Season's last farmers' market slated for tomorrow

After this weekend's upcoming sale, the Organic Farmers' Market put on by the Family Producers of the Valley and Texas AgriLife Extension Service is set to take a break until November.

Saturday's planned sale at North San Juan Park is from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. The park is located at 511 East Earling (Nolana extension) in San Juan, between Raul Longoria and Cesar Chavez roads.

"This will be the last market of the season, so everyone is encouraged to take advantage of this organic vegetable opportunity and come early," said Hidalgo County Extension horticulture agent Barbara Storz.

Storz organized Grow'n Growers, an Extension program that teaches low-income citizens to grow vegetables without the use of chemicals, then sell them to the public at the area's only organic farmers market.

Fifteen families joined the program last year and organized a farmers'cooperative known as Familias Productores del Valle, or Family Producers of the Valley.

Demand for the chemical-free vegetables has been great, Storz said.

"Customers actually show up early and help us set up, then the produce just flies off our shelves until we sell out, usually hours before closing time," she said.

Storz said that unlike grocery store vegetables, the farmers' products are harvested only hours befor sale. A variety of organically grown greens, okra, squash, onions, celery, cucumbers and other spring vegetables and herbs are available.

"This program has succeeded far beyond our wildest dreams," Storz said. "We knew there was a demand for organic produce here in the Valley, but this has been outstanding.

"Everybody wins; low-income families are becoming productive and self-sustaining, while consumers gain the healthful benefits of consuming tasty, fresh and chemically-free vegetables."

For more information, contact the Texas AgriLife Extension Service at (956) 383-1026.

____

Rod Santa Ana III is a communications specialist at the Texas A&M Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Weslaco.