Clif Knight

Hartselle Enquirer

Hartselle Farmer’s Market opened Wed., June 1, with fresh, garden-raised squash, cucumbers and snap beans for sale.

“It was a little slow the first day,” said Falkville vegetable grower Ray Sanders. “That was to be expected since a lot of our regular customers weren’t aware we were here.”

Sanders said he was joined by grower Glenn Coker who also brought squash, cucumbers and beans. “We were here about 7:30 a.m. and stayed until around noon,” he pointed out

“My produce is tender and a good quality,” he added. “That’s because I’ve been watering it. What we really need now is a soaking rain. My sweet corn is waist high and hurting for rain. I don’t know if it’ll make anything unless it rains soon.”

Sanders said he will bring cabbage, field peas and rutabagas to market in a few days but doesn’t expect to have ripe tomatoes until around July Fourth.

“It’s amazing how appealing home grown ripe tomatoes are to prospective buyers,” Sanders stated. “Some people will drive by and if they don’t see something red on our tables they’ll keep driving.”

“I’ve sold produce in Hartselle since the market moved to Sparkman Street several years ago,” said Sanders. I like it here. My only concern is that we don’t have more young people interested in commercial vegetable production. “We used to fill every stall in the market; now, if we have five or six selling that’s considered to be a good day.”