We raise a lot of our own food, but this year we’re growing less than usual, and I’m grateful that we’ve now got a farmers market relatively close–Searcy–, where I can fill in the gaps. It’s too far from my house for me to go regularly, but in my two visits I’ve been impressed with the produce at a this small but still excellent farmers market. I have a good friend who goes weekly to this market who says she always gets great produce.
Several of the farmers grow chemical free produce, and Kelly Carney (pictured here) has even gone through the process of getting his farm, North Pulaski Farms, certified organic. 
Kelly and a few others, such as Eddie Stuckey of Kellogg Valley Farms (not pictured) and the Latture Family of Freckle Face Farm, who come to this market on Wednesdays, are also part of the Locally Grown network I use some Fridays in another Arkansas community.
Mitchell Latture of Freckle Face, pictured below, specializes in chemical-free, pasture-raised poultry and meat. I met two of his his kids on my most recent visit and discovered why the farm is called Freckle Face!
Some farmers here specialize in specific produce, like the shiitake mushroom man, who also grows darn good eggplants and other produce:
The market was hot, hot, hot–around 106 degrees F, so only a smattering of customers came the day I took these pictures, but the farmers hung in for the few like me who ventured out in the heat. I hope that this market grows and grows. It provides a great place to meet neighbors, find out how and where your food is grown, and get much better produce with different varieties than you can get at any of the local grocery stores.
Do you sell at a farmers market? If you are a farmers market customer? Do you have a favorite farmers market?
Copyright 2010 Ozarkhomesteader.
I have not started selling at ours yet. We grow a lot of food for our table and some to share with family and friends, and my goal has always been just that. I have been asked if i would consider selling, but with my limited time due to my day job I just don’t think I can handle a much larger garden.
Our farmer’s market is open twice a day and I go sometimes, but oddly enough we have reached a point where we are growing most of what is sold there. I would LOVE to have a mushroom guy. The few things we don’t grow ourselves I trade, like honey and meats.
Twice a day?!? I can see your daughter taking on selling at the market once she has her driver’s license. I’m in the same boat you are for growing usually–that is, we produce so much of our own that we could go without the market–, but I do like the variety I can get for those times when my garden is either ahead or behind the season.
I have *two* mushrooms guys! Many, many years ago a couple established a shiitake center in Shirley, Arkansas, as a business but also to try to revive a once-great village ( http://www.shiitakecenter.com/page2.php ). Nearby grew companies like Serenity Farms Bread (Lesley) and other home-grown businesses. The shiitake center burned a couple of years ago and they have not been able to re-build, but the knowledge of growing shiitakes had already spread through the state. It’s really wonderful to have access to really fresh mushrooms.
i meant twice a week, sorry. Monday brain on Thursday.
I understand after your certification. Things like that always leave me wiped out.
It does look hot! I’m a big fan of farmers markets. I support my local markets, even when I don’t need much, and I seek them out when I’m traveling as well. (I’m going to one today in Greensboro, VT.) I love the regional variety and, of course, the community aspect of them. Their proliferation seems to be filling a community need that’s been unfilled for a very long time. It’s great to see.
Will you take pictures in Greensboro? I’d love to see what they have now.
We have an inaugural farmer’s market this year in my town. It’s very small, but I see the same dedicated faces week after week. They have lots of stuff I’m not growing, and I like to visit and ask questions. Most advertise they are organic, but no certifications yet.
I love having this opportunity in my small community. Although there are several in St. Louis metro. area, I prefer not to have to travel quite so far. It’s important to support local growers and the freshness can’t be beat (other than my own, of course)! I hope we can continue next year.
The markets in St. Louis proper and even outlying areas like Kirkwood didn’t seem to be all local when I lived there. Do they have local produce now?
Similarly, the Little Rock market isn’t all Arkansas, but the North Little Rock market is.
They are much more so than they used to be. Most is from either western Illinois or southeast Missouri. While that can be a distance of a 150 miles or so, that’s much better than all California like at the supermarket. We have a “produce market” here in town, but it’s just like the supermarkets, they have most of it trucked in except for certain things in the summer.
One hundred fifty miles is much better than California!