August 2008 "Delta Flavor"

Welcome to Delta Flavor, the unofficial e-newsletter of the Cleveland Farmers Market. Delta Flavor is the term we like to use for the taste of the freshest local produce that can be found in the Mississippi Delta.

Recap of July 2008 Markets:
The month started off slow with many folks out of town or laying low for the Fourth of July weekend, but the market steadily improved on July 12 and July 19. On the 26th, typically a slow weekend since people are out of money at the end of the month, we got a pleasant and much-needed morning rain. I'm not one to curse the rain, even on a market day, since the Delta has been bone-dry all summer. But...the rain might have scared customers away. Remember, we are a rain or shine farmers market! On a side note, the tents held up great in the rain and provided a concrete reason for why we have tents this year.

The Cleveland Farmers Market has never been more bountiful. We've now got bumper crops of tomatoes, watermelons, yellow squash, zucchini, okra, butter beans, purple hull peas, cantaloupes, and eggplant. For busy people, the market has bags of shelled peas and beans as well as pre-sliced yellow squash, ready-made pesto, and a variety of jams, jellies, preserves, and pickled goods. In July, I had two new farmers come to the market with their produce. Since there are no vendor fees and no weekly commitment, the Cleveland Farmers Market is the ideal spot to bring extra produce even for just a few market days a season.

We were in the press twice in July. First, the Delta Democrat Times has a front-page article about the market. Then, the Cleveland News Leader very generously included me in their special section about women leaders in Bolivar and Sunflower Counties. For awhile, a lot of people recognized me as "the Farmers Market Lady."




Thanks to the talented geniuses at Strings Design, we have snazzy t-shirts and tote bags for sale. The response has been terrific. The shirts come in green and natural with the farmers market logo on the front and an awesome design on the back. Very eye-catching. The bags are helpful to have, especially for regular market customers, since the bags help reduce the number of plastic bags used on each market day. That said, if anybody has an abundance of plastic bags that need to be used then please drop them off at the Friends Tent for the farmers.

Not only is the Cleveland Farmers Market known around the Delta, but we're also getting the word out in cyberspace. Check out our page at Local Harvest.

August 2008 Market News:

• Market Days: August 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
• Monthly Meeting: August 16 at 10 a.m. (after the Market) behind the Cleveland Post Office
• Special Event: On August 16, the Cleveland Farmers Market will host a benefit tent for the Serenity Animal Rescue. The tent, staffed by volunteers from Serenity and the Bolivar County Humane Society, will have a bake sale with all proceeds going to further Serenity's mission of providing essential medical services, spaying and neutering, food, shelter, and a high quality of life for the dogs and cats in Serenity's care. Y'all, the McCools have over 50 dogs at their place that need food and care! If you're interested in donating a baked good or something for the bake sale, contact me.

August Friends Tent Schedule:

• August 2 -- Patrice Chandler and Eric Atchison
• August 9 -- John and Eleanor Weaver
• August 16 -- Mechelle Wallace and OPEN
• August 23 -- Alan Barton and OPEN
• August 30 -- Karen Bell and OPEN