By Katherine Jones
For the Salisbury Post
This week was the official beginning of summer. At the Salisbury Farmers Market summer equals plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables and this week will not be an exception. Tomatoes, corn, okra, squash and cucumbers are offered by all the farmers.
There are a different varieties of tomatoes, not all the standard red we are accustomed to seeing. Selections include Cherokee purple, German Johnson pink, Better Boy red, low acid yellow, Roma and green for frying. There are also grape tomatoes and cherry tomatoes in red and yellow. Heirloom tomatoes are also available that will remind you of gardens from your childhood. Eagle Produce’s seedless tomato is quite good and compared favorably in taste and smell to the seeded tomatoes.
Sweet corn was sold out very early last week but there will be more this week because the corn crop has not yet reached its peak. Summer squash and zucchini are still abundant as well as cucumbers, okra, onions and potatoes. Green beans and all types of peppers will be more plentiful. Miller Farm had purple hull peas so look for those again this week.
It is not too late to get more plants into your garden or landscape. The variety and colors of plants still available at the market is truly breathtakingly beautiful. Zinnia, begonia, marigold and coleus are just a few of the annuals you will see. There are plenty of perennials also such as coneflower, sedum, Russian sage, lantana and black eyed Susan. Stunning hanging baskets and containers are filled with many color combinations and are ready for you to take home and enjoy all summer. A good selection of herb plants remains and Dawn’s Greenhouse will have stalks of fresh lavender this week.
How Sweet It Is, Carla Anne’s Homestyle Bakers and Bread Basket offer white and whole wheat bread, sour dough, dinner rolls, sweet breads, fruit pies, pound cake, muffins, cookies and pastries. This week Carla Anne will have Cheerwine truffles. Doesn’t that sound appealing?
McCombs will be offering slices of homemade cheese cake in addition to their pimento cheese and chicken salad.
Pee Dee Orchard, located in Anson County, was at the market last week for the first time with fresh picked peaches from the sandhills.
For more about the Salisbury Farmers Market visit www.salisburyfarmersmarket.com. The Farmers Market is located in downtown Salisbury on the corner of South Main and Bank Streets. It is open on Wednesday from 7 a.m.-1 p.m. and Saturday from 7 a.m. to noon.
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Katherine Jones is a Master Gardener Volunteer for the Cooperative Extension Service in Rowan County.

For a map of farmer’s markets in the area, click here.