In farmer’s markets around Central Texas the summer’s crop of tomatoes, peaches, pears, beans, garlic, okra, watermelon and cantaloupe is on the wane.
Growers will start bringing their fall crops to open air markets within the next 30-45 days with greens, gourds, pumpkins, radishes, peas, beets and broccoli.
Buying local produce has become a national trend with many health conscience buyers - known by the new buzz word locavores - who are seeking out more flavorful vegetables grown in their own locales from farmers they get to know personally.
Buying local doesn’t necessarily mean it’s grown only in Bell County. It can be within the Texas region. At Belton’s market at Penelope and Central Avenue farmers are coming from as far as 200 miles away. Others buy melons and peaches for resale from growers all over Central and East Texas.
John and Sylvia McCarver, owner of McCarver Farms in Kosse, set up every Saturday in Belton. The 65-mile trek each way is worth the trip, Mrs. McCarver said.
The McCarvers sell tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, squash and melons grown on their farm but buy peaches for resale from a grower in Pittsburg east of Winnsboro.
The Pittsburgh peaches have near perfect balance between sugar and acid with a pleasing moist texture her customers like. They sell out before noon.
Mrs. McCarver said they don’t sell to grocery stores because the cost of labor to bring in such a large crop would mean hiring extra help.
“We’re a family-run enterprise,” she said.
She said people are becoming more attuned to buying locally for health reasons - plus the better taste. She likes selling direct to local buyers for her own reasons.
“Honestly, what I like about it is I get to know my customers,” she said. “I know what they like. I’ve been doing this since I was 9 years old. The customer service thing is closer.”
She said the family is preparing for the fall harvest of greens, spinach, pumpkins and squash.
Larry Hayman, who owns L&L Produce in Holland, said his summer items will play out by the end of August.
“We started the first of the month planting for fall,” he said. “We’ll start bringing some greens and squash in.”
Hayman said the heat and lack of rain has gotten to a lot of local farmers in Central Texas this summer season, but people still prefer local to chain store produce.
“I think it’s better for you healthwise to eat local produce,” he said. “It hasn’t gone through gassing and chemicals and stuff like the chains stores do. We use the least amount of chemicals we have to in planting our garden and we wash everything when we pick it and try to bring it as fresh as we can to market.”
Delmar Bennight, who farms in Holland, said he maintains his booth at Belton, but sells most of his produce to Scott & White Memorial Hospital.
“Getting businesses to buy local in Texas is a big thing right now,” he said.
Gussie Daniel drives further than any other farmer does at the Belton open air market. He comes 225 miles from Henderson in East Texaswith a pickup truck filled with seedless watermelons and tomatoes. Daniel offers slices of melon samples to his customers. He said he fertilizes his melons with molasses. They have a sugary sweet taste.
The former United States foreign service officer said when he retired he bought the farm in Henderson but comes to Belton every weekend to be with family. He also teaches sixth-grade in Garland
“The advantage of locally grown melons and tomatoes is that they are likely fresher, Daniel said. “They will have stayed on the vine until ripe and they are free of chemicals and contaminants.”
Customers agree.
Mary Harper, who lives at Lake Belton, said she buys local for the fresh taste.
“I’m a farm girl and I know what’s good.”
She said Belton Market Days and the farmer’s market reminds of how things were long ago.
“It brings back good feelings,” she said.
