By Sue Davis
For the Salisbury Post
A crisp September morning spent at the Salisbury Farmer’s Market is time well spent. The produce reflects the colors of autumn, the herbs and herb crafts have warming qualities and the sausage varieties, pork chops, beef brisket and soup bones remind you the evenings are cool and heartier meals are in order.
The fresh flowers are still beautiful and very fresh, too. Bright red zinnias highlighted most of the bouquets I saw being carried away from the market.
We look forward to seeing new vendors who will provide greens, pumpkins, fall fruits and plants. This is the last week of the Wednesday morning market. Beginning on Saturday, the market will be open from 7 a.m. to noon on Saturdays through Oct. 29. After that the market will have new Saturday only hours.
The first vendor table to catch my eye last Saturday was Lei Ly’s. It was full of color. Fresh carrots caught my eye first, and then I found beets, baby and dark bok choy, broccoli rabe and radishes. What a feast for the eyes.
Bostian Farm featured white sweet potatoes or yams, large orange sweet potatoes, mixed greens and apples. Several vendors had new crops of butter beans and string beans which they assure me will be available for several weeks. Local white potatoes and onions are also available. Summer favorites like tomatoes, corn, squash and peaches are still available as well.
This Saturday, several of our craft vendors will be missing from the market. They are participating in the Fall Antique and Craft Show at Carolina Lily from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. The Rowan County Master Gardener Volunteer Association is participating in Carolina Lily’s Scarecrows for Charity Event. Take time to either visit Carolina Lily on Facebook or go to the shop on Kern Carlton Road and vote for our entry, “Miss Irene,” who wants to ride into your heart and win your vote. Should we win, we will use the prize to support our Pocket Garden Project at the County Extension Office.
Last week, the Master Gardeners hosted an apple taste preference survey. Five apple varieties were sampled. We tried to get Asian Pears from Eagle Farm into the tasting because they look like an apple but have juicy pear taste, but they are really pears. After the tasting, the volunteers found several other varieties worth mentioning. Bostian Farm had North Carolina Rusty Gold and Virginia Red. Both have outstanding taste. Many vendors have apples from their own farms and from the western counties. They are one of fall’s greatest treasures.
The N.C. Migrant Education Program in Rowan County, in collaboration with the Rowan County Cooperative Extension, will celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month at the Salisbury Farmer’s Market this Saturday from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. with a yummy salsa demonstration. Salsas of various types will be available for Farmer’s Market customers to sample.
The Farmers Market is located in downtown Salisbury at the corner of South Main and Bank streets. Visit the Farmers Market on Saturday from 7 a.m. until noon.
Sue Davis is a Master Gardener volunteer. Mindy Robinson, education advocate for the NC Cooperative Extension Service also contributed to this update.