saw this year’s very first eggplants last Saturday. Summer is officially here, I guess; it’s hot, and farmers have eggplants large enough to sell.

As you may remember, last Saturday morning it was absolutely pouring rain, a heavy, soaking rain that made the insides of my camera steam up, and drenched me and all the farmers to the bone. But no one was complaining––farmers least of all––because we need that rain! The Wednesday before, I had taken my dogs to the Upper Barton Creek Greenbelt, and I saw with my own eyes the dusty caliche arroyo where the creek used to run; it looked like the skeleton of a creek. Even the deepest pools were dust pits. I couldn’t resist going back to the greenbelt in the pouring rain to see the dead channel full of water again. It was wonderful! Here’s a picture for you:

Back to Farmers Market news: IO Ranch Lamb is adding the Downtown SFC Market this Saturday, bringing their amazing Dorper lamb to Republic Square. IO Ranch Lamb has also added the Wednesday SFC Market at the Triangle, and has long been a presence at the Sunset Valley Market. (I believe Jeff also does the Lone Star Market on Sundays as well.) If you have a chance, pick up a few of his lamb sirloins or sausages, they are incredible. Here’s a picture of Jeff of IO Ranch Lamb getting soaked last week:

I have to hand it to the farmers and ranchers and bakers and dairy folks who showed up in the downpour, because Garbo’s Lobster Truck deprived me of my anticipated lunch by not showing up! It will be this Saturday before I get to try their Connecticut-style lobster roll with drawn butter and lemon. According to reports, they will be at the Barton Creek Market on Saturday.

As will Celtic Seafare. This week their salmon is from the Shetland Islands, Scotland, where it is sustainably farmed. Their cold-smoked salmon is lightly salted and then smoked with applewood and oak.

Dewberry Hill Farm “Really Good Chicken” will be at Sunset Valley ONLY this week, and will do the downtown SFC Market at Republic Square next Saturday.

Peach Creek Farm, who only do the Downtown Market, has been absent for three weeks due to going on an awesome vacation! but they will be back this Saturday for the first time in about a month. If you are jonesing for fresh ham steak or German sausages like I am, head Downtown to stock up. (Oh, and their breakfast links are amazing.) Caeda Farms at Barton Creek will have blackberries again this week, and a few other farmers may have some too if you look around. It is hard to predict who is going to have Hill Country peaches and when and where, but get them while you can. Caskey’s Orchard, Markley Family Farm, and Lightsey’s all had peaches last week, and I am hoping that Engel’s will be able to salvage some of their late peaches from the frosts and hailstorms. Dai Due Butcher Shop (Downtown Saturday and the Mueller on Sunday) will be selling Nectarine and Blackberry Sausage ($12 lb.), Wild Boar Bangers ($12 lb.), and Wild Boar Chorizo ($12 lb.) among a host of other delectables. Dai Due’s Hot Breakfast and Lunch at the Market features hamburgers and hotdogs as it did last week, with the addition of smoked turkey sandwiches on brioche and peach soda.

See you at the Markets!