Apples are beginning to arrive at the market.
Our cooler days, and the very welcome cool nights, give the promise of fall right around the corner.
We have ended our Tuesday afternoon market since the heat and little rain have decreased our farmers’ weekly productions.
There are still good quantities of tomatoes, squash, peppers, eggplant, cucumbers, potatoes, onions and okra for the Saturday markets. Grapes, melons, peaches and plums are also available, as well as garlic and fresh herbs. But hurry if you want larger quantities for freezing, canning or drying. Summer produce will soon be arriving in smaller quantities.
Berkshire pork and free-range chicken, all free of antibiotics and hormones, are in great supply, as are cinnamon rolls, Artisan breads and other delicious baked goods. Hand-milled soaps are a special treat every time you use them. There are several different types and scents to choose from.
Jams, jellies, infused vinegars, and dried herbs all make nice gifts, as well as being useful in our own kitchens. And for fun, the Agees have popcorn, still on the cobs!
Remember to continue using precautions when you are handling fresh food of any kind.
Bring a cooler whenever you are shopping for fresh or frozen food. Wash all your produce, even if it looks clean. Cook food to their correct temperatures, such as meat, poultry and fish. And the one we always hear and probably need to do more often, wash hands before handling food and always after working with raw meat, poultry and fish. While I’m thinking about working in the kitchen, if you ever need to remove the aroma of garlic from your hands, take a large stainless steel spoon or spatula and rub it over your hands. It’s like magic.
Mary Horine is the director of the Neosho Farmers’ Market, and writes a weekly column for the Daily News.
