Dawn Troutner Toledo Market Master

Market Report for Aug. 19, 2017

What a great night for the Toledo Farmers’ Market. The whistle was blown by my granddaughter Morgyn. She is my little intern, she was so excited, and the anticipation was getting to her. Morgyn did a fine job starting market this Friday evening. Let’s see what everyone had this market night.

Cindy had tomatoes, sweet corn, peppers, and dinosaur eggs (cantaloupes). If you want to see those dinosaur eggs look on our facebook page. Cindy also brought Rod along to help. I hope he was a help to her as she had plenty of tomatoes to sell. Those are on the facebook page also. When do you harvest sweet corn, when the silks are dark brown, husks are green, and ears are fully developed.

Will and Thea had plenty of Aromathea candles, melts, and soaps. They also brought along some of Sheryl from Bunny Tracs, items such as scrubbies and football lights. Sheryl’s husband has been ill so she is unable to attend the market this year. We hope the best for Mike’s recovery.

Caryn had a new cotton candy machine and it was up and running. She also brought caramel corn, jams, and snack mix assortments.

Kristi had plenty of her Czech bakeries, along with peppers, green beans, cucumbers, zucchini, tomatoes, sweet corn, and plums. Devin had chocolate peanut butter cup cupcakes, along with her strawberry cupcakes. Mason and Lane were excited as Austin had made a brief visit to farm with them.

Darold brought tomatoes, cucumbers, beets, potatoes, onions, green peppers, okra, and zucchini. Did you know a cucumber could be up to 20 degrees Fahrenheit cooler on the inside than on the outside? Pick those small cucumbers for pickling about five days after the blossoms open.

Busy Bee Acres were busy as bees setting up their table with lip balm, assortment of honey, solid lotion bars, and a new item was lotion. Do you know what a honeybee swarm is? It is a group of bees that leaves the original colony, usually because of overcrowding. This most often occurs in late spring to early summer. The swarm will contain the old queen, a few drones, and thousands of worker bees.

Chuck and Ginger had plenty of vegetables; they had the vegetable competition at the Iowa State Fair this past Tuesday. They did awesome as usual. They brought to market cucumbers, peppers, onions, zucchini, hot pepper powder, popcorn, eggs, potatoes, egg plant, tomatoes, red cabbage, leeks, broccoli, summer, and winter squash along with Ginger’s assortment of bakery.

Dawn had plenty of helpers this Friday night to help; my grandbabies came to help. We had jams, essential oil soaks, onions, potatoes, beets, tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, yellow summer squash, fresh and dried herbs, including lemon grass, and houseplants. Those popular cacti were selling fast. Cacti will grow rapidly from March to September. Watering requirements vary according to plant, season, soil, humidity, and temperature. However in general let the soil of the potted cacti dry slightly between watering. In the winter the plants are dormant, they should be allowed to get very dry between watering.

Brenda, Ethan, Lois, and Marie had plenty of cucumbers, green beans, red cabbage, egg plant, peppers, tomatoes, and yellow squash. They had the cutest visitor also. Marie’s granddaughter came to visit. She is such a cutie.

Joe and Barb had bakery, green beans, carrots, hot and sweet peppers, cucumbers, onions, and tomatoes. Joe’s carrots look awesome. Did you know if you recycle used coffee grounds by working them into the soil where you intend to plant carrots? This will help repel root maggots and to provide nitrogen. Just saying, this is something good to do with your coffee grounds.

And at the North end of the market was the Bunny Farm. Gail and William brought potatoes, tomatoes, onions, peppers, and beautiful flowers. This spring Gail had plenty of Iowa peach trees to sell. I am hoping those that wanted one purchased one. I noticed that my leaves are curling on some of my trees. To help peach trees cope with leaf curl you should apply high nitrogen fertilizer, provide plenty of water, and thin the fruit on the tree. And if you have those pesky hornworms on your tomatoes, mix one cup crushed calendula leaves and flowers with two cups water. Steep for 24 hours, strain. Add one and half quarts water and one fourth teaspoon dish soap. Spray on the plants.

Happy gardening everyone and if your not a gardener, see you at market to make your delicious produce.