Top 10: Farmers' market finds

OK, there’s not exactly a season for preserves, but the Blue Springs and Independence markets have them for sale.

Williams’ favorite, peach habanero, arrived last week. The vendor does “a lot of twists” with jellies, she said.

Jams and jellies arrived at the Independence market earlier this month and sales will continue for the rest of the season.

“We just got the city to OK that,” Antoine said. “It’s well worth putting jams and jellies in.”

Sweet bread, cupcakes and pies are all available at the Blue Springs market, and pies are coming to Independence.

Antoine said his pie vendor was in the process of getting her health permit on Friday and would hopefully be ready to sell this weekend.

“If they give me the OK, then we’ll have pies up there,” he said.

New this year, market goers in Independence will be able to buy farm fresh eggs.

“We just got the OK from the city and have two people who are going to sell eggs,” said Antoine.

But don’t start dreaming of omelets just yet – both vendors are waiting for state egg licenses, so look for eggs at the market in coming weeks.

Still, it’s exciting for Antoine, who says with the addition of jams, jellies, baked goods and now eggs, Independence is that much closer to having “a full-fledged farmers’ market.”

“It’s getting bigger and better every week,” he said.

There’s a new vendor at the Blue Springs market this year, selling free-range chicken and grass-fed beef and pork.

“None of it has any hormones in it,” Williams said.

The vendor splits her time between Blue Springs and another market, so she’s there every other week. Williams said to look for her meats again at the July 2 market.

In the meantime, try lamb.

“Our lamb vendor is out of Oak Grove and is there every time. It’s all grass-fed lamb,” Williams said.

Wait no more for that first taste of summer.

Blueberries arrived last week at the Blue Springs market, said Williams, and peaches won’t be far behind. Just hold tight for next week’s market.

“I don’t think he’ll be here this week, but it’s right around the first of July when peaches come in,” she said.

Melon comes later, said Antoine. Cantaloupe will hit the market first, in a couple of weeks, with watermelon arriving not long after that.

Almost, almost.

“We’ll have green peppers in about a week,” said Antoine.

Added Williams, “We should start seeing peppers before long.”

“We have squash – yellow squash and zucchini – that’s coming on real good and available now,” Antoine said.

“Green beans, sweet corn and tomatoes – those are the favorites,” Antoine said.

There will be green beans today at the Independence market, but you’ll want to come early – the vendors who had them last week sold out by 10 a.m.

Williams couldn’t be sure Friday if green beans would be available at today’s market in Blue Springs.

“They had to replant,” she said, which slowed the season.

The first crop of sweet corn will be available today at the Independence market, Antoine said.

The Blue Springs market should see sweet corn within a week.

“They told me last weekend it was just so close,” said Williams.

As a gardener, Williams said she’s excited if she sees tomatoes before July 4. She thought vendors at the Blue Springs market might have non-hothouse tomatoes this weekend.

That’s not to say the other local tomatoes – grown in high tunnels and greenhouses and available early in the season – aren’t good, said Antoine.

“Some of the tomatoes grown in greenhouses can be really flavorful,” he said. “We’ve had some Mennonite ladies bring tomatoes out of Warrensburg, and everyone’s been raving about the taste.”

Antoine said he expected field tomatoes to hit the market within a week to 10 days.

The bottom line?

“People don’t really realize how much better fresh produce is until they’ve tried it,” Antoine said. “It stays better longer because it hasn’t been shipped. The tomatoes you get in the grocery store have been gassed to turn them red.

“We’ve got some good stuff.”