Every summer for the last nine years, the Dairy Queen parking lot has temporarily transformed into a farmers’ market on Saturday mornings.
Coordinator Susan Pyles said that the market “never gets very big but has a tremendous following.” Pyles also stated that since it is not spread out like most markets around the area, it is convenient and easy to get from stand to stand.
Explaining its sociable atmosphere, Pyles added that one can easily run into a neighbor or friend, and asked “who wouldn’t want to do that?”
Pyles said six to ten vendors participate during a normal year, however, due to the rain and poor weather this summer, farmers are still waiting for their crops. “Usually,” said Pyles, “the crops are picked that morning, so you know they’re fresh.”
On June 27, though, only one vendor was present, and they were not able to use their own crops.
The Frank family, who have been in the famers’ market business for more than twenty years, had to sell produce that was brought in from Arkansas but usually provide fruits and vegetables that are home-grown.
Joyce Frank said her family participates in numerous markets in the area and sells produce and flowers from her home. She said that her family, like all of the other vendors, is waiting for crops and business to pick up and for the rain to stop.
After the market on Saturday, one customer raved about the surprisingly large tomatoes he purchased but also warns to Morton community to look carefully before they buy. Some of the fruit was pre-bunched in plastic bags, and upon opening, the customer found that his peaches were bruised, beaten and “good for baking and cooking but not much else.”
This customer cut the bad spots from the peaches and commented that he could only save “the best of the worst” before baking them into a pie.
Although Pyles reminded Morton that the prices are cheaper than the grocery store and “we know where the food is coming from,” a customer must not forget to be picky when shopping at the farmers’ market, which is open 7-11 a.m. Saturdays in the Dairy Queen parking lot.
