By Robert Medley
Managing Editor
The crowds have grown each Saturday this summer at a local farmer’s market. More people are taking advantage of shopping outdoors for local produce.
Locally-grown watermelons were a hit Saturday, Aug. 1 at the Piedmont Farmers Market, 12 Monroe Ave. NW.
Grown on a farm near Frisco Road, the crimson sweet watermelons filled the back of the pickup where Emily Reid parked near the booths under sunny skies and pleasant temperatures for an August day.
The first market of August had temperatures in the 80s for the morning after a week of cooler and rainy weather across the county.
The watermelons sold fast.
Emily Reid worked with her daughter Claire, 5, and son Gage, 7. The watermelons were grown pesticide free, organically, Emily Reid said. The watermelons were grown by her husband on her father-in-law’s land, she said. And it has been a good year for watermelons.
Saturday was a good day at the farmer’s market.
The small to medium-sized watermelons sold for $6 apiece.
“It’s been great, it’s been really busy today, very busy,” Emily Reid said.
The juicy red melon slices were a treat served cold as temperatures rose during the afternoon.
A few local politicians made their way through the crowd at the farmer’s market.
State Rep. Denise Crosswhite Hader, Surrey Hills, and Marc Hader, Canadian County Commissioner District 1, found produce and baked goods.
“More and more folks are coming and especially with the COVID-19 crisis,” Hader said. “This is really growing. We were just talking with one of the vendors here and they are going to try to expand this even more.”
Denise Crosswhite Hader found broccoli micro greens. And Marc Hader found what was labeled as “the best blueberry muffin.”
“These are a very small growth of broccoli,” Crosswhite Hader said. “What they do is they grow them just a little bitty bit and then harvest them. And so you can just put it on a salad. I frankly like to eat vegetables raw so I just eat them raw. I eat a handful and you just feel better rather than eating a handful of chips I eat a handful of these.”
Hader said he likes to support local business and shop outdoors.
“As the elected officials for the area we try to interact with the citizens and this is a great place to come and try and help local business make ends meet and we also get a change to interact with the local citizens in case they have issues and concerns they want to talk to us about.”
The market is open Saturday mornings 8 a.m. until noon.
