Market Farming

[Harriet Allen <hattie_allen AT yahoo.com>]

We have one vendor who simply stacks lots and lots of empty egg cartons on the table. they do have their farm label on them too. But even if they don't have special labels, it is an effective solution.

I'm trying to figure out how to display fresh herbs.  It is a challenge to have them looking good without putting them in plastic or in a cooler in plastic, etc.  I've solved it with mint and parsley and basil by cutting the herbs and immediately putting them into water and then putting the entire bucket into the refrigerator. It works OK, but I take the leaves off the mint and basil that would otherwise end up in the water and use just an inch or so of water in the bucket.  Oh, and I do not put basil in the refrigerator!  Instead, I place it someplace cool, but not too cool.  60-70 degrees is nice if you can find a place like that. But you don't want to store them near flowers either probably because of ethylene gas.  So we do a lot of juggling.  Basil has to be cut early before sun gets it or in the evening.  Same with everything else...No sense harvesting any herb when the sun gets on it!  And it is really helpful to CHANGE the water before you go to market--or at some point.

How to display dill?

How to display cilantro?

And where to find inexpensive, but durable smaller buckets than I have. I'm using 1 gallon white buckets and could use something about half the size for some of this.

Any ideas?

Hattie's Garden
31341 Kendale Rd.
Lewes, DE 19958