May Market Milieu
Summer veggies, new growers, giant heads of lettuce & CSA boxes
It’s early May, and we have the abundance of summer for you to eat thanks to the early warm spring, the recent generous rains … but most importantly, THANKS to our farmers who all work hard to care for their land and raise the food we love to eat.
New Produce Alert: these pictures don’t show you scale, but take my word for it, because I took these pictures — these veggies are huge, HUGE! One head of lettuce is enough to feed your whole family. Look for veggies from Mountain View Farm. You can also try a little of everything they are growing, many items that are not listed on the market, by purchasing a CSA box of 10 lbs of veggies — look in the Special Offers category.
Farmer Spotlight — Mountain View Farm
This week we welcome a new farming community to the market: Mountain View Farm from just up the plateau in Palmer, TN. Established in 2024.
I rolled up the plateau on 399 to Stagecoach Rd. and encountered this charming hand-painted sign, and in another 1.8 miles, the farm stand it advertised:
I asked for the Jason Byler family as I ogled some of the biggest and most perfect produce ever witnessed waiting to be harvested in a tidy and bountiful field. Soon I encountered the efficient, joyful families responsible for these impressive operations, and they gave me a tour of their farm and armsful of produce and petunias to take home with me. Try their produce for yourself this weekend!
Mountain View Farm is comprised of a large extended family farming together with their children in a Mennonite community that values human effort over the use of petroleum products and electricity. They use natural fertilizers and minimal sprays only as last resort — preferring organic sprays when necessary. They have a farm stand adjoining the two main production areas where they sell flowers and plants from their greenhouses, jams and canned goods, and vegetables picked fresh every day.
We are a community of people growing food to feed ourselves and for our livelihood. We don’t use any heavy machinery or gas powered equipment. We are human powered!
Beautiful spring bouquets can be found in “Flowers, Plants, and Seeds” along with an assortment of heirloom tomato starts from Yellow Branch Farms. While you’re there, checkout Tickbush Nursery, selling plants from Midway.
Flour Power boasts beautiful, large and artistic sourdough loaves, made in Pelham by Abby Phipps, from Tracy City. Find her bread and more in “Baked Goods.”
Recycling with the SCFM
Did you get your order in a nice produce box or a sturdy paper bag last week? Don’t know what to do with it? We want them back so we can reuse them all year!
The SCFM relies on community contributions of paper bags and cardboard boxes to fulfill our orders — we really appreciate all your efforts to bring us your paper recycling. Thank you for helping make the market possible!
Volunteering with the SCFM
In case you didn’t notice, pickup day can get kinda busy! If you would like to come help out as a volunteer and earn a $5 market credit per every 2 hour shift, please sign up below.
Thank you, as always, for supporting the South Cumberland Farmer’s Market. You can further support local food initiatives by purchasing donations for our CAC partnership, the Open Food Network, or for the SCFM operating costs. We appreciate YOU!