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Saturday, September 26, 2009

September Farmer's Market Challenge

Judy, a.k.a. Squirrel Queen over at The Road to Here is the gracious hostess for the Farmer's Market Challenge.

SQ states, "The purpose of this challenge is to raise awareness for purchasing locally produced foods. Be it fruits, vegetables, dairy products, meat, or any related items we want to know what's available where you live."


I finally took my camera with me down the road to a neighbor's farm stand. They have an awesome garden! They grow peaches, strawberries, melons, tomatoes, corn, peppers, sweet potatoes, and other veggies. Their stand operates on the honor system. On the main table is a set of scales and a chart to help you calculate the price of your purchase. There is also a box for your money. She says they have great luck with it, people pay for what they take.


Here is a load of melons
just brought up from the field...


This is my oldest grand, Dani, trying to decide
which tomatoes she wants to buy...


Sweet potatoes! Yum! We'll be digging ours this week.
They just brought these up while I was there...


The tomatoes are so colorful. They really stand out
between the neutrals of the melons and potatoes...


Here is some squash given to us by Hubby's boss. It was delicious. A family chef told us how to best cook it. Using a long nail, punch a hole to the center from top and bottom to release steam pressure, then bake it. No hard cutting! Scrape out the seeds after it is cooked.











He also gave us these banana peppers from his garden.























These are Hubby's Tobasco Chili Peppers!!! Tiny... but they pack a big punch!






















Recently I posted about our first green egg.
We have fifty hens.
Here is a photo of our farm fresh eggs...

Here is a pear that came from one of our fruit trees. We have several apple trees, too. One of these days I'll add peach trees to the mix, and replace the plum trees we lost.


















Here's a peek at our zucchini earlier this year...
Guess how much you'll pay to
send 3 loaves of zucchini bread
from Ohio to Florida, next day?
$42! ...but my dad and brother loved it!


Here is a shot of our sweet potatoes early in the season. Hubby planted two different varieties. I recently posted about the four-and-a-quarter pound potato. You'll have to visit my earlier posts to see pics of them.




















We have a freezer full of green beans and corn on the cob from the garden, along with some shredded zucchini for making bread during the winter. (It does quite well, as long as you use it as soon as it thaws.) We also grew tomatoes, cucumbers, muskmelon, green onions, and chives. The shelves in the basement are now full of enough sweet potatoes to get us through the winter.

Visit Judy's blog and add your link to Mister Linky and participate in this worthwhile challenge!


10 comments:

DJan said...

Oh Lily, you are such a peach yourself! I am impressed that you would pay $42 to send your loved ones some zucchini bread!! Now I think that really does go beyond the beyond. And your pictures and story here just make me smile. I have added another market post (giving me two) for this fall challenge. I couldn't help it...

Tes said...

I live in the city and after visiting the photos for farmer's market challenge, I am just excited to look for one here and explore it!

I am especially touched by the honor system! With crime rate hiking up almost everywhere, it is still good to hear stories like these -strengthens my faith in humanity!

Your photos are so nice! Picture tell stories! Thanks for sharing!

Gloria said...

Just love your life and the veggies look so healthy, so brimming with life-force and the idea of a freezer brimming full for use during the winter!!! Fantastic!

Later today, toothache permitting, I'll continue my hunt for a cortijo with land to fulfil my dream of homesteading . . . wish I had more money though.

Off to the lakes with the dogs . . have a blessed day Lily. Such a lovely name!

Jeanne said...

Love all your snaps and enjoyed your post on your other blog about getting sidetracked from your writing. We have some farmstands here that work on the honor system as well. So nice to see that! ~Jeanne

Ebie said...

Hi Lily, nothing tastes better than home grown and home baked! I do believe the mailing cost of those zucchini bread!
RYC: There is no eggs and squash sold in our city market because some people commute and ride public transportation, I guess, they are inconvenient. In the next N ov challenge, I will visit the one that is closure to home, then I can share some variety. Thanks for the nice comments.

TC said...

$42 for zucchinni bread, just shows what a loving person you are. Veggies look great, makes me wish I had some, maybe we will take a drive and look for farmers markets! Although the world closes on Sunday down here!

AL said...

Hi Lilly, I didn't know that you also grow those long green peppers there. We are fond of them, they spice up our dishes especially the red hot chilli peppers. Yeah I have read about the sweet potatoes and I hope you'll the recipe I shared, kids will like it.

BTW, thank you so much for your prayers, my Dad is well now.

AL

charmine. said...

WOW! That was an interesting tour,felt like I was there.How wonderful to grow your own veggies/fruits.Honour system!What good folks!They have this type of thing in some small stores in Sweden,you just swipe your card and leave...people don't cheat and it's nice.

Lille Diane said...

I'm moving in. Today. Well maybe tomorrow. I gotta pack. You have enticed me to make the drive. When can I see you???? Superman and I want to visit my Mom in KY. You are on the way to Lexington--right????

Love the "picks" pun intended~ [smiles]

Mama Mel said...

Love it! I would love to have this much space to grow veggies! Awesome! :)