HOT HOT HOT

Another extraordinarily hot weekend to end June.  The temperatures were in the mid to high 90’s and the humidity not far behind.  Sunday morning a cell or rain came through the sales area around 8:30 but was gone as quickly as it came.

Chuck and I had a fantastic weekend of sales.  We were concerned as we had not gotten as much as we would have liked to get, but prices on some items were not going to make it easy to sell in our market.

We had a decent Saturday, but Sunday was really excellent.  By 9:00 AM we were sold out of potatoes, by 1:00 the zucchini and cucumbers were totally gone.  Requests for lettuce and beets had to go unanswered, as we never had either this weekend.  We did face the age old sales dilemma of ‘what we had last week, people wanted this week and what he had this week was what people asked for last week’.

By the end of the weekend we had about 12 apples, 10 heads of cabbage and three boxes of beans left.  Not at all bad from what was a truck load on Thursday afternoon.

An added note is that we saved all the scraps of dropped beans, bruised apples, browning cabbage leaves etc for the chickens.  I was surprised to see how fast they attacked the apples when we gave them out for their lunch.  Also noted they are beginning to have a pecking order.  Some ate first while others waited.

Next week we hit the 4th of July Holiday weekend.

Weekend of 6/24-27/2010 AKA WEEKEND 2

If this weekend is anything like last weekend, we will be sold out Sunday morning for all intents and purposes.  We had about a basket of stuff by the end of the day on Sunday and most of the really good items were gone early in the morning.  So, if you are going to get in season, locally grown produce with no chemicals or pesticides, then I suggest you shop at the farm early.  Chuck is there today, tomorrow and Saturday.

This week we have fantastic fresh Zucchini just 2/$1.00, Crinkle Cabbages for $1.00 each, Green Beans at $2.00 a quart, Cucumbers (greatly asked for last weekend) 2/$1.00, and a great surprise of early apples at just $2.00 quart.

Father’s Day Weekend

  We made it through Father’s Day Weekend… our opening of the farm markets.  The sales at the farm site were not what we had hoped.  There is a big difference there this year… THE DETOUR.   In 2009 Island Park/Lower Saucon Road was detoured for bridge construction and the one detour was on Buttermilk Road.  That put 4 or 5 times the amount of traffic past the farm stand as it does this year.  To be fair, however, we may not be comparing apples to apples here.  We are looking at the first weekend and comparing to the entire 2009 season.  Opening day in 2009 was a rainy Father’s Day at the ‘old’ stand.  I am not sure how many people ventured in that first opening day.  The crowds got bigger as the season progressed.

   However, at the Blue Ridge Flea Market we had another story.  We totally sold out of beets, rhubarb, squash, and potatoes.  We had only one head of cauliflower left and two heads of cabbage, along with maybe 4 zucchini.  So for all intents and purposes we actually were sold out of those items as well.

   We were disappointed in peas.  We thought we had a really good bargain for customers at just $2.00 a quart.  I guess they thought differently.  We have a lot of peas left.   They will be dried and sold dehydrated for stews and soups later in the season.

  The two gambles were Calla Lillies and Chocolate Mint.  Neither did exceptionally well, but both drew a lot of comments and people to the stand.  That, in itself, is sometimes enough.

  The weather didn’t help.  It was over 90 degrees both Saturday and Sunday with above average humidity.  It was uncomfortable to be there.  To some degree, I can understand people not wanting to linger.  Some were really just browsing fast and kept moving.  Other Sundays, they stop at almost every booth and look with more detail.

   Starting in two weeks (JULY) we will have a permanent spot at the market, rather than move from spot to spot.  We try to be near the same space everytime we set up, but that is tough.  Sunday we were across from where we were on Saturday, as those were already filled by the time we got there at 6:45 AM.   The spot we were in was a “RESERVED” spot, but the vendor next to us said the women has not been there in several weeks due to health and likely wasn’t going to be there that day.  We took the gamble and set up on that space and it was OK, she didn’t show up.  We would have had to move, if she showed by 8:00 AM.

   So, now Monday is dehydrate day and look to Thursday when we get ready for the next weekend.  We were so hoping to have something like strawberries this weekend.  We hope to have some next weekend.  Fruit always sells well.

    “BUY LOCAL, BUY FRESH”.  We ONLY sell locally grown, chemical and pesticide free, and in season produce and farm items.  It may not be the cheapest, but it is the best.

2010 Opening Weekend

Finally, it is like waiting for Christmas and your birthday and the end of school all at the same time, but finally the 2010 Produce selling season is here. We have a pretty decent opening weekend. I didn’t think we would have as much as we do. We have:

Shell Peas for $2.00 quart, Red beets (with the greens) for $1.00 bunch, Cabbages (the size of soccer balls) for just $2.00 each, Zucchini (both yellow and green) at a bargain 2 for $1.00, Rhubarb is still in season for $2.00 bunch (which makes more than an ample pie), Cauliflower at just $2.00. We also have great chocolate mint for making an amazing infused tea or as a garnish. The smell is fantastic. The mint is $1.00 a bunch. We also have gorgeous Calla Lillies that we just couldn’t pass up. Finish off that table of locally grown, pesticide free and in season produce with these cream white stems at just $1.00 each.

The farm stand, 600 Buttermilk Road, Williams Township, Hellertown, is open Thursday, Friday and Saturday this week and we will be at the Blue Ridge Flea Market in Saylorsburg on Saturday (also Sunday if it doesn’t rain)

Hope to see you all soon. We missed all of you over the long winter.