Farmer's Market prep

The Farmer's Market has started!

We had opening day on Saturday in Salisbury. The Davidson Market , which is the one I attend does not start until May 2nd but this was the last Saturday for the Winter Market so we actually did have 2 Farmer's Markets.

So many of you tell me that you really enjoying hearing all of our adventures on the farm so I thought I would share what it is like the day before the Market. Remember that me and Lee both work full-time jobs so the farm work gets done after 5 o'clock everyday. We do all the work ourselves we don't have any farm employees.....just Rosty and Charlie. We also do not live on the farm we live about 4 1/2 miles away so there is travel involved everyday.

All the animals still have to be fed before we can start preparing for the Market. If we have produce that needs to be picked it usually has to be done the night before. There are a few exceptions like potatoes but for the most part we pick on Friday night. Presentation is everything and we don't won't dirty produce so we must wash/rinse the vegetables. Lettuces take a little more time to wash and dry and then bag. Then they are kept on ice for the night.

We also sell fresh, free-range eggs. The eggs are collected throughout the week and put in a refrigerator at the farm. We then take the eggs home and wash them each by hand, dry them off and then put them in the cartons. Did I mention that we have over 200 laying hens?? This takes some time. We try to wash eggs every couple of days so they are not all waiting on us Friday night.

We also have two money boxes so someone has to make sure there is enough change for both boxes and that the money from Saturday's Market gets deposited sometime during the week.

Most Friday night we do not get in bed until after midnight and then we are up at 5 AM on Saturday mornings.

Saturday mornings are very hectic! We load our freezers with meat to sell at the Market, we divided the eggs up between the two of us, we load up our money boxes, tables, signs, price boards, table clothes, etc. We wake the boys up and get them dressed and decided who is going with mommy and who with daddy and then we are gone.

Once at the Market everything has to be unloaded & set- up. This is usually when I make sure my price board is updated and if I am out of anything I cross thru it on the board. Both Market's close at noon. So then we are loading everything back up and heading back to our house to unload once again.

I'm not done yet though. This does not conclude our day. I usually get the boys to lay down for a nap and do all my cleaning and laundry while they are napping and Lee heads to the farm to do whatever should need to be done that day.

This Saturday we were in the garden planting until 8:30.

Did I mention that we were up at 5 AM......

So if I don't return a phone call or an email just bear with me because chances are I'm just beat!