In search of some garden-grown tomatoes in Weiser

Published by admin on Wed, 08/07/2019 - 11:38am
By: 
Steve Lyon
I was one of the first shoppers at the
farmers market last Thursday at the
depot and on a mission.
I was in search of garden tomatoes,
the big beefsteak variety or the sweet
early girls for salads and
sandwiches. Guess what?
No local tomatoes to be
found at any of the vendors.
Evidently, tomatoes are
late this year. Everyone said
their plants are loaded but
the tomatos are still green.
Some may be ready for this
week’s farmers market.
State’s Produce had been
my regular late-summer stop
once or twice a week for local
tomatoes, onions, plums,
melons and all kinds of produce,
but it didn’t open this
year for whatever reasons.
Others also have lamented that it
didn’t open. People really do want farmfresh
items and they are willing to pay a
premium for them.
I’ll be back at the farmers market on
Thursday looking for tomatoes. It’s one
of my favorite things to do during the
week. It’s only a hop, skip and a jump
from the Weiser Signal American office
in beautiful downtown Weiser.
The great thing about the farmers market
is the variety of produce increases
every week. I’m always amazed at how
some folks have the skill and knowledge
to grow all those vegetables. The secret
must be the Miracle Gro they use.
The sweet corn ears were big last
week. Kelley Orchards south of Weiser
brought cases of perfect
peaches. They also had
blackberries that were sweet
and ripe.
As the local harvest season
gets going, big old peppers,
of the bell and other
varieties will show up, along
with onions, green beans,
squash and much more.
About the only thing I
can’t find there are avocadoes
for salads. If the climate
continues to warm, maybe
avocado trees will grow in
Idaho.
The farmers market is not only a great
place to buy everything from farm fresh
produce to peaches to homemade soap
and jams. There is the social aspect as
well. It’s nice to get out and see your
friends and neighbors at the market.
The nonprofit Weiser River Resource
Council has organized the farmers market
for the past eight years. Volunteers
with the WRRC do a great job of organizing
and promoting the market as a benefit
to the community.
It’s National Farmers Market Week
from Aug. 7-13 and a good reason to
stop by Weiser’s farmers market on
Thursday. • • •
I watched some of the NFL Hall of
Fame activities at Canton, Ohio, last
week, including the HOF game between
the Denver Broncos and the Atlanta Falcons.
What a hot and humid workout
that must have been
I was surprised at how old some of
the former greats looked at HOF events.
It wasn’t that many years ago that Dallas
Cowboys runningback Tony Dorsett
was slicing through defenses like a knife
through butter.
The dude was sprouting some gray
around the temple and looked old, like
someone’s grandpa. I had not seen him
in a while and it was a bit of a shock.
Time can be so cruel.
Preseason NFL football is here already.
There’s about 60 games to watch
to warm up for the start of the 2019 season
on Sept. 5, when the Chicago Bears
will host the Green Bay Packers.
I should give Weiser resident Tim
Wrightman a call. He played for the
Bears back in the day. I’m sure he’ll be
watching his old team in action.
If he’s got an extra recliner in front
of the widescreen TV, I’ll bring the cold
beverages.
Steve Lyon is the editor of the Weiser
Signal American. Contact him at

Category:

Signal American

18 E. Idaho St.
Weiser, ID 83672
PH: (208) 549-1717
FAX: (208) 549-1718
 

Connect with Us