Farmers Market - A Difficult Year

FTLComm - Tisdale - Tuesday, August 6, 2002

There is no question whatever that 2002 will be remembered not only by farmers as a difficult year but gardeners as well have had in most cases insurmountable problems to deal with. Rudy (above) operates a market garden and greenhouse operation at Carrot River and explained the extent of the frost this past weekend. He said that the potato tops are wilted the corn looks pretty tough and in general his garden is damaged badly and with the other problems of this year it is hard for him to come up with the produce that he

normally can offer for sale. The prolong spring cold that prevented the gardening from getting a proper start was accompanied by a total lack of rainfall. Rudy said to get his produce ready he resorted to using organic fertilizers which jump started his plants and made it possible for him to have full size zucchini and cucumbers at this time of the year. Other farmers who are usually present at the regular Tuesday morning farmers markets are just not here this year. This table (right) has some fresh new potatoes but the largest ones were the two the vendor has in her hands. She did have some excellent raspberries

It has been hard on the flower grower as well but the lilies are splendid and he had some great zucchini and onions to go with buckets of Saskatoons. One interesting flower were the handfuls of minuit flowers. These tiny little blossoms dry up retaining their colour. He explained that you just take a bunch hang them upside down to dry and they will keep their vibrant colours, the green from the stems will fade but the flowers will remain as they are.

The Star City Hutterite colony's garden seems to be as rich and bountiful as it has always been with magnificent carrots, beets, onions and many other products including buckwheat, and fresh eggs. The farmers market will be open each Tuesday morning from eight till noon until October. Not only are the prices excellent but the quality far exceeds what you will find at the retail stores and as a bonus you will get to talk and visit with the experts.