Protecting Plants in Triple Digits

Having a garden during a heatwave can seem daunting to gardeners.

Not only does high heat mean more watering, but it also means plants are susceptible to sunburn, stress, and dropping of flowers.

Here in Zone 9b, we were lucky to have fairly mild temperatures so late in the year, up until now. A triple-digit heatwave is headed our way in matter of days. Yikes!

Fortunately, one can provide protection for their gardens or potted plants, even in record temperatures:

• Opt for shade cloth or an umbrella to avoid sunscald.

Shade cloth over our patio to protect our potted plants

One of the best ways to protect your plants during high temperatures is to shield direct sunlight from them at the hottest parts of the day.

Plants that are particularly delicate, prone to sunscald, and/or are smaller in size will especially be grateful for extra protection. After all, just like us, too much sun can be damaging, and high heat can be stressful.

Shade cloth hung over an uncovered porch, patio, or garden bed can provide indirect light to ensure your plants get sun exposure without the extra harsh rays.

An umbrella can also help do the trick and is easily mobile as the sun move throughout the day. Shade cloth-style umbrellas to allow filtered light are also available for purchase online or in-store.

• Mulch your garden.

To protect plants' roots from high heat or frost (in this case, high heat), mulching your garden can be a huge help.

When it comes to high heat, a good mulching—a thick layering of leaves, bark, grass clippings, straw, or other materials around a plant's base—can also help retain moisture to ensure plants' source of water doesn't evaporate before it has a chance to drink it.

It's a win-win situation: Your plants roots are protected, and you get to water less as your plants won't dry out as quickly.

• Water at the right times with the right amount.

Many have the misconception that watering plants just needs to be done at the hottest parts of the day.

However, watering at the beginning of the day is actually best before high heat as the plant has plenty of time to soak in water before it gets evaporated.

Of course, one's plants should be watered when they require, but it is a simple suggestion that watering earlier in the morning can help a plant stock up on water beforehand.

It is also not recommended watering later in the evening as plants can't adequately dry up, increasing risks of root rot, fungus, and growth of moss. However, if the plant is wilty, it is often safer to water it than to deprive it overnight.

Be *cautious* watering at the peak of the high temperatures; read the next bullet point for an explanation.

But, before I get onto the next point, the right amount of water is also crucial. Potted plants usually tend to need more water than plants in the ground.

Flooding your plant at its base with water can kill your plant by blocking its source of carbon dioxide, literally suffocating the plant. Flooding also puts a plant at risk for pests and diseases.

Watering too little, of course, may not reach the plant's roots at all, starving the plant of what it needs to survive.

The best guidelines to ensure you've watered enough and not too much include: Dark soil that does not look muddy, no puddles of water, and you should be able to stick your finger in the soil and see that it's moist and is making its way to the plant's roots.

• Avoid watering plants' leaves if they are in full sun.

You may have heard that watering plants' leaves helps cool the plant down, assisting them well through hot temperatures.

Sunscald on a tomato plant. Leaves turn white or silver-y

While this statement may be true, it is harmful for plants in full sun as it risks burning their leaves and skin of their fruit since the shininess of the water attracts the rays.

Plants in indirect light may be fine with their leaves being watered, but may suggest it is best not to overhead water in any extreme temperature. Some plants may not like the extra moisture of overhead watering.

Some advise overhead watering is always a no-go, but from my experience, as long as the plant is not in full sun or full shade, it isn't too cold or frosty, and any plants do not have a disease, plants can generally take on overhead watering with little to no problems, especially because plants are designed to take on rain, nature's form of overhead watering.

Though, one thing is for sure: Overhead watering can and will increase the chances of a plant being burned. If all or most of the leaves are burnt, the plant can no longer photosynthesis and will die.

Conclusion:

Summer is near, and so are triple digits.

Protecting your garden during these high temperatures can certainly be accomplished with shade, a little mulch, and the correct watering.

I wish you luck on your garden, whether they're in pots or in the ground!

4 Common Gardening Myths

Hello again!

It's been awhile since I've blogged.

Life has been busy between the Visalia Farmers' Market, growing plants, college, and a writing job on the side. I feel that my blogging skills have been amped up since the last time I've blogged.

With that being said, I believe it's about time to get back to this blogging thing.

Well, here goes nothing!

4 Common Gardening Myths

One of our lovely Wagner Blue Green tomatoes!
So far, so good.

Gardening has a vast amount of benefits on a person, from stress relief to essentially free produce.

However, many stray away from gardening for various reasons and not because they don't like the idea of gardening.

Some of the most common myths include..

1. Gardening requires a lot of space.

This is probably one of the biggest myths of gardening.

While there are some plants and varieties that require a decent amount of space, there are many ways to garden small from trellis gardening to vertical gardening.

Trellis gardening is especially recommended for cucumbers, zucchini, squash, melons, and the like.

As mentioned, there are some plants that thoroughly enjoy space. Fortunately, container varieties can be found for many plants, from compact, bush-type tomatoes to miniature varieties of basil.

Additionally, several plants in general are suitable for smaller gardening spaces. Corn, peas, beans, lettuces, and root crops are ideal examples. Plants that grow mostly vertically, are smaller in mature size, and those that grow underground are typically best for saving space.

It's also important to note that the spacing guidelines listed on seed packets are often incorrect. Some may suggest that corn should be planted a minimum of eight inches apart while other sources suggest three inches is still suitable. Really utilizing your garden space is key.

2. It's too much time and work for produce you can just buy at the store.

Time and work are two factors that appear intimidating, but many don't realize how rewarding patience and effort are.

Some plants such as tomatoes take around 70 to 80 days on average to begin production, scaring off potential gardeners. Although, with indeterminate varieties, one can receive a decent amount of produce from even a smaller garden.

Of course, herbs such as parsley, thyme, rosemary, and others can be harvested long before maturity while other plants, such as radishes, can be harvested a month or less after planting. So, time being a scare-away from gardening cannot apply to all plants. With the amount of production some plants put off, the amount of time is well worth the wait for fresh, home-grown food, not to mention that it can beautify your yard.

The work one puts into gardening, like with anything else in life, can bring great joy. It brings responsibility, exercise, and a feel-good component when you make your first harvest, thinking in your head, "I grew that!"

Regarding the argument that one can just buy produce at the store rather than garden for it, something to keep in mind is that many grocery stores do not offer local, organic, spray-free, non-GMO produce. Some produce is even grown in other countries with no indicator of how recently they were picked or what went on to produce such (e.g. chemical sprays). Buying (or starting your own) local plants and supporting your local farmers directly via farmers' markets is your best bet.

When one gardens, money and time spent at the grocery store is also reduced. Many gardeners often find themselves picking fresh herbs and vegetables from their garden while cooking dinner, saving a drive to the grocery store and money spent on produce. 

The thing I personally find most rewarding about gardening is that produce is not only fresher than in grocery stores, but it also means produce will last longer. Leaves on herbs and fruit on plants last much longer than already-picked produce that are sitting in your local stores, so you can pick the food as you need it.

You also can't deny the fact that home-grown tomatoes are a hundred times tastier than their store-bought counterparts. Grown in the right environment at the right time with natural ways and the right amount of water, your tomatoes will be over a dozen times more flavorful than any tomato you will encounter in a store or on a plate in a restaurant.

3. A good garden requires a lot of sunlight

Those with mostly shade in their yard may believe all edible plants will not thrive, but this is also incorrect.

Berries, lettuce, beets, radishes, garlic, onions, peas, spinach, mint, rosemary, pansies, and lavender are just some examples of plants that can grow in mostly shade, part shade, or indirect light.

With our climate (Zone 9b), many plants may not mind receiving a fair amount of shade in our hot, sunny summers. In fact, it is suggested in this climate that growing plants in part shade or creating a shade cloth structure for your plants through our hotter seasons is preferable for the best production and less harsh rays from burning the leaves of your plants.

Fortunately with our climate, this also means many plants can be grown through our winters. It becomes evident that there are really a lot of plants that can tolerate few hours of light each day.

Many gardeners also opt to grow plants in their home where their plants receive minimal, indirect light in many instances. Herbs and succulents are especially great options that can tolerate and thrive in little sunlight; they're pretty versatile to different settings of light.

4. It's an expensive hobby.

Gardening to some is perceived as pricey; however, what many fail to realize is that the amount of money they spend on a weekly or bi-weekly on produce at a grocery store adds up much quicker than buying seeds/plants and other supplies for a garden.

Buying a $3.50 tomato plant locally, which can produce up to 25 pounds of tomatoes (a whopping .14¢ per pound!), is much, much cheaper than even $1 per pound of tomatoes at a local grocery store. Planting tomatoes from a $1.25 seed packet is even cheaper, although does require more time. However, the amount of produce one can receive from a garden is amazing, especially because it doesn't produce all at once and can be picked when ready, saving even more money (I mean, how may times do we buy produce from a grocery store and throw it out after a week when it gets old?).

The reason I bring up these arguments is not to steer people away from buying from their local farmers and from grocery stores (by all means, go for it!), but rather to prove a point that growing your own food/garden is not as expensive as one may think. While work and time does have to go into gardening, one can save money, especially if they are on a tight budget.

Even for the gardeners who get enthused about a large garden and find that they are wasting their produce, they can let their plants go to seed and collect them to plant for next year, another money saver! Or, these gardeners can also give their produce to local soup kitchens or homeless folks, something to feel really good about.

Generally, there is a lot to love about gardening and what it can provide.

Prepping for a Fall Garden

Hello! Long time no blog. While it's still a wonderful time (at least here in high-heat California) to add additional annuals to your warmer-weather garden, we're getting antsy for planning our fall garden! Many of you probably are too.

As excited as we are to announce which lovely plants we'll be selling at the farmers' market this fall and winter (and adding to our own garden), it's still quite early. First things first, though, bed prepartation! Here's a quick and simple guide on getting your beds started before you begin buying cool-weather plants later next month.

1. Decide which plants to keep and which to get rid of

This is a tricky one considering summer annuals here in Zone 9 will survive up until the first frost. Perhaps you'll consider keeping your annual herbs and throwing out the veggies. Or maybe you'll cut back your tomato plants now for last fall harvest.

Whichever you decide, though, the toughest issue gardeners have is deciding whether or not to keep their perennial plants. Even if they're established and in great condition, many gardeners want a fresh start for their garden bed or even a new design as the next season approaches.

If this is you, consider digging up your perennials and repotting them. Be sure not to disturb or rip the roots too, too much and to do this process when it's cool outside (early morning or later afternoon). Also, don't forget to water your transplants thoroughly after repotting them to prevent/reduce transplant shock.

2. Begin de-weeding those beds

And the dreading begins. Just kidding - It's not all that bad! If you garden bed is covered with weeds, our best advice is to take it day-by-day. For us, our main problem is Bermuda grass (We used to have grass in that area but had it ripped out and replaced with a garden bed). So pesty! Our goal is to fill up a large bucket of weeds daily, at least, to ensure we eventually get the garden de-weeded plenty in time for fall planting. P.S. Hand tillers make great weed-pullers and help to loosen up the soil around the weeds!

Sure autumn isn't for about a month and a half from now, but start de-weeding now! If it can't be done in a day or two, especially if you're a busy person, make a goal, and stick with it. You'll thank us later.

3. Prep your soil

If you're gardening in the fall, it's likely you did so in the summer as well. If there were any "bad patches" of soil in your garden bed this season, figure out and work out the problem to avoid such issues for the next season's garden.

Test your soil, consider composting, and even look into some organic fertilizers or plant foods if you tend to have bad soil or bad luck with a successful harvest. If your bed is rocky, dry, or unlevel, start working it now. Try a hand tiller to break up dry areas.

4. Have pets? Consider a fence/blockade around your garden bed

Cats, dogs, goats, whatever you own, as much as we love them, they just can't "do their business" in our garden beds, dig up our garden, or even munch on our plants - It's just too much! I mean, who knew our beloved, furry friends could become pests?

Luckily, there's hope. Consider a low fence or some type of blockade to keep the animals out of the garden. Just ensure this fence or whatever you deide to use isn't too tall as the taller it is, the more sun it will block from your garden bed at certain times of the day.

You can also look into container gardening or raised garden beds, which are great in keeping your pets out, that's for sure. If you'd rather stick to your current garden bed, make it a habit now to "train" your pets to stay out of the garden bed, even when there's nothing planted in there for them to ruin. It's also a good idea to keep catnip out of the garden bed if your fellow kitty friends aren't allowed into your garden. Keep these in containers, trust us!

5. Start deciding which plants you'll consider growing

It's not necessarily a matter of what exactly you plant on planting in your garden bed, but a matter of what types of things you want to plant. For example, maybe you want to go a bit more drought tolerant and stick with only edible or low-water plants and ditch the flowers, maybe you want to plant mostly flowers, or maybe you want only perennials in your garden bed from now on.

Do you plan to plant root crops like onions and radishes? Trailing or spreading plants? Do you have limited space? Are you adding container gardens to your yard this year to ensure more space? The questions go on and on. Do your research on certain plants you wish to have in your fall garden to make sure they're suitable space-wise, are easy enough to grow for you, and meet your general standards as a gardener.

6. Come up with a garden bed design

Now that you have in mind what types of plants you'll be growing and have some research done, it's a good idea to design your bed. If you're growing low-bearing plants such as root crops, consider putting those in the beginning of the garden bed to ensure they won't be blocked out by taller plants.

Decide which sections will contain the vegetables and which will contain the herbs. Maybe you'll decide to contain your herb plants and only add veggie plants to your bed. Keep your bed organized, especially if it's large, but at the same time, make it rational. The full sun plants will need to be in a spot that's sufficient, the larger plants should be placed in the back where they can't block out the smaller plants, and so on. Keep those things in mind.

Rather than going for specifics and saying, "I'm going to plant broccoli and cauliflower in the first row. Then I will plant romaine, buttercrunch lettuce, and kale in the third row on the right hand side," sometimes it's best to just plan on planting root crops and smaller lettuces in the front row or two, and planting everything else in the back and of course deciding how to properly keep your vegetable and herb plants organized in a way that seems right to you. Remember, sometimes our garden bed doesn't turn out the way we want it too, and that's okay. You don't always have to be precise and plan where every little plant will be placed.


7. Patiently wait for the perfect time to plant in your fall garden

Woo, there's still a lot of time until it's time to fall garden, unfortunately. If you're looking for things now that will surpass through the winter (at least here in Zone 9), the only vegetable you can really plant now is Swiss chard (from seed and from transplants) considering it loves high temps and thrives through frost, and of course, perennial herbs work too. Many other things are a bit risky at the time being, but the time to best plant from seed for a cooler-weather garden in Zone 9 and most other zones is September for vegetables and herbs and October/November for most annual flowers if you're worried about bolting or lack of germination.


If you're from or around the area of Visalia, California, we sell plants year 'round at the Visalia Farmers' Market in the Sears' Parking lot every Saturday from 8-11:30 a.m.! You can pick up many great plants from us for your warmer or cooler-weather garden to save you the stress of knowing the right time to plant cool season seeds and of course saving your patience for waiting for the seeds to germinate and grow to a transplantable size.

Good luck on your preparation!

7 Successful Ways to Garden with Limited Space

One of the main problems prospective gardeners face is attempting to garden with very little area to do so. It seems most plants need quite a bit of space to grow, but creativity definitely comes in handy when it comes to figuring out how to grow a healthy garden with little space.

Whether you have limited space to garden due to having little land on your property, are renting a home or apartment where gardening cannot be done, or have very little arable land to work with, you're in luck! There are several different ways you can have a successful garden, limited space and all.

Types of Gardening - Specifically Geared towards Limited Spaces:

1. Vertical Pallets

If you're looking to get a bit on your creative side, try vertical pallet gardening! Vertical pallets are simple, trendy, and pleasing to eye. The goal of vertical pallets is to get plants to grow upwards instead of outwards, which as you can imagine saves quite a bit of space!

These vertical pallets can then be hung on a house or on a fence (shown above this paragraph) or even propped against a wall or fence (shown below this paragraph on the left).

Some vertical pallets are build with "feet" or legs on them (shown below this paragraph in the image on the right) or have two pallets that are built back-to-back in an upside-down v-shape (shown in the image to the right of this paragraph), so they can freely stand up on their own. There are literally dozens of ways to design a vertical pallet garden; you'd be amazed. Interested in vertical pallet gardening? Check out this link on instructions to create your very own vertical pallet!

2. Shoe Organizers

If you like the idea of vertical pallet gardening but aren't able to get your hands on a pallet to create your own or would prefer something already made, try shoe organizer gardening, aka 'pocket gardening.' All you need is, well, a shoe organizer and some potting soil, and of course plants, and viola, you've got yourself a nifty vertical garden!

Unlike vertical pallets, though, shoe organizers have to be hung and cannot be propped up at an angle against a wall, unless, that is, you nail your shoe organizer to a wooden flat, for instance.

3. Towers

Another similar yet different concept as vertical pallets are gardening towers. The plants growing in this type of gardening technique again will grow upwards, though the concept itself is quite different considering it's done in a vertical, 360 degree tower.

If you want to go all out, you can make one similar as the ones pictured, or you can make one out of a PCV pipe or out of a bucket, shown here. Not into the vertical style? Try a horizontal tower found here.

4. Shelves

If you're a potted plant type of grower but have little space to place your pots, keep them on a waterproof shelf, specifically an affordable yet sturdy garage shelf, which can be found for approximately $20-50 on average in a heavy-duty plastic material with holes. Try to stay away from shelves made from metal or shelves without holes, otherwise water will sit and rot the plants.

5. Containers

Possibly one of the simplest of ways to garden in a small space is to resort to container gardening. The thing with containers is that they can easily be moved around. Bring them indoors, or leave them on your porch or patio if you wish or even hang them. This method is especially vital when it comes to dealing with frost, heavy rain, and other conditions easier to deal with container gardens than with a traditional garden.

Another plus of container gardening is you'll have less pests (ie. gophers), though a downside is that the natural elements of soil are not prevalent in container gardens, and aeration is not as available since there are no earthworms in containers as there are in the ground, which is why it's important to use a potting mix soil for container gardening, filled with nutrients and of course perlite to help with the aeration process.

Several small pots can be used, or a large pot combined with various herbs will do just fine. You could even combine a tower garden with a container garden technique by making (or buying) your own tower of pots, placing plants in each level. Be sure to research which plants grow best with one another and if the pot is large enough, so the plant(s) can grow happily without becoming root-bound and cramped. Especially keep trailing/spreading plants in their own pot, so they don't crowd out other plants.

Radishes, carrots, beets, and other root plants are especially ideal for container gardening as they require fairly little space. Many herbs do well in smaller pots as well. If you're looking to container garden with veggies, there are several varieties of vegetable plants out there specifically designed for containers - Zucchini, cucumber, and tomatoes are just a few that have container versions. We sell container varieties at our booth as well.

6. Window Boxes

A subcategory of container gardening would be window boxes. They're pretty much the same idea, only that they're attached to the outside of a window. If container gardening is your thing, combine window box gardening with containers for the ultimate limited-space gardening experience!

In general, window box gardening is simple yet stunning. It gives your home a bit of character, combining both decoration with your love for gardening. With a window box garden, it's fun to take a peek out your window to watch your healthy plants grow day-by-day. Plus, if frost is an issue, your window boxes will be closely nestled to your home radiating heat onto your window planters and avoiding light to moderate frost.

7. Raised Planter Boxes

When raised planter beds are not in the picture, especially if you are renting a home where landscape cannot be altered, raised planter boxes are the next best thing. They closely mimic a raised planter bed, but instead are not permanent as they have legs and therefore can easily be moved around or taken out if needed. They're certainly not as much as a commitment as a traditional garden bed.

Another plus of raised planter boxes is that they're raised much higher than the average raised planter bed, making it easy to harvest, plant, and maintain your garden all while avoiding various pests or having to bend over just to tend your garden.

As you can see, gardening can be done in a variety of ways! Don't let limited space hold you back from having a productive garden.

Why not give some of these ideas a go? Even if you have plenty of room for gardening, you may find that you can never have too much room for having a healthy garden, not to mention that some of these space-saving gardening ways are as beautiful and unique as they are effective. Many of these ideas are actually quite easy and frugal, regardless of their seemingly complexity. You just have to be creative! There are many online tutorials and even videos online demonstrating how to create these types of gardens.

Surely, you could probably think of many other ways after reading this article to grow a garden in limited space. The goal should be, though, to either garden upward as opposed to outward (ie. vertical pallets) or to create a garden that can be moved around (ie. containers) or off of the ground (ie. window boxes). Good luck!

Photo Credits:
http://www.livinglocurto.com/2012/06/pallet-flower-garden/
http://inoustudio.com/vertical-pallet-garden/vertical-pallet-garden-pallet-community-garden-fix/
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/141230138288637948/
http://www.tinadalboge.dk/boligindretning/paller-2
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/90986854941397899/
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/414542340680175489/
http://wonderfuldiy.com/wonderful-diy-vertical-garden-pyramid-planter/
http://www.guide-to-houseplants.com/growing-lettuce-indoors.html
https://bonnieplants.com/container-gardening/
http://www.hyanniscountrygarden.com/window-box-ideas/
http://shawnacoronado.com/container-garden-tower-pyramid-build/
http://www.amazon.com/PHAT-TOMMY-Elevated-Planter-Box/dp/B00BLAZHHY
http://napawoodworks.com/product/zinfandel-raised-bed-planter/

Who We Are

People assume we are in direct competition with the big-box stores and other popular nurseries out there, though that is far from the truth. Our nursery is different because everything is raised the way it should be and grown from a seed in our own zone.

We grow what our customers want and enjoy, not what we think will sell best. Seeing our customers in excitement when they find out we have a unique variety or a rare plant they've been searching for but never could find is much more rewarding for us than receiving a high profit of sales. We aim to keep things local, different, and outside of the big-money horticultural industry.

All our plants are grown as naturally as possible with no chemicals, no secrets, and with only GMO-free seeds. We do have our own greenhouse, though we find that we don't really need it. Our goal is to sprout and raise our plants in the same environment they will produce in to ensure they are happiest and can adapt perfectly to our zone's conditions.

It's been proven that if you continue to reseed a plant you've grown in your garden in the past and plant those seeds year after year, the seeds from that plant overtime will become more adapted and evolved to our zone and will be genetically stronger for our zone's conditions, which is why we choose not to greenhouse grow our plants for the Market. We want our customers to be happy with

the products they purchase from us and have a productive harvest from them.

We have customers asking for tomatoes and other warm-weather plants in January and February, but the truth is, we grow our own plants around the same time as other gardeners grow theirs, but with more love, care, and attention than the big-box nurseries. We don't try to beat the clock, avoid the natural elements, or trick our plants into thinking they're growing in the correct season when they're not; we do what our plants want and let them grow in the conditions they feel most comfortable in.

We know, for example, that growing tomatoes in a greenhouse during the winter doesn't help or speed up its grow; it actually hinders it in the long run. Tomato plants become yellow, leggy, and malnourished due to lack of natural sunlight, and in turn, a lack of photosynthesis. When you put these plants outdoors when it warms up, the plant will use its energy to revive itself rather than to grow and get ready to produce. Growing it locally in Zone 9, it means keeping our plants as adapted as we can.

While other large-scale nurseries are ordering plants from other areas and/or plants that were grown in unnatural or unsafe conditions, we feel that keeping it more natural is the way to go when it comes to gardening. We don't agree with planting or eating things that are potentially harmful to your health whether through digestion or through a simple touch; we grow our plants without unnatural sprays to ensure both people and pets will not be harmed by them. It's not about outdoing the big box nurseries; it's about keeping plants local and as natural as possible.

Exciting, New Things Soon to Come

As we have done each season, we are adding several new additions to our booth. With our backyard and nursery renovation nearly at its completion, things have been going much more smoothly when it comes to growing plants and flowers for the Market.

This spring and summer, we are adding a wider variety of cut flower arrangements, over 20 different plants, and well over 30 different varieties we have not introduced at our booth in the past. We are still open to any suggestions, though for the most part, we are finalizing our grow list for the approaching, warmer-weather seasons. We are still accepting feedback and customer suggestions through this form listed on the homepage of our website. You will find it on the left side of the page.

We will also have other new additions at our booth, though they will be announced later down the road. We definitely, though, see 2016 as our year of expansion, change, and growth in general. We will have even more to offer than ever before ranging from heirloom favorites to common hybrid varieties to unique plants and varieties you can't find in the big-box stores due to their rarity, unpopularity, and lack of knowledge among the community.

We are really excited for our expansion. We hope you will admire our changes in the near future! Stay tuned for more updates.

All Year 'round Farmers' Market

Hello everyone. As many of you know (or maybe didn't know), the Visalia Farmers' Market in the Sears' Parking lot on Saturday mornings is all year round!

Yes, our booth, as well as several other booths, are here rain or shine! This time of year, we are selling perennial and/or cool-weather herbs, veggies, flowers (as plants and as cuttings), and even cut herbs.

The Market is still filled with fresh fruits and veggies, handmade goods and gifts (great for Christmas time as the holidays are inching closer and closer), prepared foods, and much more. Don't let the cooler weather stop you from coming to the Market!

The farmers' market has several events going on; be sure to check them out on the Visalia Farmers' Market Facebook page or on their website at www.visaliafarmersmarket.com.

This week at the Market, make sure to bring the kids because there is a Halloween contest for those age 13 or younger! Come join the fun!