Farmers market opens but selection is limited

By Staff
Clif Knight, Hartselle Enquirer
Hartselle's Farmer's Market is slowly making its way back in spite of an Easter weekend freeze and an extended drought. But buyers can expect to have less to choose from and pay slightly higher prices than they did a year ago.
"The early freeze knocked everything back, and on top of that we haven't had any rain in seven weeks," Bill Livens of Plainview said. "I've never seen it this dry before in my 74 years."
"You can keep plants alive by watering them yourself but it's expensive when you're getting your water from a spigot outside your house like I am," he said. "Plus, it doesn't do as much good as rainwater."
Three farmers were selling squash, cucumbers, red potatoes, green beans, tomatoes, peppers and okra at the Farmer's Market on Monday. Four stalls were filled on the preceding Saturday.
Dwight Armstrong, who lives on Byrd Road, had the best variety of produce. The quality appeared to be high but the supply was limited.
"I've been watering with soaker hoses, every other day," he said. "I wouldn't be here had it not been for that. But the additional expense of watering forced me to adjust prices."
He said he has several rows of good-looking corn that will be ready to harvest soon but has opted to keep it for the family's freezer instead of bringing it to market.
Jimmy Nesmith of Hartselle said a three-quarter inch rain on June 15 improved his prospects of having some corn to bring to market soon.
"I'm hoping to have field peas and melons later on," he said.
Farmers usually arrive at the market by 7 a.m. and stay until about 11 a.m.