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.