Cottin's Hardware Farmers Market is held Thrusdays 4:00 pm - 6:30 pm in the back parking lot of Cottin's Hardware & Rental by llc

If you didn’t make it to Cottin’s Hardware Farmers Market last week, rest assured, you were one of the few, as hundreds of people flocked to the back parking lot at Cottin’s Hardware & Rental to partake in some of the finest food offerings in town. The party like atmosphere was contagious as people perused product offerings whiling sipping on Free State beer or nibbling a taste of delicious Iwig Dairy Ice Cream. Fresh Picked entertained the masses with their wonderful acoustical selections and the promising heat of the summer made the allure of S & S Artisanal Grocery’s handmade strawberry popsicles that much more delectable. Vesecky Farms added a bit of weight to everyone’s market bag as they doled out pasture raised chickens, turkeys and ducks and Wohletz Farm sold out of their haul of luscious strawberries before the Iwig Dairy ice cream had time to melt.

Cottin's Hardware Farmers Market is held Thrusdays 4:00 pm - 6:30 pm in the back parking lot of Cottin's Hardware & Rental by llc

Larger than life vegetable sculptures were harvested from the KU Art class just in time for market and drew a lot of attention from young and old, as a friendly game of “Name that Vegetable” ensued. The sculptures will be on display throughout the month of June and possibly longer if their “freshness” can be maintained.

Larger than life vegetable sculptures take center stage at Cottin's Hardware Farmer's Market, Thursdays 4:00 pm - 6:30 pm by llc

This week’s market is sure to bring much of the same. Mister Bacon BBQ will return again to supply hot fresh BBQ to market patrons. John Thompson will entertain all with his modern and traditional musical squeeze box renderings. Regular vendors will be on hand with their unique selection of products. Stony Ridge Farm will continue to fill their booth with breads, jellies and assorted bake goods, as well as farm fresh eggs, as they await the season’s first harvest of fruit from their many varieties of trees. Upward Spiral bake goods will offer their delicious, ready to cook pie crust as well as a nice assortment of homemade breads and goodies. Backdoor Bakery will also offer sweets and treats, heavy on the local ingredients and pleasantly pleasing too. In the frozen section, Iwig Dairy will return with a larger selection of local ice cream and Vesecky Farms will be on hand again with large and small pasture raised chickens, turkeys and ducks.

Stony Ridge Farm offers fresh baked coffee cakes and breads, jams and jellies and farm fresh eggs at Cottin's Hardware Farmers Market by llc

Local farmers will continue to supply seasonal produce, heavy on the greens, but supplemented with seasonal produce, now including broccoli, turnips, radishes, green onions, and possibly some strawberries too. Farm fresh eggs will be available from several vendors and some late season vegetable starts can still be had from Nuestra Hortiliza and others. Vinland Valley Nursery will be on hand to answer your gardening questions and help you choose from their selection of annual and perennial plants. New Boston Coop will also be there with a selection of products including olive oil, balsamic vinegar and sea salt, for your supplemental grocery needs.

Mellowfields Urban Farm offers fresh produce weekly at Cottin's Hardware Farmers Market by llc

Cottin’s started their market last year, at the request of farmers and patrons alike, and decided to try their hand at a full season market this year. Response has been over whelming as the community embraces the event with enthusiasm and support. Farmers markets have been around almost as long as the advent of agriculture, but they had seemingly gone the wayside with the dawn of supermarkets and industrial farm systems. The past decade has ushered in a rebirth of farmers markets near and far, with the USDA reporting a 72% increase in the number of farmers markets across the country. Such a dramatic change in the buying patterns of US consumers begs the question, why? Why the sudden interest in fresh, local produce? Why the increasing development of small scale farms?

More and more young farmers are hitting the dirt across America. KU freshman Jasmine Prapoulenis helps with planting at MAD Farm south of Lawrence. by llc

The simple answer could be, it just tastes better. Produce grown for local farmers markets is typically harvested less than 24 hours before market time. Produce in grocery stores often travels thousands of miles and is usually several days, if not several weeks, old before it ever reaches the retail shelves. Research shows produce loses 75% of its nutritional value within three days after harvesting. Consumers purchasing products at farmers markets are promised fresher and more nutritious products compared to products purchased in typical grocery stores. Small scale farmers choose a wide variety of products to grow; selecting for flavor over yield, as opposed to standard grocery store varieties whose proliferation is based solely on quantity production, not quality. Soils on small scale farms are more sustainably cared for than soils on commercial farms. Small scale farmers use natural soil amendments, crop rotation, companion planting and other natural methods to increase soil productivity and maintain high nutrient levels within their soil. Better soil means better produce, better taste and better nutrition.

Martin Farm green onions are available at Cottin's Hardware Farmers Market, Thursdays from 4:00 pm - 6:30 pm by llc

Farmers markets also offer something grocery stores can’t, the ability to talk to the farmers and producers. Do you wonder if the product you are purchasing is grown without chemicals? Ask the farmer. Want to know where the ingredients of the bread you are buying came from? Ask the farmer. Confused on the different types of leafy greens available? Ask the farmer. Wondering what to cook for dinner? Ask the farmer. Many farmers have recipes on hand to share and all farmers are happy to tell you about their success and failures of preparing the produce you are about to purchase. Farmers are also excited to tell you about their growing practices, often encouraging customers to head out to the farm for a personal tour of where their food comes from.

Upward Spiral Bakery offers fresh baked breads and pie crust weekly at both the Downtown Lawrence Farmers Market and Cottin's Hardware Farmers Market. by llc

So this week at Cottin’s Hardware Farmers Market, take time to talk with the different vendors. Ask your farmer how he grows his food; ask your baker where she gets her ingredients. Learn where your food comes from and be confident in knowing that you are making the right choice when you choose to shop at Cottin’s Hardware Farmers Market or any of the other wonderful farmers markets Lawrence has to offer!

The Lominska family has been farming locally at Hoyland Farm and several other locations for more than 30 years. Bob, Avery and friends pride themselves in the use of sustainable organic practices. by llc

For those of you not familiar with John Thompson's musical mastery, here is a short sample from last year's farmers market...