Email
Print
Return of Farmers' Market a sign that summer is here
ADVERTISEMENT
Published: June 4, 2009
There are certain unmistakable signs that show us summer is here. It could be all the kids playing in the yard, that charcoal steak smell that radiates throughout the neighborhood, or local farmers' markets selling fresh local produce.
The Piedmont Farmers' Market has returned to downtown Concord.
Several vendors will set up curbside at 24 Market St. (beside the Concord Police Station) every Wednesday, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., selling homegrown produce, eggs and meat. The market will be there through Aug. 26.
There were only a few different people set up on the first Wednesday of the Concord market.
Sam and Catherine Penninger have been selling baked goods and vegetables from their large garden for 20 years. Their table at the market was filled with pies, cookies and angel biscuits.
"We were selling at the farmers' market when it was at the Boys and Girls Club, and also when it was at The Oaks by the Walgreen's," Sam said.
The Penningers had a huge box of fresh cucumbers and yellow squash from their garden.
Tommy Barbee, from Barbee Farms in Concord, had a stand full of fresh vegetables grown on his family farm. They sell at all the local farmer's markets in the area.
Miwa Hubert, and her 4-year-old son Kenzo were picking out squash for dinner from Barbee Farms.
Kenzo knew exactly which ones he wanted. Miwa said that Kenzo will eat what he picks out.
"I like the freshness, it's local produce," Hubert said. "In the store you don't know how old it is."
The 2009 Research Campus Farmers Market will operate from 4 to 7 p.m. every Thursday until Oct. 29 in the block of West A Street between the former Cabarrus Bank building and Transit Damage Furniture.
New rules will ensure a LOCAL brand on all the strawberries, broccoli, lettuce, onions and other produce sold there.
Vendors also must display a card telling customers the farm where each type of produce is grown.
"We know that agriculture plays such an important role in our health," says Phyllis Beaver, marketing director for Castle & Cooke, the company that manages the North Carolina Research Campus. "The goal of much of our research here is to prevent disease — or treat it — by what we eat. It makes us more determined to provide fresh fruits and vegetables to local residents and to support local growers."
Doyle and Linda Mauldin, parents of Todd Mauldin, owner of T&D Charolais in China Grove, sell locally raised, natural-grass-fed, no-antibiotic and hormone-free beef. The farm has been raising beef for about 15 years.
"People want naturally fed beef," Doyle said. "Get away from some of the junk that they feed cows.
The hormones and antibiotics are something my wife and I have been putting up with for quite awhile, but these younger ones don't want to put up with it. The younger people want more healthful beef,"
Paul Brewington, of Brewington Farms in Mount Pleasant, has worked in the fields for 52 years. He grows everything he sells from his farm. Professionally, he is an electrical engineer, but works his farm as a hobby.
"People want to know where their food is coming from now," Brewington said. "What amazes me more than anything else is that children are eating vegetables now. Kids get very excited when they come and see where it is."
Contact reporter Robin L. Gardner: 704-789-9140
Email
Print
ADVERTISEMENT
Click a region for news specific to that area.
 |
||
 |
 |
 |
 |
||
 |
||
 |
||
Advertisement
