Does every week on a farm in springtime feel like a never ending stream of lists of what must get done that are longer than the days? A dear friend calls what we do each day “triage” – the act of determining what on that list absolutely must be done first, probably because its been on the high priority list for multiple days already and has reached some timeline related to planting dates or weather.
After finally getting all the vegetable plants and seed in the ground, this became the week of fixing the walk behind DR mower, and hacking back the poison hemlock before it goes to seed and spreads its nasty, invasive self further. The hemlock eradication is a long-term project, born of hope that, since it’s a biennial and therefore lives by self seeding in the second year, with vigilance and time I can stop it taking over, as have the non-native and perennial honeysuckle and multi-flora rose.
Of course, getting to the hemlock requires wading through the tall grass, nettle and, worse, poison ivy and probable ticks. The mower is critical in forging a path down to the creek to get at the last patches of hemlock, as well as mowing around all those little trees and shrubs I planted this spring. About 50 of them, mostly little sticks now towered over by the nearby grasses and weeds.
Completing these tasks is deeply gratifying. The progress is so much faster than, say, weeding the strawberry bed. And often there is something astonishing. This year, as I waded through the tall grass to a small stand of hemlock, as I stepped between two wild parsnips (another non-native invasive), I noticed a small nest on one of the parsnips… two small blue eggs and the tiniest newly hatched bird. I’m guessing a red-wing blackbird nest? I high tailed it out of there so mom could come back to the nest, whoever she was.
This week, join us for music—not of the blackbird, but of Fonda Fichthorn and Pamela Anderson of the South Plymouth Porch Pickers. They will be providing delightful dulcimer music from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
The Fayette County Farmers Market is open Saturday morning from 8:30 to noon and is located in the municipal parking lot on the corner of South Main and East East streets in Washington C.H. SNAP EBT food benefit cards and credit/debit cards are accepted.
Those using the SNAP EBT card for food purchases receive matching dollar “Produce Perks” tokens ($1 for $1) good only for fruits, vegetables, and food producing plants. So,”buy one, get one” for up to $25 every market day. Five dollar coupons will be available again for Fayette County Farm Bureau members at each Saturday market. These can be spent at both the Wednesday and Saturday markets.
The following list contains the names and products of the vendors that expect to set up this Saturday. Other vendors may participate as well.
—DSC Produce Farm (Darren Cox): Private label salsas (a best-selling bacon salsa, habanero bacon cherry salsa, peach salsa and Carolina Reaper) and salad dressings (tomato and bacon, bacon ranch, blueberry, raspberry) plus apple butter, apple pie jam, elderberry jelly, and jalapeno ketchup.
—Engeti (Alana Walters): Baked goods including dinner rolls, cinnamon rolls, cakes, pies, cookies.
—The Farmer and the Dill (Tricia Runnels): Food truck providing a unique brunch menu.
—Jim’s Premium Ground Beef (Jim Hobbs): Premium Ground Beef which includes steak, loins, chuck and brisket all in our ground beef, vacuum packed in 1#, 5# and patties 3/#.
—Julie G’s Cookies (Julie Greenslade): Homemade cookies: sugar, ginger, chocolate chip, peanut butter, oatmeal raisin, lemon, crackerjack, confetti cookies, chocolate fudge brownies and salted caramel butter bars.
—Persinger Produce and Cottage Foods (David Persinger and Julie Mosny): The Pie Lady –Local honey, pecan sticky buns, cinni mini’s, bun’s bars, cinnamon rolls, apple, peach, strawberry rhubarb, rhubarb, strawberry, blackberry and cherry pies. The Jam Man will have Peach Flamingo, pineapple habanero, Brazilian pineapple, blackberry and blackberry seedless jams, red raspberry, strawberry, strawberry-rhubarb, and red raspberry jalapeno jams, hot pepper jelly, Rhubarb, cherry, peach, blueberry, Triple Berry, and no sugar added plum, and strawberry jams, as well as assorted Texas sheet cakes.
—Wood by DW (Debbie Welch): Wood crafts and sewn kitchen crafts.
—Your Other Mother’s Kitchen (Don and Sara Creamer, 740-572-0134): Artisan breads and other baked goods.
—AG Cutie Farms (A.J. and Grace Armintrout): Farm fresh eggs from right here in Fayette County.
—Bridge View Garden (Hunter and Lorelle Rohrer, 740-505-5125): Red raspberries, lettuce, spring onions, herbs and tomato plants.
—Cloud9D (Nicole Dougherty): Tumblers, slate photos and jewelry with lots of customizable gifts.
—Cozy Baby Blessings (Nancy Cutter): Hand poured wax melts in over 60 scents, handmade resin and clay earrings, crochet dish cloths and pot scrubbers. Handmade baby essentials including crocheted baby blankets and hats, flannel burp cloths and crinkle toys, bows and silicone bead and wood teethers.
