Farm Fresh Cumbers and Tomatoes from See Sun Vu Farm
It’s been a strange summer. Here we are in August, which is typically a dry and very hot month. But we’ve had plenty of rain and lows in the 50’s. Weird weather indeed, but on the flip side, it’s been good for the veggies. Right now, the Franklin Farmers Market is loaded with lots of great vegetables. You should have seen the pile of peppers at the Gardner’s Grove booth!
Multi-Colored Peppers from Gardener Grove Farm
Over 30 different varieties of Tomatoes
Beautiful Egg Plant coming in for 2013 from See Sun Vu Farm
A Great Summer for Cantaloupe from Kirkview Farm
This Mom teaching her son about Delvin Farms CSA fresh veggies
This year Watermelons are HUGE from Tim of Colbert Farm
And tomatoes were everywhere. Mr. Cecil’s tomatoes were hot items this past Saturday, along with green beans from the Colbert Farm and corn from the King Family Farm. Chicken for the grill was the big thing from River Cottage Farm. The Delvin Farm had cantaloupes that were huge (and sweet!) and of course, several of the farms had delicious watermelons.
So Very Fresh Green Beans from Kirkview Farm
Beautiful Potatoes and Melons from Colbert Farm
Fried Green Tomatoes anyone from Bloomsbury Farm
Beautiful Apples from Kirkview Farm
Wonderful Plums and Peaches from Kirkview Farm
Watermelon Festival is Next Weekend!
Speaking of watermelons, the market’s big Watermelon Festival is coming up this Saturday (August 24th) and it’s a big juicy day of fun for everyone. Besides delicious slices of watermelon to munch on, there are games and face painting for the kids, weird watermelon carvings and the two contests you don’t want to miss – the watermelon seed spitting challenge and the fastest watermelon eating competition.
The excitement is building, as you can see in this short youtube video from one of the potential competitors in the watermelon eating contest:
The seed spitting contest takes place at 10am, while the watermelon eating contest is at 11:30. If you’re up to the challenge, come by the market’s info booth Saturday morning to register. Don’t miss the Franklin Farmers Market Watermelon Festival, presented by the Williamson Herald and Southern Exposure Magazine!
Fresh Goat Cheese to Sample from Noble Springs Dairy Farm
Lots of Tomatoes from Rocky Glade Farm
Golden Melons from Beaverdam Creek Farm
Truck loads of Sweet Corn selling out fast from the King Family Farm
How many tomatoes do you think we had at the Franklin Farmers Market this past Saturday? We’re not sure either, but we could say it was an invasion, because there were tomatoes everywhere. Our Tennessee Farmers bring over 30 different varieties from red and yellow tomatoes, striped and purple tomatoes, big and small cherry tomatoes, including heirloom tomatoes and traditional favorites. Perfect for canning and making relish or just a good old BLT. We love this time of the year, because it’s not just the number of tomatoes that is so high, but all of the other summertime favorites of the garden are ripe and ready to eat.
Bloomsbury Farm Wheat Grass
Farm Fresh picked Peaches and Cream Corn
Farm Fresh Produce and Herbs from Rocky Glade Farm
AssortedTie Dyed Clothing from Pieceful World Clothing
Artisan Woods by Cody
Bags of purple hull peas and green beans were being snapped up at the market, along with okra and bell peppers. Those sweet juicy peaches from Kirkview Farm were also a big hit.
Sweet Peaches and Apples from Rainbow Hill Farm
Kirkview Farms Purple Hull Peas and Melons
Ice Cold Limeade and teas from Lucy’s Kitchen
It was a little hot on Saturday… Okay, it was just flat out hot and muggy. But it didn’t matter. Folks were drinking ice cold, fresh limeade from Lucy’s Kitchen or dipping spoons into sweet delicious gelato from Hatcher’s Dairy to stay cool. And you know what one of the best things is about coming to the market? Even though you know what’s ripe and ready to eat, there’s always something new to enjoy too. Like Delvin Farm’s organic hot & spicy tomato juice. Great for cooking and drinking! Or like Rainbow Hill Farm’s Concord grapes.
Organic Bloody Mary Mix from Delvin Farms organic tomatoes
Concord Grapes from Rainbow Hill Farm
Beautiful Watermelons from Bronnenberg Farm
Circle August 24th on your calendars, because that’s a big, sweet seed-spittin’ fun day at the farmers market. It’s the Franklin Farmers Market Watermelon Festival, presented by our friends at the Williamson Herald and Southern Exposure Magazine. You don’t want to miss the watermelon seed spitting or the fastest watermelon eating contests. There are games and face painting for the kids, wild watermelon carvings and plenty of ice cold watermelons to enjoy.
Cecil’s Tomatoes from Pocahontas Creek Farms
And finally, you know the old saying about the early bird getting the worm? That’s been the thought about the market too. Get there early to make sure you get the best of the farm fresh produce you want before it runs out. But trying to scope out the fresh picked veggies early at the market could be dangerous. Our Tennessee farmers and vendors start setting up their farm booths early, but there are so many farmers at the market that they all can’t get moved in at the same time. And if they are trying to unload their trucks and set things up, it’s not safe for you to walk around the market.
So we’re asking you to please wait until the market opens to start shopping. The Franklin Farmers Market opens at 8am. When you hear the bell ringing, come on in!
FFM Manager Deb with Lex and Tim from Colbert Farm
These Farm Fresh Tomatoes are hand picked fresh, from the farm, by our Tennessee Farmers and their families as these tomatoes are from Zadok the Natural Farmer