Our 2nd 90 Degree Day of the Year

 I actually got up pretty early - for me! - and we made it down to the Farmer's Market by 9:30 AM. After a delicious breakfast  we set out to enjoy the sights and sounds of the Market. It had been 3 weeks since we had a chance to visit so I knew that there would be lots of new things to see.

First of all, the produce is just amazing right now. We still have lots of the mid-season favorites like beans and summer squash but are now seeing many late summer vegetables as well. The tables are loaded and the displays are beautiful.

One vendor at the market specializes in Peppers. In the Spring she sells plant starts and then in the summer she sells the fruit. She has a really diverse offering for our part of the world. I imagine she is growing the peppers in hoop houses to provide extra heat but that is just a guess. All of her peppers were labeled clearly and displayed in pretty wicker baskets.

One "new-comer" since I was last at the Market were figs.

I also was attracted to this basket of "Lemon" cucumbers.

We were amazed at all of the cantaloupe and melons that we saw for sale. While there have always been a few varieties offered in past years, this year the number of different kinds that we saw were just amazing. It was a melon lovers dream and I think really reflects the amazing diversity available in seed catalogues now. There are so many interesting heirlooms from Canada and Russia that can grow well in our climate and mature without a lot of heat and humidity.The Farmers now have access to them and we are benefiting from it.

A lovely display of nectarines.

I was most excited to see the corn truck there! Most of his load was bi-colored though he had a small amount of all yellow corn too. This cold, wet year has really affected his ability to get a mature crop to market. Everyone was thrilled to see him there. I picked up two ears for dinner tonight.

I loved this hand-made quilt that was a backdrop in one vendor's stall.

I ended up buying three different melons today - an unnamed cantaloupe, a "charentais" cantaloupe, and a "lambkin" melon. I had never heard of "lambkin" melons before but their yellow and green skin caught my eye. It was a AAS winner in 2007 and is know for both its excellent flavor and its long keeping ability. The seller recommended that we eat it last of the three varieties that we purchased because it would still be at peak flavor the longest. After a fun day at the market we stopped at Down to Earth and then headed home. The temperature hit 92 degrees today and we had a warm evening tonight to enjoy. I worked down in the garden for about an hour and a half. I got another row weeded and dis-budded all of the dahlias. I got back at the house just before dusk and we enjoyed dessert outside and watched the International Space Station fly over at 8:51. A very nice day!